Boston · Backpacking
ON A BUDGET
Compact, walkable and full of students, so the cheap eating and drinking is easy to find.
Theatre District and Allston
The main hostel sits by the Theatre District a few minutes from Boston Common, with cheaper student sublets out towards Allston and Brighton.
What a day costs
Bed 45–75 USD, food 20–40 with a slice or a Chinatown lunch at the low end, and a subway day pass around 11.
Getting around cheap
A CharlieCard taps onto the subway for about 2.40 a ride, the Silver Line runs free inbound from the airport, and Bluebikes cover the river paths.
Free by day
The Freedom Trail is a red line in the pavement and costs nothing to follow, Harvard Yard is open, and several museums run free evening hours weekly.
Where travellers meet
Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market bars for the first night; after that, the student pubs of Allston are where the prices drop.