Boston, MA

[Anonymous]

We are relocating to Boston, MA in the Spring/Summer. Anyone out there have any advice? How does the city compare to living in the District, lifestyles, etc. Our children are still small - so school will soon be an issue - but we are ok for now. Are private schools as competitive? Are people as un-friendly as they say?
Would love some advice/opinions.........

[Anonymous]

I grew up in NH so I can't really speak to Boston itself, but I have certainly been there a number of times. Personally, I think people down here are much more unfriendly than up in that area. My DH went to school up there (Boston College) and has family in South Boston, so we go up there quite a bit. I always say when we leave that I feel so comfortable with all his friends and family up there. They are so friendly and welcoming and they just seem more laid back and less concerned with the "right" schools, clothes, etc. that people (myself included) seem to get caught up in here. I am sure there are parts of MA where that is important, but the people I know are very friendly and less concerned with who has what. If I had to look for a location to live, I would look on the North Shore (Marblehead, Gloucester, etc) or the South Shore (Scituate, Hingham). They are all close to the water and are quaint NE towns, but still relatively close to Boston. I know Hingham has good schools because I have friend who went there, but I can't really speak to the other towns other than they are lovely (and expensive). Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Boston is beautiful. Downtown is super pedestrian friendly - lots of sidewalks, walking trails, paths, wide open parks/commons etc. Great for dog lovers too.

Very historic too (duh!) so check out the churches, cemetaries, the harbor, etc. and your children (are they school age?) can definitely build an appreciation for such pieces of history.

The people are decent. Just like in DC, you'll find some are friendly some not so friendly. Also, like DC you have your share of confused tourists.

We only had a dog (pre baby) when in Boston so I can't fairly comment on the schools.

Good luck with the move.

[Anonymous]

you'll find the boston 'burbs to be a whole lot nicer (prettier, more quaint) than the dc suburbs. love the north and south shore --don't forget to look at the western suburbs too-- weston, concord, acton, wayland, lincoln, sudbury all have superb public schools. excellent private schools in these surrounds: concord academy, middlesex, st.marks,cambridge school,nobles,bbandN...

Boston Pluses:

fanastic sports opportunties for children. for example; BAYS soccer (google it)
close proximity to cape cod and maine (and nh skiing)
history everywhere
conservation land everywhere


minuses:
not as diverse as dc
expensive too

[Anonymous]

Much, much more pedestrian friendly than DC - better shopping....Newbury Street/Copley/Beacon Hill - all you need within a 15 minute walk in any direction. Back Bay and Beacon Hill are very pretty and elegant. Less homeless people than DC, less crazy traffic (in the city) than DC. The suburbs of New England have more history and small town charm than MD and VA 'burbs. Lots of communities with excellent schools - so you have much to choose from. Just like anywhere, commutes can be rough - so try and choose a town or area near your work, etc - if you can!

[Anonymous]

I used to hate living in Boston. Now that I have a kid, I miss it! The worst thing is winter...it lasts about 9 months! But I miss the aquarium, the science & kids museums...

We lived in Cambridge which was very diverse. the city spent lots of money on schools but it's still spotty. (Though still better than DC.) I've also heard that Arlington has good schools. FArther out, Lexington and Concord also get good reviews and have rail service to connect to Boston.

There are a lot of private schools, but not as much concern about getting into them since the public schools are decent.

Everyone calls MA "Taxachussetts" which I don't understand. Our taxes were much lower there than here! Granted, we're renters. (Renters apparently get some money back from the state.) But I also saw more value for what we paid!

AS for making friends, we found ours through church. If you're protestant, you might enjoy Park Street, particularly the evening services which are beautiful. (I'm Catholic and I still loved Park STreet.)

WE did find people to be less friendly than this area, but it's such a transitional place--so many college/grad shcool kids who eventually leave. I think the coolness comes from people not wanting to get too attached!

[Anonymous]

Oops, forgot to mention that the subway system isn't as great as Metro. For one, not every station has elevators! (Or even escalators. So watch out for when you take your strollers out!)

Also, some are outdoors, and you don't have the courtesy of getting an estimated wait time.

[Anonymous]

Actually, the homeless population in Boston itself has really grown in the last few years. People I know who work in the city say it is getting really bad. Areas right near the Common have had a lot of problems with urination in public, etc. As for the traffic, because of the Big Dig, things are still pretty messed up in a lot of places. Thankfully my DH lived there and is familiar with how to get around, but it seems like every time we go back now, some road is now closed or rerouted. However, if you live in the suburbs, Boston has more options to get into the city - like the ferry from the South Shore (leaves from Quincy I think). Boston is so beautiful and I always say that it has way more soul than DC.

[Anonymous]

I agree that Boston is more beautiful. Although DC has some beautiful architecture - Boston is a jewel of a city. The Public Garden and the Espalanade (sp) along the Charles River are so nice. And to be so close to the ocean - the air is fresher! Although expensive, like DC, some things (like gas) seem to be cheaper..........

[Anonymous]

I lived there after college and then moved to DC.
I don't know much about the schools, but when I went back for a wedding last fall, Boston Magazine had an article on pre-schools that you may want to read. I would agree that if you are looking for nice quality of life New England towns, Hingham and Scituate (South) and Marlborough (North) are wonderful. I have some friends who have moved to Needham, Winchester and Newton once they had kids which are all very nice suburbs that are closer to the city than closer to the water.

[Anonymous]

Sorry - forgot to paste in my link to the Boston Magazine article from
September 2007.

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/junior_achievers/

[Anonymous]

just a note: Malborough is by no means "wonderful" for a family. the schools are very bad and the city is depressed. it has the highest concentration of level 3 sex offenders west of boston.

[Anonymous]

Ah - now I want to move to Boston. I've always loved New England!!

[Anonymous]

plus:
regional pride and kinship through sports teams -- go Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics sand Bruins!
"I'm Shipping Up to Boston"

[nabailey]

I lived in Boston for 3 years and LOVED it!

I have to admit, I liked it much more than DC. New England is just beautiful. If you like to ski, there are so many great places to go. As the pps said, the city itself is incredibly historic and just quaint. In the warmer weather there is tons to do on the Charles River and at Boston Commons.

Traffic can be a little crazy. They have a lot of traffic circles in and around Boston and the drivers are a little intense, but once you get used to it, it's fine. The winter can be tough, but they're great about getting the roads cleared (unlike VA!) so it's really not too much trouble to get around even after a few inches of snow.

There are a ton of students since there are so many colleges, but I think it gives the city a more dynamic feel. I also loved that it was so pedestrian friendly.

I never found people unfriendly in Boston. I don't think that will be a problem.

Good luck! I would move back to New England in a heartbeat if we could.