Welcome to Back Bay and the South End

Top Experiences

• Stroll down Newbury Street: Join the throngs of students, locals, and visitors window-shopping on Newbury Street.
• Tour the Boston Public Library: Admire the architecture, revel in the artistry, and even enjoy an excellent lunch at the Boston Public Library—all without taking out a single book.
• Ride a Swan Boat: Visit the Public Garden on a sunny, late-spring day and take in the scenery from your seat on the Swan Boats. Don't forget to check out the bronze statues of the ducklings from Robert McCloskey's Boston classic Make Way for Ducklings.
• Embrace the arts: Enjoy a play, concert, or art installation at the "people's" art-and-culture complex, the Boston Center for the Arts.
• Shop till you drop: Shop Columbus Avenue and Tremont Street for the perfect additions to your home decor and head to the artsy SoWa Open Market on the weekends.
• See South End architecture: Walk the streets around Rutland Square, Union Park, and Bay Village. Architecture buffs will love the Victorian and Italianate row houses harking back to the neighborhood's 19th-century roots.

Getting Here

There are myriad parking garages in the Back Bay. Take the Orange Line to the Back Bay station or the Green Line to Copley for the heart of the shopping areas. The Arlington stop on the Green Line is the most convenient to the Public Garden. To stay oriented, remember that the north–south streets are arranged in alphabetical order, from Arlington to Hereford.

The South End is easily accessible by the T; take the Orange Line to Back Bay and head south on Dartmouth Street to Columbus Avenue, or jump off the Silver Line at Union Park Street or East Berkeley Street to access the neighborhood.

Quick Bites

J.P. Licks. Stop in for a tasty scoop of ice cream or a freshly brewed cup of joe. 1106 Boylston St., Back Bay jplicks.com Back Bay.

Pavement Coffeehouse. Grab a homemade bagel and coffee at this hip spot. 286 Newbury St., Back Bay pavementcoffeehouse.com Hynes, Copley.

Trident Booksellers & Cafe. You can enjoy breakfast all day and pick up a bestseller or magazine at this bookstore café. 338 Newbury St., Back Bay www.tridentbookscafe.com Hynes.

Planning Your Time

If you’re not a shopper, you can cover the Back Bay in about two hours. If you are, allow at least half a day to cover Newbury Street and the shops at Copley Place and the Pru Center. Around the third week of April, magnolias arrive and the flowers are magnificent along Comm Ave. In May the Public Garden bursts with color, thanks to its flowering dogwood trees and thousands of tulips.

A few hours is perfect to explore the South End; add a few more hours for a show at the Boston Center of the Arts or to dine at one of the area's excellent restaurants.