Live in the Boston-area? Want to go to London?

STA Travel in Boston

Check out the grand reopening of the STA Travel Store near Harvard Square today (November 11) to see an exclusive performance by the Hardvard-Radcliffe Veritones and enter for your chance to win a trip for two to London!

The Veritones perform a capella at noon today at the Store and food and drinks will be provided from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come back on November 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to a meet and greet with the researchers for the 2010 series of Let’s Go student travel guides. Get the inside information on your next travel destination from the STA Travel experts and the experts at Let’s Go.

Visit the Store:

STA Travel – Cambridge
65 Mt. Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138

M, T, W, F:
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Th, Sa:
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Closed Sundays

Call 617.576.4623

Those native to the Boston area are well aware that the city is best enjoyed for the few short months during the almost perfect summer climate. This isn’t to say Boston isn’t a wonderful destination outside the summer season, but after five or so months of hauling around a live-in snow globe, we tend to relish any glimmer of warm sunshine that Mother Nature affords us.

Boston offers a range of stellar activities to take part in, and even if you aren’t the biggest Red Sox fan, it’s hard to not love the quintessential New England city. From free music festivals and duck tours, to endless global cuisine and quick breaks to The Cape, it’s impossible to be bored in this historical city. As summer comes to an end, here is a short list of things to do if you manage to make it out to Beantown.

Faneuil Hall in Boston

Free Entertainment at the Hatch Shell:
The Hatch Shell is a bowl-style outdoor stage located on the south bank of the Charles River with a huge lawn for seating overlooking the River and much of the city. The “Esplanade” as it is also referred to, provides a venue for many free concert series throughout the summer and even a Summer Movie Series that showcases popular movies every Friday for the whole season.

If you are feeling particularly athletic on your trip to Boston, take advantage of the trails that run along the River by the Hatch Shell as a great area for blading, biking and running. Even get certified to sail at the Community Boathouse and impress your friends maneuvering around the college crew teams prominent on the Charles River.

Duck Tours:

Never ridden on an amphibious landing vehicle? Well then you haven’t lived!

While Boston is known as the “walking city,” the cobblestone pathways that make the city grid can be a bit exhausting sometimes, especially if you don’t know where you are going. Give your feet a break and get acquainted with the city in the most fun way possible as part of one of these tours. Start at the State House and make your way through Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall, Newbury St., and Boston Common to name just a few sites, before you splash into the Charles River for a breathtaking panoramic view of the skyline. Just follow the “quack” sounds to find the departure point. (I wish I was kidding.)

Eat Your Way Through the City:

I know you can eat anywhere you travel, but Boston dining is pretty unbelievable. With the North End that put’s Little Italy to shame or the wide array of menus from around the globe it’s hard not to indulge.

Mike’s Pastry is famed for its fresh Italian desserts and don’t worry about the perpetual line around the block – it moves fast. Try Faneuil Hall for standard tourist options for clam chowdah and seafood, but if you want to try something different venture over to Back Bay and the South End for a ton of international options like tapas (Masa), Ethiopian (Addis Red Sea), French (Gaslight), or the best pizza chain in the city (Upper Crust). You’ll be passed out in a food coma along the Commons before you know it.

Don’t forget the ongoing deals to keep you occupied any time of the week in Boston. The Institute of Contemporary Art is free on Thursdays, cheap eats in Haymarket Square on Saturdays and the Museum of Fine Arts is free on Fridays for the next few weeks!

Photo Credit: Paul Keleher on Flickr

Earlier in April, we asked our readers for their suggestions of the cheapest spots for summer travel. Originally, we were going to add 20 of the suggestions to our initial list of 10, but with 180 responses, we decided to make an entire list from your suggestions.

Without further ado, here are the top 30 cheapest summer travel spots – in no particular order – according to our blog readers:

Lima, Peru (Suggested by Garrett) – “The city is filled with history and cheap accommodations.”

Great Smoky Mountains (Suggested by Daniel Plinska) – “Expect to pay less than $20 a night for your campsites.”

Nashville, Tennessee (Suggested by Alyssa Browning) – “The state capitol and other historic sites, such as old Civil War battle lines, are other economical attractions.”

Apparently, It is Quite Dangerous to Ride a Bike in the Smokies

Iowa (Suggested by Laura) – “There are several arts festivals in the summertime including the free Des Moines Arts Festival in June and Jazz in July.”

Austin, Texas (Suggested by Linsey McCullough) – “Then head into downtown on Austin’s famous 6th Street and enjoy the music capital of the world while the streets are blocked off at night to take part in great people watching, shopping and cheap to near free entertainment.”

Wellington, New Zealand (Suggested by Nicole Gustas) – “The exchange rate now has the New Zealand dollar at just over 58 cents; it’s like getting the entire country at a half-off discount.”

Budapest, Hungary (Suggested by Noemi) – “Unlike Western Europe…it is very cheap!”

Portland, Oregon (Suggested by Katie MacDougall) – “Where else can you watch a movie for $3 while drinking micro-brew beer?”

Medellin, Columbia (Suggested by Sevenreds) – “Street vendors and cafes offer national and local dishes at more than reasonable prices.”

Boston, Massachusetts (Suggested by Tori) –  “Boston is known as the “walking city,” so no rental car needed.”

Prague, Czech Republic (Suggested by Caroline Slocum) – “I am currently spending the semester in Prague, Czech Republic and it is the most fun and cheapest place ever.”

Australia (Suggested by Rosie) – “..flights to Australia are DIRT CHEAP!”

Washington, D.C. (Suggested by Julia) – “The only problem with meals is fitting them in between all the free sights, such as the National Monuments, the Capitol Building, the Smithsonians, Arlington Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, and all of the other fascinating things this city has to offer.”

In Boston, Some Cars are Also Boats. Quack!

Cape Town, South Africa (Suggested by Jarrad) – “The culture is rich and exhilarating, the people are inspiring and the weather is temperate…”

Seattle, Washington (Suggested by Stephen Alvarado) – “…riding the bus downtown is free!”

Puerto Rico (Suggested by Melissa) – “Get to experience the Latin flare of Central/South America for the price of visiting a U.S. territory hassle-free.”

Chicago, Illinois (Suggested by Renee O.) – “…don’t forget the free entertainment; this year’s line-up includes the Counting Crows, the Wallflowers, Barenaked Ladies and Ne-Yo.”

Bar Harbor, Maine (Suggested by Meghan Martin) – “I mean, come on, they have vacationland posted on their license plate.”

Granada, Nicaragua (Suggested by Shae) – “It’s very European, but you’re in a country where you can get a private room at a hostel for only $15.”

Minneapolis, Minnesota (Suggested by Alli Bloom) – “The attitude is hip and funky, and there are tons of cheap college places to eat, see music and just hang out!”

Michigan (Suggested by Carol Bontekoe) – “It’s a great state and needs the tourism to stay afloat.”

El Salvador (Suggested by Michelle Rios) – “Add inexpensive meals averaging $3 and hotels starting as low as $17 a night and you will be wishing summer lasted longer.”

Jersey Shore (Suggested by Katie Ryan) – “Another benefit of a beach house is having a kitchen so you can avoid eating out every night.”

Turkey (Suggested by Gina) – “I spent a month there on $500, traveling all around the country.”

An Artist's Wall in Krakow

Krakow, Poland (Suggested by James) – “The currency is not yet the Euro and it makes for a cheap, wonderful vacation.”

Memphis, Tennessee (Suggested by Megan) – “Memphis has something for everyone – and cheap! It was good enough for Elvis.”

San Francisco, California (Suggested by Alex) – “Little Italy and Russian Hill are only a few of the culture soaked districts in this North California gemstone.”

Cajon del Maipo, Chile (Suggested by Hannah) – “Get a group of friends to stay in cabanas or check out the cheap hostel options.”

Burlington, Vermont (Suggested by Josie) – “…it’s only about an hour to Montreal and The Ben and Jerry’s factory.”

Honduras (Suggested by Sarah) – “The food is amazing and cheap, offering the most amazing produce.”

To see STA Travel’s recommendations, click here.

Krakow Photo Credit: 13bobby on Flickr

Sign Photo Credit: xq311z on Flickr

Duck Boat Photo Credit: Pathfinder Linden on Flickr