Boston trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Freedom Trail, chowder and the harbor. A 4-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,488 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
Plan my Boston trip
What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 4 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,488 | $2,500 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,498 | $2,500 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,508 | $2,500 |
| New York JFK | $1,508 | $2,500 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,518 | $2,500 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,518 | $2,500 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,558 | $2,500 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,568 | $2,600 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,578 | $2,600 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,598 | $2,600 |
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,608 | $2,600 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,618 | $2,600 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,618 | $2,600 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,618 | $2,700 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,618 | $2,700 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,638 | $2,600 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,648 | $2,700 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,658 | $2,700 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,668 | $2,700 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,678 | $2,800 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,688 | $2,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,738 | $2,800 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,818 | $2,900 |
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,838 | $3,000 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,848 | $3,000 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,858 | $2,900 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,858 | $3,000 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,868 | $2,900 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,888 | $3,100 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,898 | $2,800 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,908 | $3,000 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,478 | $3,700 |
Food: about $96 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Neptune OysterOrder: Hot lobster roll with butter · about $60 a person
- Union Oyster HouseOrder: Raw oysters and clam chowder · about $45 a person
- Mike's Pastry cannoliOrder: Ricotta cannoli · about $6 a person
- Quincy Market chowderOrder: New England clam chowder in a bread bowl · about $15 a person
- OleanaOrder: Baked Alaska with coconut ice cream · about $65 a person
Where to stay
- Hyatt Regency Boston4★ · $280 a night · or about 20,000 Hyatt points
- Boston Harbor Hyatt4★ · $260 a night · or about 17,000 Hyatt points
- Boston Marriott Copley Place4★ · $300 a night · or about 41,000 Marriott points
- Moxy Boston Downtown3★ · $210 a night · or about 30,000 Marriott points
- Beacon Hill inn3★ · $240 a night
- HI Boston, private room2★ · $120 a night
Things to do
- Freedom Trail walkfree · 3h 00m
- Harvard Yard and Cambridgefree · 2h 00m
- Newbury Street shoppingfree · 2h 00m
- Wally's Cafe jazz$10 a person · 2h 00m
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum$22 a person · 2h 00m
- Boston Harbor Islands$25 a person · 4h 00m
- Museum of Fine Arts$30 a person · 3h 00m
- Tea Party Ships museum$35 a person · 1h 15m
- New England Aquarium$35 a person · 2h 00m
- North End food walk$55 a person · 2h 30m
- Whale watch cruise$65 a person · 4h 00m
- Red Sox game at Fenway$70 a person · 3h 00m
Questions
How much does a trip to Boston cost?
For 2 travelers and 4 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,488 from Philadelphia (PHL) and run to about $2,478 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $2,500 to $3,700.
How much should I budget for food in Boston?
About $96 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $16, lunch $22, dinner $48, snacks and coffee $10.
How many nights do I need in Boston?
4 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your Boston trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
Plan my trip