Last Updated on January 17, 2021 by Nina Ahmedow
I’ve only been to the US once. It’s such a big country that it’s a bit overwhelming to figure out where exactly to go. But from Montreal it’s not too far to Boston so my ex and I went to visit his sister who lives in the Greater Boston area. And while I sadly haven’t yet been to other exciting East Coast destinations like New York or Miami, I’m glad I got to visit Boston before I even got to see Ottawa and Toronto. We actually took a Greyhound Bus which was cheap but took quite a few hours – I’d probably suggest renting a car if you can.
To be honest, I was excited to travel to the country that we all know so much about because it dominates popular culture and world politics. My dad actually lived in the US for several months when I was a child, and he always had a fondness for it. But I didn’t really know what to expect. After all, I wasn’t going to one of the most famous cities that we know in Europe.
The bus ride was more boring than I expected. It was March, and I didn’t really care for the unspectacular views. But I’m generally not a fan of long train/bus/boat/plane rides – I always get so tense.
But what about Boston?
Well, I loved it! It wasn’t as cold as Montreal (hah!), and the people were so welcoming.
Boston, is a city of culture, education, and sports events. Compared to other North American cities it has more historical buildings and a slightly “European” feel to it. And being such a big US city it also has tons of music events like concerts going on all the time.
Two of the city’s most beautiful neighborhoods are Back Bay and Beacon Hill. Discover the gorgeous architecture, quaint cobblestone alleys, scenic parks, and all the art and museums.
I thought the city was so cool and pretty underrated among Europeans, at least. I really didn’t expect much, but was pleasantly surprised. I’m sure a trip to Boston would be a lot more meaningful for US citizens. But I still think non-US tourists will benefit if they visit Boston.
10 Comments
Simone
March 16, 2020 at 10:11 pmMy dream is to visit pretty much the whole US so Boston is definitely on my list! I loved reading your post!
xoxo Simone
Nina Ahmedow
March 17, 2020 at 12:04 pmVisiting the entire country would be amazing! I hope you reach that dream, Simone.
Liz | The Spectacular Adventurer
March 17, 2020 at 3:10 amBoston is absolutely incredible with so many amazing views, things to see, & history to explore! 🙂
Nina Ahmedow
March 17, 2020 at 12:05 pmRight? Such a cool city!
Sarah
March 17, 2020 at 8:28 pmI went to university in the Boston area. I love Boston- my fiance went to school in the city- and it is a special place at all times of the year. It’s a tragedy that the city is so unaffordable to live these days. Besides its colonial history, Boston has copious amounts of cultural history. Many cultural neighborhoods in Boston are extinct or disappearing. It’s very upsetting.
I’m sad to hear about the bus ride. Greyhound and discount buses in the US are a pain so I definitely understand. I drove to Montreal from Boston and it’s a fantastic drive. If you can, I recommend stopping in Burlington, Vermont. Such a fun, small city with a lot of character and outdoor activities. I also know it’s a vegan-friendly city!
Nina Ahmedow
March 18, 2020 at 1:16 pmThanks so much for the tips! I didn’t know Burlington was so vegan-friendly!
Jason Reid
March 24, 2020 at 6:47 amIt’s a city that I definitely want to visit. I nearly ended up there in 2017 but because of the Boston marathon went to DC instead. Hopefully I’ll get there soon, glad you enjoyed it!
Nina Ahmedow
March 24, 2020 at 2:23 pmI hope you get a chance to visit! It’s a really nice city though I can’t compare it to other US cities yet, of course.
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January 17, 2022 at 6:47 pmVery nice indeed!
Like yourself, I’ve only been to the United States once, and we pretty much stuck to the west coast states of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah, which we liked very much.
The next time we visit, we’d like to go to New England and when we do, Boston would be right there as a definite choice! 😀
Nina Ahmedow
January 18, 2022 at 4:23 pmI’d love to see California. My brother-in-law is actually from there, so maybe there’ll be an opportunity someday.
I’m sure you’ll love Boston if you get a chance to visit.