Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Fun place for high-end shopping
- One of the most expensive streets in the world
- It is the "Rodeo Drive of the East"
Time required: 90 minutes
Web site: http://www.newbury-st.co...
Public transport:
- Subway Green Line: Copley
- Subway Green Line: Hynes Convention Center
Address: Newbury Street (between Arlington St. and Mass. Ave.), Boston, MA - USA
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: Patrick Rasenberg
Things you need to know:
- Newbury Street is the main thoroughfare in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. It runs roughly east to west, from the Boston Public Garden to Massachusetts Avenue
- Newbury is considered the "Rodeo Drive of the East", and one of the most expensive streets in the world. In addition to high-end fashion shops, Newbury also houses a mix of independent shops and eateries
- The street is lined with historical 19th-century brownstones, but began under water - until the mid-1800s, the 2-mile stretch of Newbury Street was part of Boston Harbor. Beginning in 1857, the harbor was filled in with dirt from neighboring communities as well as the tops of Boston's (once-higher) hills
- Newbury Street began as a primarily residential area, but transformed into a trendy shopping zone for young people in the 1970s when Newbury Comics opened on the street
- In the 1800s, Newbury was residential, and considered the least fashionable street in Back Bay
- Newbury Street was the original location of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, until it moved across the river in 1916
What to do there:
- Window shop from east to west on Newbury Street, which takes you from the most expensive shops to the least spendy ones, ending at Massachusetts Avenue
- During the warm months, dine in one of the cafes that sprawls out on the sidewalks of Newbury Street
- Simple: shop!
- Grab a coffee from Espresso Royale Cafe and stroll the street, people-watching
Tips & Insights:
- Once again, the most expensive boutiques are located near the Public Garden end of the street. If you prefer more bargain shopping, look for some of the excellent consignment stores along the way, and generally head in the direction of the shops near Massachusetts Avenue
- If you want a break from the hustle and bustle of Newbury, head one block to the north and walk along Commonwealth Avenue for a bit instead. It's just as lovely, and has a long green walkway running along the middle of it. If you want to find bigger stores and more bustle, head south to Boylston Street
- If you'd like to eat for less in the Newbury area, head to Trader Joe's at 899 Boylston Street, and get food for a picnic either on the Commonwealth Ave. greenway, or in the nearby Public Garden
- To keep track of where you are along Newbury, note that the streets that cross it proceed from east to west in alphabetical order: Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester (pronounced "Glawster", by the way), Hereford, Massachusetts
