Boston Shopping

A recent survey showed that shopping is one of the top reasons people visit Boston - above sightseeing and museums. One look at the city's boutiques, malls, department stores, and outlets and you'll understand why people flock here to stock up on clothes, shoes, jewelry, and books. It all begins on Newbury Street, a renowned, eight-block stretch whose shops cater to every taste, from upper-crust to cutting-edge. The next stop for any avid shopper is Downtown Crossing near Boston Common. This browser's paradise - pedestrian-friendly, no cars allowed - is home to one of the city's most famous attractions for stylish bargains: Filene's Basement. Give your credit card a workout while enjoying a side of history at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, also called Quincy Market. This area is stocked with quaint stores and tourist-friendly souvenir shops, and it has an amazing food court when it's time to refuel. Blow your budget at the shops on Charles Street at the foot of Beacon Hill, or attempt frugality at the many bookstores of Harvard Square. Wherever you go, you'll find ample evidence that although Boston is a history buff's heaven, it's also a shopaholic's fantasy.

Newbury Street
Boston's version of Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive, Newbury Street spans eight city blocks, and its historic storefronts offer charming glimpses of Boston during the mid-to-late 19th century. Among a phalanx of open-air coffee shops, cafes, antique stores, custom clothiers, and brand-name boutiques are some of the city's true architectural gems, including the Art Deco Ritz Carlton, Richard Upjohn's Church of the Covenant (1865), and the Temple for the Working Union of Progressive Spiritualists (now Waterstone's Booksellers), finished in 1884.

The Shops at Prudential Center
Billed as on of the Northeast's top shopping destinations, the exclusive Prudential Center offers well over 75 retail establishments, including Barnes & Noble, Saks Fifth Avenue, Franklin Covey, Lacoste, Lord & Taylor, and Club Monaco. The mall also has a pleasant food court where shoppers can grab a quick bite between stores. For truly great views, the Prudential Tower's Skywalk Observatory offers an unparalleled 360° perspective of the city and beyond.