Average Weather
Summer is hot, humid and muggy. Winter is extremely cold - sometimes with temperatures well below zero. During spring (March-May), temperatures average between 47 and 67 degrees. This is a nice time to visit. Throughout July and August, temperatures hover around 80 degrees.

Transportation
In Boston, use your feet. It's meant for walking. As small in size as it is large in history, Boston can be thoroughly explored by foot. Keep in mind that an umbrella is needed. The weather is pretty unpredictable.

Boston is not the easiest city to drive in. Parking is expensive and challenging. Some neighborhoods have residents-only rules, with just a handful of two-hour visitor's spaces; others have meters (25¢ for 15 minutes, one- or two-hours maximum). If you insist on driving, look for public parking lots at Quincy Market and the Government Center. You'll find other lots beneath Post Office Square, at the Prudential Center, at Copley Place, and off Clarendon Street near the John Hancock Tower. Remember that parking doesn't come cheap. Most are at least $10 per day, but some bargains can be had at certain garages.

Boston does have decent public transportation. It doesn't have the subway system of New York, but the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates buses, subways, trolleys, and water shuttles. The public transportation in Boston doesn't always get you everywhere you need to go though. Cabs aren't easy to come by. Don't try standing on the corner waiting for a cab when it's 20 below zero outside. You might want to call ahead.

In-Season Costs
Boston is pretty consistent in cost. It's expensive year-round.

Day Trips
Visit the Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II in Plymouth, south of Boston. Or, if the weather is good, spend the day swimming and sunning at nearby Walden Pond in Concord. In the fall, do some leaf-peeping at Walden Pond, and stop off in Lexington on the way back.