Expert: Kevin Irwin - 7/7/2001

Question
we plan on vacationing in boston in september this
yr.  we don't want to drive our car....looking for
traveling means by bus, train, subways, or trolley
cars, that will cover the tall ships, musuems, his
torical spots, submarine tours, motels etc.  maybe
private drivers who do this on a personal level
hired out for a day of sightseeing etc.  we just
want a feasible, inexpensive way to get around to
see as much of boston sites we can.  please give
me some insight.....

Answer
You're going to have a great time in Boston.  I know I'm a little biased, but everyone who has been there has told me they love the place.  September is also a great time to go.  All of the college students will be back in town (Boston has a huge student population) so the city will definitely be alive and the weather should be good (not too hot like July and August).  If you can get Red Sox tickets, you simply must go to Fenway Park.  It might be tough to get tickets as the season is winding down in September, but you should definitely try.
OK, you are quite wise to not drive a car around Boston.  Boston drivers are notorious for making up their own rules of the road.  Plus finding a parking space is near impossible and I think I read that Boston is the most expensive city in America to park your car in a garage.  The Boston subway system is great.  It's know simply as the "T" (from MBTA, the agency that runs it) so you would ask "where is the nearest T stop?".  Here's a link to the MBTA's website.  This should take you right to the subway map:
http://www.mbta.com/schedmaps/subway/index.cfm
Overall, I think Boston is a very compact city and is a great walking city.  There is a red stripe known as the Freedom Trail (http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/) that is painted on the ground that will take you past most of the historical sites of Boston (the State House, old State House, Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, Boston Common, etc.).  Another great way to see Boston is the Duck Tours (http://www.bostonducktours.com/pages/main.html).  I have not taking one myself, but these seem to be quite popular.  You might want to book in advance, as sometimes it is tough to get a ticket for the time you want.  These are amphibious vehicles that drive around the city and then they take to the Charles River and give you a view of Boston from the river as well.
Anyway, back to the subway.  One ride on the subway costs $1 and you need to buy tokens.  However, it might make more sense to buy a 3 or 5 or 7 day pass.  I believe that these passes might also let you take the city buses as well.  However, as a tourist, you can reach most destinations by subway.  The buses are more for getting to the residential areas not served by the subway.  If you look on the subway map, the 4 main stations are where the 4 lines intersect.  The 4 lines are just known by their colors (Red, Blue, Green, and Orange).  The 2 main tourist lines are the Red and Green.  On the Green Line, the furthest out you'll need to go is to Fenway or Kenmore to go to the Red Sox.  After that, there's not much to see (besides Boston University and, further out, Boston College).  I think either the Prudential or Copley stop is for the Duck Tours.  Take the "E" trains on the Green Line to get to the art museums (Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum).  It's actually nice to get out at Copley or Prudential and then walk down the street back downtown.  The main streets to walk are Newbury St. (posh shopping district, but also good ice-cream places) and Boylston St. (they are parallel to one another).  Comm Ave (Commonwealth Avenue, but everyone shortens the name) is also very nice.  The other way on the Green Line will take you to Science Park, where the Museum of Science is (a great museum, with an IMAX theater as well).  The Red Line is great for going out to Harvard/ Harvard Sq.  Harvard has some great museums and Harvard Sq. is always quite lively.  Charles/MGH is also a great stop because from there you can take a stroll along the river.  There is a nice path along the river which is very well used during the nice weather.  The other way will take you to JFK/UMass, where you can go to the JFK Museum.  The Blue Line is used to get to the Aquarium and to and from the airport.  The Orange Line is good for getting to Chinatown (great Chinese restaurants) and the other way takes you to Charlestown, home of the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), but if you take the Freedom Trail the whole way, you'll also wind up out in Charlestown.  And the 4 intersection stations are all great.  Downtown Crossing is good for shopping (be sure to go to Filene's Basement for bargains).
OK, I think that covers the T.  Again, that's the best way to get around on a day to day basis.  If you want to go out to Lexington and Concord, you can take the commuter rail from North Station.  If you get out at Concord, Concord is a very walkable town.  Lexington is slightly harder to get to.  You can also take the commuter rail from North Station to get to Salem (with witch museums and the sort) and further past is Gloucester, which is a quaint seaside fishing village.
I'm not quite sure about submarine tours.  You would have to ask at your hotel about those.  I'm not quite sure about the Tall Ships either, but those are probably in South Boston, which is accessible by the Red Line.  South Boston, though, is not actually in the southern part of Boston.  It is right next to downtown.  If you have children, you can take them to the Children's Museum in South Boston, which is a fun way to spend a day with the kids.  Also, you need to ask teh hotel about private sightseeing cars.  However, I still think that walking around is the best way to see Boston.  The Duck Tours (or other tours) is also a great way to see the town.  If you are looking for other tours, there is an information center on Boston Common.  There's also one at Fanueil Hall.  Also, be sure to ride the Swan Boats in the Public Gardens (next to the Common).  It's a nice way to relax.
As for streetcars: most of Boston's subway is underground in the downtown area.  However, once you get past Fenway Park, the Green Line is above ground and some of the other lines go above ground.  Actually, I think there is another tour operator that have vehicles that look like old streetcars.
OK, sorry if this answer is long, but, as you can see, I get excited when telling people about Boston.  It really is a great city.  Bottom line: avoid the car, take the T.
Enjoy your visit.