Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Christmas Revels,
Sanders Theatre,
Cambridge. This multicultural cele-
bration of the winter solstice features
the holiday customs of a different cul-
ture each year. Themes have included
the Balkans, Victorian England, and
Romany Gypsies. Be ready to sing
along. For information, contact the
Revels
(
&
617/972-8300;
www.revels.
org); for tickets, call the
box office
(
&
617/496-2222
). Last 2 weeks of
the month.
First Night,
Back Bay and the water-
front. This is the original arts-oriented,
no-alcohol, citywide New Year's Eve
celebration. It begins in the early
afternoon and includes a parade, ice
sculptures, art exhibitions, theatrical
performances, and indoor and outdoor
entertainment. Some attractions require
tickets, but for most you just need a
First Night button, available for $15 or
so at visitor centers and stores around
the city. Fireworks light up the sky
above Boston Common at 7pm and
over Boston Harbor at midnight. For
details, contact
First Night
(
&
617/
542-1399;
www.firstnight.org) or
check the newspapers when you arrive.
December 31.
4 Getting There & Getting Around
GETTING TO BOSTON
BY PLANE
Most major U.S. carriers serve Boston's
Logan International Airport,
which the
locals usually just call “Logan” (airport
code BOS).
Boston is an increasingly popular
direct destination for international travel-
ers, although many itineraries from over-
seas still go through another American or
European city. Because of fluctuating
demand, international routes and sched-
ules are subject to change; double-check
details (especially if you're traveling in the
winter) well in advance.
Logan is in East Boston at the end of
the Sumner, Callahan, and Ted Williams
tunnels, 3 miles across the harbor from
downtown. For a preview and real-time
flight arrival and departure information,
visit the website (www.massport.com/
logan).
The airport has four terminals—A, B,
C, and E (there's no D)—each with
ATMs, Internet kiosks, pay phones with
dataports, fax machines, and an informa-
tion booth (near baggage claim). Wireless
Internet access is available all over the air-
port for $8 a day through
Logan WiFi
(
&
617/561-9434;
www.loganwifi.com).
Terminals C and E have bank branches
that handle currency exchange. Terminals
A and C have children's play spaces.
See the “Let's Make a Deal” box below
for information on flying into Provi-
dence, Rhode Island, and Manchester,
New Hampshire.
Arriving at the Airport
IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS
CLEARANCE
International visitors
arriving by air, no matter what the port of
entry, should cultivate patience and resig-
nation before setting foot on U.S. soil.
U.S. airports have considerably beefed up
security clearances in the years since the
terrorist attacks of September 11, and
clearing Customs and Immigration can
take as long as 2 hours.
Getting into Town
from the Airport
The Massachusetts Port Authority, or
MassPort
(
&
800/23-LOGAN;
www.
massport.com), coordinates airport trans-
portation. The toll-free line provides
information about getting to the city and
to many nearby suburbs. It's available 24
hours a day and is staffed weekdays from
8am to 7pm.
The ride into town takes 10 to 45
minutes, depending on traffic, your des-
tination, and the time of day. Except at
