How to Find Cheap Hotels In Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded as Newtowne and was once eight miles from Boston. Renamed Cambridge in 1638, it now sits directly across the Charles River from Boston. It's home for two of the most famous institutions of higher learning in the world, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Get to know the city that inspired the phrase, "pahked the cah in Hahvahd Yahd" so you know where to pahk your cah when you're there.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A computer with Internet access

Find Transportation to Cambridge, Massachusetts

1. If you fly to Logan International Airport, drive or take public transportation to Cambridge.

2. If you decide on Amtrak, take it to South Station, then make your way to Cambridge on the Red Line on the subway system that's called the T.

Find Your Accommodations in Cambridge, Massachusetts

3. Book early. Because of the large number of students in Cambridge, you'll need to book accommodations well in advance for heavily-traveled times of year, like the weekend before classes start or graduation week. To book accommodations, contact the Cambridge Office for Tourism at [phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).

4. Consult Internet travel sites for cheap package deals that combine airfare, car rental and accommodations. You may be able to skip the car rental to save even more money--just rely on the T.

5. Consider staying at a hostel. They're cheap and friendly. You can save even more money if you don't mind sharing a room or booking a room without its own shower or bath.

6. Check the area around Porter Square for an inexpensive boutique hotel. Foodies love this area known for its Japanese restaurants.

7. Stay away from parade routes during Cambridge's many street festivals, including Bastille Day, Grecian Day and Oktoberfest. Streets will be crowded, parking next-to-impossible and the noise level well above what you'd like. Stick to outlying areas if your travel dates coincide with one of these festivals.

Know What to See and Do in Cambridge, Massachusetts

8. Look for historical markers. The Cambridge Historical Commission has placed blue oval markers in many places around the city to designate historic sites. There are also Cambridge history stations and markers for the African American Heritage Trail.

9. Be hip. Because of Cambridge's colleges and universities, the 'squares' (open areas where streets meet) are teeming with book stores, cafes, theaters, and many other funky independent businesses.

10. Find your muse at a museum. The Busch-Reisinger Museum (featuring German and Austrian art), the Fogg Art Museum and the MIT Information Center are just three of many.

Tips & Warnings

• Since Boston, Cambridge and several other cities in Massachusetts form a contiguous metropolitan area, the cheap deal you want might be found outside of Cambridge's city limits. You can always get to and from your accommodations on the T.
• It can be very hard to pahk any cah in Cambridge. Some streets have meters, while others are restricted to residents with stickers. Riding the T or taking buses might be a better idea.