<p>Hi all -will be taking my youngest on an overnight towards the end of August for her first college visit to 3 schools: BU, BC, and Northeastern. We will be driving from Long Island to somewhere outside of Boston and would like to avoid the higher hotel cost and especially the city traffic. We have family in Newburyport, which is 45 minutes or so North of the city. Am wondering if staying there would cost us a lot of extra time - or if we should consider something closer, to the south or west of the city(?) After arrival (wherever we stay), we hope to leave the car behind and get around via MBTA train service. Our time is limited, so we need to make the most of it.</p>
<p>Can anyone suggest towns outside the city that would offer fairly quick or direct train service in and out? Also, any suggestions re: grouping the school visits in order by vicinity would be most appreciated. We plan to do two on one day, one the next (or vice versa, depending on when we arrive). Thanks!</p>
<p>When my daughter was looking, we did 4 schools in two days - BU, BC, Tufts, and Northeastern and stayed right by a green line T-Station in Cambridge. Even with traveling by T and being right in town it was very hectic and we had a hard time getting to our sessions on time. The three you mention are all on the green line of the T - BU and BC on the same leg of the green line and NU on a different one. It probably makes sense to do BU and BC on the same day since they are on the same train line (I think that is what we did - but even so the train ride between the two is long). </p>
<p>Thanks. We will not visit Tufts as her brother graduated from there in 2011 so she already knows it well (and loves it - though it would be a reach). I looked at the MBTA map and was a little confused - re: which stops were for commuter trains that run at scheduled times (sort of like the Long Island Railroad) vs. the T (subway) that runs continually… Newburyport is pretty far North, and am starting to think that it might not be the most sensible place to stay.</p>
<p>The T or subway lines are the thick lines - red, orange, blue, green, and silver only - the thin brown lines with numbers are bus lines - the purple is the commuter rail (like LIRR)</p>
<p>It looks like the commuter rail trek from Newburyport will take a little over an hour and bring you to North Station, where you can pick up the T to anywhere. A closer suburb may save you a half hour, but that wouldn’t justify the cost of a hotel to me.</p>
<p>When relying on a commuter route, you just have to be careful of limited schedules outside of normal commuter hours/days, but that link will tell you what you need to know.</p>
<p>I’d recommend BC on a separate day, since it’s further out of town. We did BU and Northeastern in one day and it was fine. Just give yourself enough of a gap between info sessions and tours so you have time to linger at each campus for a bit.</p>
<p>When you factor in the commuter rail fare (which I looked up as $10.50 each way per person) and the time savings - you might consider a hotel closer to the city.</p>
<p>There is a Motel 6 (if you don’t mind Motel 6) in Braintree (9 miles south of Boston) right across from the Red line.
Free parking and I see a lot of tourest there this time of year. </p>
<p>If you’re willing to get up early to take the train and you can make sense of the MBTA train schedule - which is a visual mess, I can assure you (though not as bad as Amtrak) - then take the train. You need to read outbound times carefully or you may have to get a ride from a different station. Besides, Newburyport is an amazing town to visit. It was one of the largest towns in the colonies at the time of the Revolution and is beautiful red brick buildings with some interesting shops. Not as visually striking as Marblehead but not much is. </p>
<p>Other than that, you can buy Charlie Tickets at North Station and get on the Green Line. Couple of ideas: I would lump BU and Northeastern together, depending on the timing of tours/info sessions, because they’re actually much closer together than BC is to BU. I would consider, for example, starting at NEU - which is an E train - and then going to BU because you can just take the B Line out to BC and then back in toward North Station. Or head out to BC first and come back so you can control your leave time better. Or start at NEU and head out to BC, meaning I’m thinking you might want to end in town for dinner because there isn’t much to eat around BC, certainly not near the B line stop, while BU and NEU are … e.g., we ate last night at Brown Sugar, which is a fantastic Thai place at BU’s West Campus (the Babcock St. stop on the B line). Don’t order the Tom Zap, which is a Thai stew, unless you can tolerate extremely spicy hot. If you’re thinking lunch, I’d probably go NEU to BU and then hit BC, but these are just thoughts.</p>
<p>Everything in big cities takes longer than you think. As attractive an offer of a free room in Newburyport is (and proximity to Singing Beach!) I just don’t think it’s worth the extra travel time. I would look at hotels in Newton near the end of the Green Line - if you had in/out privileges for your car - BC and Chestnut Hill would be an easy enough drive. I would go to Northeastern and BU by public transportation - make sure to check the T map so you get on the right Green Line train - they split up as they leave back bay.</p>
<p>Also, the BC and BU campuses are reasonably large so even limiting yourself to touring both campuses may be hectic unless you start real early in the morning and go into the early evening hours. Especially considering the distance between then on the T is long and the B branch is arguably one of the two slowest branches of the Green Line. </p>
<p>I think you need to figure out your timing. If you really don’t mind getting up early to catch the train then stay in Newburyport. Also recognize that you will be traveling home in the early evening as well. But really…would you rather spend the time with friends in the evening, or at a hotel. For me, that is your question.</p>
<p>I’d rethink the car. If you make your appointments for mid-day you can leave after the morning rush hour and you’ll have more flexibility in town. The commuter rail is good and safe but you’d be tethered to the train schedule. You can leave Boston before the evening rush or stick around and have dinner in town. You can contact the schools to see if they have admissions parking lots.</p>
<p>(For reference, I live outside Boston, a couple of blocks from a commuter rail stop.)</p>
<p>I agree with Sue22. If you stay in Newburyport, I would drive into Boston. There is ample parking near BU and BC. I would suggest seeing BU in the morning when there will definitely be a lot of street parking. BC is just up Commonwealth Ave. and has a huge parking garage on campus. I would do Northeastern a separate day and in the morning. I would inquire at BU and Northeastern about the parking.</p>
<p>Right…do NOT, I repeat…do NOT plan to be in Boston on either August 31 or September 1. Those are huge move around days with apartments. Check the move in schedules for all three colleges…don’t go when they have students moving in. It’s nuts on those campuses then. (My son graduated from BU…and we were at ONE of those August 31/September move days, and the college move in days…not a good time to be there!)</p>
<p>Also, most of these colleges do not have tours on Sundays. You may have to schedule an Friday, Saturday morning (some do not have tours on Saturday afternoon).</p>
<p>I have to be here on Key Day. The U-Hauls are starting to show up. They will be clogging the street soon … and turning left illegally, etc. Everything’s zen. Everything’s zen.</p>