The best time to visit Boston is late May to June or September to mid-October. Highs run from 66 °F to 76 °F (19-25 °C) in late spring and 62 °F to 73 °F (17-23 °C) in early fall, with nine to twelve rainy days a month. Summer is warmer (82 °F / 28 °C in July) and the harbor reaches 68 °F (20 °C) in August. Plan around winter, from December to March, with 49 inches of snow a year and highs near freezing, and October, the busiest and dearest hotel month, when a night costs 84 % more than in January. For everything else about the city, start with our Boston hotel guide.
Boston at a glance
- Best period: late May to June, and September to mid-October.
- Warmest month: July, 82 °F / 66 °F (28 / 19 °C) high and low.
- Coldest month: January, 37 °F / 23 °F (3 / -5 °C).
- Wettest month: December, 4.3 in (109 mm) of precipitation; March and October follow.
- Sea temperature: from 40 °F (5 °C) in February to 68 °F (20 °C) in August.
- Busiest hotel month: October, 87.8 % occupancy in 2025.
- Best value: January and February, from $262 all-in per night, and March or November for walkable weather at a lower price.
The Boston year at a glance: weather, hotel crowds and the all-in cost of a night, month by month.
Understanding Boston's climate
Four real seasons, set by the Atlantic
Boston has a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. At Logan Airport, the reference station of the National Weather Service, the average high climbs from 37 °F (3 °C) in January to 82 °F (28 °C) in July, according to NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. The city receives 43.6 inches (1,107 mm) of precipitation a year, spread fairly evenly: no month gets less than 3.2 inches or more than 4.3 inches. There is no dry season and no monsoon. Rain arrives on about 128 days a year, most often in passing fronts rather than all-day downpours.
The ocean works as a thermostat
The Atlantic slows every change of season. Spring comes late: in April the harbor is still at 44 °F (7 °C) according to NOAA's Boston buoy, and sea breezes often keep the Waterfront and the Seaport cooler than the inland neighborhoods on spring afternoons. Fall lingers for the same reason: the water is still 65 °F (18 °C) in September, which keeps early autumn evenings mild along the harbor.
Snow and storms
Boston averages 49.2 inches (125 cm) of snow a year, and 28.7 inches of it falls in January and February alone. The National Weather Service notes that nor'easters, the coastal storms that bring the heaviest snow and wind to New England, are most frequent and strongest between September and April. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30; storms that reach Massachusetts usually arrive weakened, but a watch on the forecast is worth the minute in August and September.
Spring in Boston: April to early June
The Public Garden in spring. Illustration: Stay In Boston.
A slow start, then a fast bloom
April is cool: 56 °F / 41 °F (14 / 5 °C) with 1.6 inches of snow still possible on average. May brings the change most visitors come for, with highs of 66 °F (19 °C) and no snow. By early June, highs reach the mid-70s. The Public Garden, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain are the places where the season shows first.
Crowds and prices: the university effect
Spring is not a quiet season for hotels. Occupancy runs above 81 % from April, and May is the second-most expensive month of the year on our Boston Night Cost Index: $449.18 per night all-in in 2025. The reason is the academic calendar. Boston's colleges enroll around 160,000 students, and May commencement weekends fill central hotels with families. April has its own spike: Boston Marathon weekend, next run on Monday, April 19, 2027, when central hotels book at a median of $380 a night.
What to know before a spring trip:
- Pack layers: an average May day runs from 50 °F at night to 66 °F in the afternoon.
- Check university commencement dates before fixing a May weekend; they vary by school.
- If you are not coming for the Marathon, move your dates by a week.
Who spring suits
The Lagoon Bridge in the Public Garden in early May. Photo: King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Spring suits walkers and first-time visitors who want the Freedom Trail, Beacon Hill and the parks without summer heat. Red Sox season opens at Fenway Park at the start of April, and the New England Aquarium's whale watch begins in May (the 2026 season opened on May 18).
Summer in Boston: mid-June to August
Boston Harbor in summer. Illustration: Stay In Boston.
Warm, humid, and good for the water
July averages 82 °F / 66 °F (28 / 19 °C) and August 80 °F / 65 °F (27 / 18 °C). These are also the driest months by rainy days: 9 days each in July, August and September. The harbor reaches 66 °F (19 °C) in July and 68 °F (20 °C) in August, the only weeks when a swim at the Harbor Islands or the South Boston beaches is comfortable for most people.
Sailing in Boston Harbor, late August. Photo: Fletcher6, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
The summer paradox: busy streets, easier prices
Summer is crowded on the Freedom Trail and at Quincy Market, but it is not Boston's most expensive season. Students have left and the business calendar thins out. On our index, July ($385.80) and August ($382.51) rank sixth and seventh of twelve months, cheaper than April, May, June, September and October. See the full ranking in the cheapest and dearest months to sleep in Boston.
Precautions for a summer trip:
- July is the warmest month; plan museums for the hottest afternoons.
- Harborfest (early July) and the Fourth of July concert on the Esplanade fill the Waterfront and Back Bay: book those nights first.
- A tropical storm can reach New England in August or September; keep a flexible booking if you travel then.
What summer is best for
Harbor cruises, whale watching (June to August give the best odds of sightings, according to the New England Aquarium), rooftop bars in the Seaport, Red Sox games, and island days on Spectacle and Georges Island. Summer is also the best season for families with school-age children who cannot travel in May or October.
Fall in Boston: September to November
The Charles River in October. Illustration: Stay In Boston.
September: the insider month
September keeps summer's warmth with less humidity: 73 °F / 58 °F (23 / 15 °C), 9 rainy days, and a harbor still at 65 °F (18 °C). It is one of the most pleasant months of the year to walk the city. It is not a cheap one: students return, conferences restart, and our index puts September at $447.31 a night, third-most expensive.
October: foliage, regattas and the year's highest prices
October averages 62 °F / 48 °F (17 / 9 °C). The color peaks in and around Boston from mid to late October, according to the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, a little earlier in the western suburbs and the Berkshires. The Head of the Charles Regatta runs on October 16-18, 2026 on the river between Boston and Cambridge. All of this lands on the same weeks, and October has been Boston's busiest hotel month in each of the last three years: 87.8 % occupancy in 2025, $482.24 a night all-in. Our Boston in the Fall guide covers the season in detail.
How to handle October:
- Book as soon as your dates are fixed; October weekends sell first.
- Stay midweek: leisure demand concentrates from Friday to Sunday.
- Expect 10 rainy days and the first chilly evenings; the monthly low is 48 °F (9 °C).
Head of the Charles Regatta, October. Photo: ArnoldReinhold, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
November: the value window
November drops to 52 °F / 38 °F (11 / 3 °C) and occupancy falls to around 75 %. The night cost falls with it: $351.60, $130 less than October. Moving a three-night stay from early October to early November saves about $390 on the same basket, for a few degrees of difference. Late foliage can still hold in the first days of the month in sheltered spots like the Public Garden.
Winter in Boston: December to March
Beacon Hill under snow. Illustration: Stay In Boston.
Cold, snowy, and the cheapest nights of the year
January is the coldest month, 37 °F / 23 °F (3 / -5 °C), with 12 days of rain or snow and 14.3 inches of snow on average. February is nearly identical. March warms slightly (46 °F / 31 °F) but still averages 9 inches of snow and is one of the wetter months. December (42 °F / 29 °F) is the wettest month of the year by total precipitation, 4.3 inches.
Why winter can still be the right choice
Winter is when Boston hotels are emptiest. January 2025 ran at 54.3 % occupancy, and the all-in night cost of $261.76 is the lowest of the year, with February ($279.92) and December ($285.48) close behind. For a museum trip, it is the most efficient season: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Boston Public Library and the restaurants of the North End and South End are indoors.
Precautions for a winter trip:
- Watch the forecast for nor'easters, most frequent from November to March; a single storm can disrupt flights at Logan.
- Book a hotel within a short walk of a T stop; sidewalks can stay icy after a storm.
- Plan outdoor sights, including the Freedom Trail, around the few sunny days rather than on a fixed schedule.
Skating on the Frog Pond, Boston Common, December. Photo: Daderot, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Holidays and First Night
December brings holiday lights and markets, and the city's First Night celebration on December 31. Holiday weekends are busier than the rest of winter but remain far below fall prices.
Boston weather month by month
Boston climate, month by month.
| Month | High / low °F (°C) | Sea °F (°C) | Precip. in (mm) | Rain days | Hotel crowds | Night cost 2025 | In three words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37 / 23 (3 / -5) | 43 (6) | 3.4 (86) | 12 | Low (~61 %) | $261.76 | Cold, cheapest, indoor |
| February | 39 / 25 (4 / -4) | 40 (5) | 3.2 (82) | 11 | Low (~61 %) | $279.92 | Snow, quiet, museums |
| March | 46 / 31 (8 / 0) | 41 (5) | 4.2 (106) | 12 | Medium (~75 %) | $339.39 | Wet, variable, affordable |
| April | 56 / 41 (14 / 5) | 44 (7) | 3.6 (92) | 12 | High (81-88 %) | $410.10 | Cool, Marathon, blossoms |
| May | 66 / 50 (19 / 10) | 52 (11) | 3.2 (83) | 12 | High (83.8 %) | $449.18 | Mild, graduations, dear |
| June | 76 / 60 (25 / 15) | 61 (16) | 3.9 (99) | 11 | High (85.3 %) | $437.41 | Warm, long days |
| July | 82 / 66 (28 / 19) | 66 (19) | 3.3 (83) | 9 | High (81-88 %) | $385.80 | Hot, festivals, harbor |
| August | 80 / 65 (27 / 18) | 68 (20) | 3.2 (82) | 9 | High (85.8 %) | $382.51 | Warm water, value |
| September | 73 / 58 (23 / 15) | 65 (18) | 3.6 (90) | 9 | High (81-88 %) | $447.31 | Dry, mild, busy |
| October | 62 / 48 (17 / 9) | 59 (15) | 4.0 (102) | 10 | Peak (87.8 %) | $482.24 | Foliage, regatta, priciest |
| November | 52 / 38 (11 / 3) | 53 (12) | 3.7 (93) | 10 | Medium (~75 %) | $351.60 | Crisp, calmer, value |
| December | 42 / 29 (6 / -2) | 48 (9) | 4.3 (109) | 12 | Low (~61 %) | $285.48 | Wettest, festive, cheap |
Sources: air temperature, precipitation and rain days (days with 0.01 in or more), NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Boston Logan Airport. Sea temperature: NOAA National Data Buoy Center, Boston buoy 44013, average of hourly readings 2019-2025. Hotel crowds: occupancy published by Meet Boston from Pinnacle Advisory Group data; ranges where the monthly figure is not published. Night cost: Boston Night Cost Index, average room rate plus 14.95 % lodging taxes plus one night of downtown parking, 2025.
The best time for what you want to do
Sightseeing and the Freedom Trail
Late May, June and September. Highs between 66 °F and 76 °F make the 2.5-mile trail from Boston Common to Charlestown comfortable on foot, and rain days are at their lowest from July to September. Add Beacon Hill and the North End on the same day. Our itinerary builder puts the day in order.
Fall foliage
Mid to late October. Inside the city, the Public Garden, the Arnold Arboretum and the banks of the Charles show the color. Book early: these are the most expensive nights of the year.
Whale watching
June to August for the best odds, within a season that runs from May to November. Boats leave from Central Wharf, next to the New England Aquarium, for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a trip of about three to four hours.
Families
Late June to August. Schools are out, the harbor is warm enough to swim in August, and hotel prices sit below the spring and fall peaks. For families tied to a fall break, prefer midweek dates.
A humpback whale at Stellwagen Bank, August. Photo: Whit Welles, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
Couples and a weekend away
September, early November, or a winter weekend. September has the weather, November the lower prices with the city still pleasant, and winter the emptiest museums and restaurants at the year's lowest rates.
Budget
January and February. The all-in night cost is $262 to $280, against $482 in October. Try your own dates in our trip budget calculator.
Seafood and lobster
Summer and early fall, when the harbor-side terraces of the Seaport and the Waterfront are open and the season of outdoor dining is at its height.
Events that shape the calendar
The events that fill Boston hotels.
Spring
- Boston Marathon: Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April; next edition April 19, 2027. The finish line is on Boylston Street at Copley Square.
- University commencements: May, spread over several weekends.
- Red Sox home opener: late March or early April at Fenway Park.
The Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street, April 2025. Photo: Margot Murphy (Massachusetts Governor’s Press Office), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
Summer
- Harborfest: early July (July 2-4 in 2026), one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in the country.
- Boston Pops Fourth of July: July 4, Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, followed by fireworks over the Charles.
- Sail Boston brought more than 60 tall ships to the harbor in July 2026; the event is not annual.
Fall and winter
- Head of the Charles Regatta: October 16-18, 2026, on the Charles River.
- Foliage season: mid to late October.
- First Night Boston: December 31.
We keep a list of the events and institutions that fill Boston hotels in our TOP 50.
Our selection by season
Where you sleep changes with the season: harbor-front in summer, near the parks in spring and fall, close to the T in winter. Six addresses from our guide, and why each suits a moment of the year:
- Boston Harbor Hotel, Rowes Wharf. For summer: on the water at the Waterfront, a short walk from Central Wharf and the whale-watch boats, with a 60-foot heated saltwater pool for the days the harbor is too cold.
- The Envoy Hotel, Seaport. For summer evenings: a rooftop seven floors above Fort Point Channel, in the district where the harbor festivals take place.
- The Colonnade Hotel, Back Bay. For July and August: its rooftop pool above Huntington Avenue is open in the warm months only.
- The Newbury Boston, Back Bay. For spring and fall: park-view rooms look straight over the Public Garden, and seasonal bicycles are lent to guests for the Esplanade.
- The Liberty, Beacon Hill. For the Fourth of July and the regatta season: Charles River suites look west over the water and the Esplanade.
- Fairmont Copley Plaza, Copley Square. For Marathon weekend: the finish line is painted on Boylston Street a few steps away. Book months ahead.
Not sure which neighborhood fits your dates? Our neighborhood matcher ranks them for your profile, and the guides to Back Bay, the Waterfront and Beacon Hill compare the hotels street by street.
FAQ
What's the best month to visit Boston?
September is the best single month for most visitors: highs of 73 °F (23 °C), only 9 rainy days on average, and a harbor still at 65 °F (18 °C). June is the spring equivalent. Both are among the busier hotel months, so book early; if price matters more than weather, look at November.
What is the cheapest month to go to Boston?
January. The all-in cost of a hotel night averaged $261.76 in January 2025, against $482.24 in October, according to our Boston Night Cost Index. Hotel occupancy was 54.3 %, the lowest of the year. February ($279.92) and December ($285.48) are close behind.
Which month is the rainiest in Boston?
December, with 4.3 inches (109 mm) of precipitation on average, followed by March (4.2 in) and October (4.0 in), according to NOAA's 1991-2020 normals at Logan Airport. Rain is spread evenly through the year, though: no month gets less than 3.2 inches, and rain days range from 9 to 12.
What is the coldest month in Boston?
January, with an average high of 37 °F (3 °C) and a low of 23 °F (-5 °C) at Logan Airport. February is nearly as cold, 39 °F / 25 °F. The two months together bring 28.7 inches of snow on average, more than half of the annual total of 49.2 inches.
Is Boston colder than NYC?
Slightly, and snowier. January averages 37 °F / 23 °F in Boston against 40 °F / 28 °F in Central Park, according to NOAA's 1991-2020 normals. Boston receives 49.2 inches of snow a year, New York 29.8 inches. In summer New York is the warmer city: July highs are 82 °F in Boston and 85 °F in New York.
What is the worst time to visit Boston?
For weather, January and February: highs near freezing, frequent snow and nor'easters. For price, mid-October and Marathon weekend in April, when hotel rates reach their yearly highs. If you are flexible, avoid both and aim for early June, September midweek or early November.
Is November a good time to visit Boston?
Yes, for value. Highs are 52 °F (11 °C), hotel occupancy falls to about 75 %, and the average night costs $130 less than in October. Foliage is mostly over by mid-month. Expect 10 rain days and cool evenings, and plan a mix of walks and museums.
How many days do you need for Boston?
Three days cover the essentials: the Freedom Trail and the North End, Back Bay and Beacon Hill, and a museum or a harbor trip. Add a day in summer for whale watching or the Harbor Islands, or in October for a foliage day outside the city.