5 places to start in Back Bay
Boston Public Library
The 1895 building on Copley Square is free to enter. See the reading room with its green lamps, then have a coffee in the courtyard.
Official site →Photo: NateBergin, CC BY 4.0
The Mapparium
At the Mary Baker Eddy Library you walk through the inside of a three-story stained-glass globe on a glass bridge. It shows the world as it was mapped in 1935.
Official site →Photo: Christian Science Publishing Society, Public domain
Trinity Church
Across the square, H.H. Richardson's 1870s church has murals and stained glass that are worth the small entry fee.
Official site →Photo: Daderot, CC BY-SA 3.0
Charles River Esplanade
This riverside park has walking paths and wooden docks where you can rest by the water. The Hatch Shell stage here hosts the Boston Pops on the Fourth of July.
Official site →Photo: bynyalcin, CC BY 3.0
View Boston
The observation deck at the top of the Prudential Tower gives you a full circle of the city, with an open-air level.
Official site →Photo: Vegasjon, CC BY-SA 4.0Hotels in Back Bay
Staying over? These are the picks from our guide, Where to stay in Back Bay, Boston, near Copley and Newbury, and Dyme members see private rates on each. You can also browse every Boston hotel guide or search hotels on Dyme.
Mandarin Oriental, Boston
776 Boylston Street, Boston
9.4334 reviews
3 min walk to Prudential (Green Line E)The Mandarin Oriental is on Boylston Street with direct access to the Shops at Prudential Center and a 9.4 guest score that ties it for the highest rating among 5-star properties on this list, with the Prudential Green Line stop 3 minutes away on foot
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Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston
1 DALTON STREET, Boston
9.4320 reviews
5 min walk to Prudential (Green Line E)At 61 floors, One Dalton gives guests the highest vantage point of any hotel in New England, and a 9.4 guest score confirms the Four Seasons service model holds at that scale, making it the top-rated 5-star property on this list
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Raffles Boston
40 Trinity Place, Boston
9.3211 reviews
2 min walk to Back Bay (Orange Line/Commuter Rail)Raffles Boston occupies a purpose-built tower at 40 Trinity Place, placing guests 2 minutes from Back Bay Station and 4 minutes from Copley Square, with a 9.3 guest score that reflects the brand's service standards at its first North American address
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Boston Marriott Copley Place
110 Huntington Avenue, Boston
8.71,802 reviews
3 min walk to Copley (Green Line B/Green Line C/Green Line D)The Boston Marriott Copley Place connects directly to the Copley Place mall and the Prudential Center via enclosed walkways, giving guests 1.5 million square feet of retail and dining without stepping outside, which matters when Boston temperatures fall below freezing from December through February
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This weekend in Back Bay: October 2–4
48 things on: 6 shows, 4 exhibitions, 4 gigs and 12 free. Listed by day and start time.
Friday, October 2
Exhibition: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of HappinessCommunity art on freedom.Art700 Boylston StFreeView listing →Saturday, October 3
Exhibition: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of HappinessCommunity art on freedom.Art700 Boylston StFreeView listing →Sunday, October 4
Exhibition: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of HappinessCommunity art on freedom.Art700 Boylston StFreeView listing →On all weekend
No set start time for these, so go when it suits you.
Listings by Outgoing, refreshed twice a day. Times and prices can change, so check the listing before you go.