Where to stay

Founded in 1636, Harvard University is older than the United States itself, which declared independence in 1776. Stay in a hotel on Harvard Square to absorb the classic student experience within the brick walls of Harvard Yard. While here, try the food in the area's well-regarded restaurants. Book a room in the historic houses of Riverside overlooking the Charles River, where students from across the city row up and down the water. Some of the most famous political figures in U.S. history have lived in or passed through Cambridge. Stay in West Cambridge for walking tours of many of the neighborhood's historic homes.

While Harvard is a pillar of tradition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks toward the future, in technology as well as other elements, including food. Stay in the recently renovated neighborhood of Kendall Square to take advantage of a range of cutting-edge restaurants. Just down Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square has accommodations within steps of some of Boston's most beloved restaurants and an eclectic selection of ethnic cafés. Get a taste of the area's multiculturalism from a hotel in Porter Square, which offers plenty of culinary charms.

Massachusetts is known for its many beautiful parks and Cambridge fits right in with a great selection of open public spaces. Spend long lazy days relaxing on lawns in North Cambridge's many green spaces, which are often located between traditional wooden houses that conceal accommodations of all kinds. Near the Somerville neighborhood, large hilly parks offer rewarding vistas for those willing to climb steps from their hotel to the top. Alternatively, book a hotel in Cambridgeport to relax along the river. This area is also a short commute from Boston Common, America's oldest park, dating back to 1634.