Directions/Transportation to Boskone

Note on hotel directions: The Seaport/South Boston area has been changing over the last few years, with new construction, altered traffic and parking patterns, and some streets designated for commercial vehicles only. Mary Fitzgerald reviewed the meter marking situation in early 2011. We'd appreciate any feedback on parking and directions as this is a tricky area, and, well, it's Boston.

The Westin Boston Waterfront, home of Boskone, is the tall building at the corner of D and Summer Streets that's adjacent to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Setting up your GPS? Your destination is 425 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210

Traveling by Car * * Local Parking * * Local Info * * Boston Transit Links * * Traveling from the Airport * * Traveling from South Station * * Walking from the World Trade Center T Station * * Traveling from Providence

How to Get to Boskone

By Car

From the NORTH

  • Take I-93 South and go into the tunnel.
  • Take exit 20A, "South Station."
  • At the top of the ramp, cross a pedestrian walkway and turn left on Summer St.
  • Go 0.8 miles on Summer St.
  • Turn right at the light just past the convention center, then left into the hotel driveway.

From the NORTH SHORE via route 1A

  • Take 1A south towards Logan airport.
  • From Logan airport, the Westin is about 3 miles. Take the Mass Pike westbound (Ted Williams Tunnel) to exit 25, South Boston.
  • Make slight right onto Congress St.
  • Go through the light on B St.
  • Turn right on D St.
  • Go through the light at the trolley-bus road.
  • Go through the light at the Mass Pike / I-90 entrance.
  • Turn right onto Summer St.
  • Turn left at the next traffic light (very close), then left into the hotel driveway.

From the SOUTH

  • Take I-93 north to exit 20 toward I-90/Logan Airport/South Station/BCEC.
  • Take the left fork towards Logan Airport and South Boston.
  • In the tunnel, take the right fork for South Boston.
  • At the top of the ramp, bear right toward D St.
  • Go through the light at the trolley-bus road.
  • Go through the light at the Mass Pike / I-90 entrance.
  • Turn right onto Summer St.
  • Turn left at the next traffic light (very close), then left into the hotel driveway.

From the WEST

  • Take I-90 (Mass Pike) eastbound to the South Boston exit
  • Exiting the Pike, take the left (of 3) choices which is marked "local traffic."
  • Turn right onto Congress St., go through two lights (and under an elevated roadway).
  • Turn right at the next light which is D. St.
  • The first light on D St. is Summer St.; turn right. Turn left at the next traffic light (very close), then left into the hotel driveway.

Driving to the hotel and lost in Boston? Call the hotel directly -- 617-532-4600

Where to Park

The closest parking is the Westin Boston Waterfront parking - $42/day valet, $32/day self/parking.

On-Street Parking

Read the meters, read the signs. Parking rules are different from place to place.

  • All street parking is metered until at least 6PM on Friday and Saturday and some may be metered until 8PM. The meters are free on Sunday. Check the street signs carefully, as most of the street near the hotel is reserved for taxis.
  • Some meters are operated by the city of Boston, and others are operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority. This is why meters in the same general area could charge different rates and require payment at different times.
  • Bring quarters. Some meters charge $1.00 an hour and some charge $1.25 an hour.
  • Most meters are limited to two hours, some (closer to downtown Boston) will let you park for four hours, and a few are limited to 15 minutes. It is illegal to feed your meter past the time limit and you could get a hefty ticket.
  • Handicap plate/handicap placard vehicles also have some different rules, depending on who is operating the meter.
    City of Boston meters: Time limits do not apply.
    Massport Meters: Time limits do apply.
  • Summer St. has street cleaning every night at midnight so you must move your car by midnight if you park on Summer St.
  • Some spots on the "newer" streets like Marina Park Drive do not have individual meters and force 24 hrs a day, so read the parking signs when you park. If you see multi-space meters, these are generally also limited to 2 hours of parking, but they will take credit cards.

Again, check your meter carefully when you park!

Nearby Parking Lots

Parking Saturday: The cheapest open air parking lots are Massport Parcel H, K: $5 for 3am to 3am on the weekends (upper right-hand corner of the map). This is split into two disconnected sections; the one nearer to the hotel is on Port Lane, the other at 10 Massport Haul Road.

Boston Seaport Map

Boston Seaport Map

To get to these lots:

  • From the north shore or the south:
  • From the west:
  • From the north:
    • After passing South Station (on the right) and before crossing the bridge (over Fort Point Channel), turn left onto Dorchester Avenue
    • Take the first right onto Congress St. and go to D St. (about 0.7 miles)
  • From the hotel:
    • Turn right to get to Summer St.
    • Turn right at the light onto Summer St.
    • Turn left at the next light into D St.
    • Turn right at the 3rd light onto Congress St.
  • Once you are on Congress St past D St., go one short block, and turn right on Port Lane. The parking lot entrance is on the left. Do not overshoot; you'll drive into an area restricted to mass-transit buses.
  • To walk to the hotel from the Massport lots (~.2 miles)
    • Go to the lot entrance
    • Turn right on Port Lane
    • Take the first left onto Summer St.
    • Take the first left on D St and walk uphill
    • The hotel is at the far right of the intersection of D St. and Summer St.
  • If the Port Lane lot is full
    • Go back to Congress St.
    • Turn right; follow Congress St. as it veers left and ends (2 short blocks)
    • Turn right on Northern Ave. (sometimes signed "Seaport Blvd").
    • Turn after 1 block onto Haul Road. (If you get to the entrance of the Marine Industrial Park, you have overshot.) The lot is very close on your right.
  • To walk to the hotel from here (about .4 miles)
    • Go to the lot's far left corner with reference to the entrance; there is a pedestrian-only pass-through here.
    • Turn left. (This is Congress St., but there's no street sign just here.)
    • Follow Congress St. as it veers right.
    • At the first light, turn left on D St.
    • Follow D St. through two lights and over an overpass.
    • The next light is Summer St.; the hotel is on the far right of this intersection.

If both these lots are full or closed:

All the other surface lots charge about the same: $11-12 from 5am to midnight, and another $11-12 from midnight to 5am. (Online listings have not caught up to these rates.) Some lots close at night so check the time the lot closes before you park

  • The nearest to the hotel is at 145 Northern Ave (upper left hand corner of the map above); from the Haul Road lot:
    • Turn left on Haul Road.
    • almost immediately, turn left around a small obstruction onto Northern Ave.
    • At the first light, turn left on Congress St.
    • Follow Congress St as it veers right and goes through about 4 lights
    • After 0.4 miles, turn right on East Service Rd (this is the next light after B St.)
    • Turn right at the end of this (long) block onto Northern Ave.
    • Turn right into the parking lot. Go as far as you can toward the far left corner of the lot. (There's a narrow section in the middle; go past this if possible.) -- This seems roundabout, but there's a divider blocking left turns from Northern Ave into the parking lot.
  • To walk from here to the hotel (.3 miles):
    • Go to the pedestrian opening at far left corner of the lot, at the intersection of B and Congress Sts.
    • Cross both streets; continue leftward (away from the lot) on Congress St.
    • In about 300 feet, take the stairs up to World Trade Center Ave.
    • Turn right at the top of the stairs.
    • Walk along World Trade Center Ave. until it ends at Summer Street.
    • Cross Summer St; the hotel will be ahead and to your left.

Caution: all of the surface lots are now completely unattended. 145 Northern Ave may take exact change; otherwise, and at all other lots, you will need a major credit card (Visa / Mastercard / American Express / Discover).

Pilgrim parking at Fan Pier Lots and Park Lane Garage.

Remember: Read the signs. Parking rules are different from place to place.

Boston Transit Links

The boston.com Website has a comprehensive link list of mass transit travel options to Boston. The link list is on the right hand side of the Boston Area Traffic Report page.

By Air

From Logan International: Mass Transit: Take the Silver Line bus SL1 to the World Trade Center station.
Taxi: A cab to the Westin Boston Waterfront costs about $20 - more during rush hour.
For a ballpark figure for what cabs cost in Boston, try TaxiFareFinder (one of the default end points is the Mass Convention Center (sic - Boston Convention and Exhibition Center) which is next door to the Westin). Shared Van Service: Shuttle van to the Westin Boston Waterfront costs about $10. See details at the airport or atwww.massport.com/logan/getti_typeo_share.html.

Rail

Take Amtrak to South Station and transfer there to the Silver Line bus SL1 or SL2 to World Trade Center Station.

By the T

Go to South Station and transfer there to the Silver Line, SL1 or SL2, to the World Trade Center Station. For details, see www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/?route=SILVER#Waterfront or call 617-222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100.

From World Trade Center Station T Station

If the Silver Line leaves you off in the underground station

Go up three escalators, following the signs to World Trade Center Avenue

Note: You'll see signs for "World Trade Center" and "World Trade Center Avenue." Be sure to follow the signs for "World Trade Center Avenue" to reach the Westin.

Take the door to World Trade Center Avenue at the top of the final escalator. If you see a large statue of four horses on your left, you're going the right way.
Walk along World Trade Center Avenue until it ends at Summer Street.
Cross the street and veer left beside the driveway to the Westin door.
Total walk is less than 1/4th mile.

If the Silver Line leaves you off on the street beside World Trade Center Station
  • Walk through the World Trade Center Station
  • Take two up escalators
  • Exit onto World Trade Center Avenue. The Westin/Boston Convention and Exhibition Center should be one long block in front of you.

Local Info

The Fort Point Post Office is open long hours and is only about a mile from Boskone. It's just behind South Station and is not a bad walk, but you can take the Silver Line to South Station or a cab to 25 Dorchester Avenue if you prefer. It's even open during the day on President's Day, so you can ship your books home.

Traveling from Providence

The MBTA is now running commuter trains directly from T. F. Green (Providence) Airport to South Station.