Cambridge travel guide

Cambridge Tourism | Cambridge Guide

You're Going to Love Cambridge

With a population of 105,162, Cambridge is a must-see destination in Massachusetts, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Cambridge deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Cambridge

is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Cambridge. These include popular favorites such as Giulia Restaurant (1682 Massachusetts Ave), Season To Taste (1678 Massachusetts Ave) and The Maharaja (57 Jfk Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, Oleana (134 Hampshire St.) and Little Donkey (505 Massachusetts Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, BISq (1071 Cambridge St) and Row 34 - Cambridge (314 Main St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Cambridge.

When to visit Cambridge

Cambridge in December
Estimated hotel price
$204
1 night at 3-star hotel
Cambridge in December
Estimated hotel price
$204
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Cambridge

Plane

When flying to Cambridge, you’ll arrive at Boston Logan Airport (BOS), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Cambridge include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue. The shortest domestic flight to Cambridge departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 26m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Cambridge, followed by Acela. The train journey from Cambridge to New Haven takes 2h 22m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Stamford, expect to pay about $16 for a 3h 21m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Cambridge is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 186 miles from Cambridge. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cambridge, including CoachRun, OurBus and Concord Coach Lines. From Portsmouth, the bus ride to Cambridge takes 90 miles and will cost you around $30. From Truro, the ticket costs about $20 for a journey of 190 miles. Cambridge’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Cambridge, you’ll arrive at Boston Logan Airport (BOS), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Cambridge include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue. The shortest domestic flight to Cambridge departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 26m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Cambridge, followed by Acela. The train journey from Cambridge to New Haven takes 2h 22m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Stamford, expect to pay about $16 for a 3h 21m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Cambridge is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 186 miles from Cambridge. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cambridge, including CoachRun, OurBus and Concord Coach Lines. From Portsmouth, the bus ride to Cambridge takes 90 miles and will cost you around $30. From Truro, the ticket costs about $20 for a journey of 190 miles. Cambridge’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

Airports near Cambridge

Airlines serving Cambridge

Lufthansa
Good (4,688 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (951 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,608 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,280 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,597 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,953 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,925 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (864 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,175 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (815 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,711 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Cambridge

There are also lots of vacation rental options in Cambridge, with prices from $14 to $4,305 per night. East Cambridge is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Cambridge are about 12% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Area 2/MIT - In Cambridge’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include The Kendall Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Cambridge and Boston Marriott Cambridge.

East Cambridge - Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Boston Cambridge, Kimpton Marlowe Hotel and The Royal Sonesta Boston have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in East Cambridge will cost you about $207 per night.

Area 2/MIT - In Cambridge’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include The Kendall Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Cambridge and Boston Marriott Cambridge.
East Cambridge - Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Boston Cambridge, Kimpton Marlowe Hotel and The Royal Sonesta Boston have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in East Cambridge will cost you about $207 per night.
Most popular hotel in Cambridge by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Cambridge

Most booked hotels in Cambridge

The Godfrey Hotel Boston
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 7055 reviews)
$316+
Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2338 reviews)
$276+
Kimpton Marlowe Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 404 reviews)
$287+
Le Méridien Boston Cambridge
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 660 reviews)
$275+
The Revolution Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 3730 reviews)
$173+
AC Hotel by Marriott Boston Cambridge
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 294 reviews)
$185+

Renting a car in Cambridge

Renting a car in Cambridge costs $67 per day, on average, or $135 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Avis, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Cambridge is the Budget branch at 1 Bennett Street, which is 1 mile from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Cambridge.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Cambridge (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Cambridge is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Class Compact Car or similar) are, on average, 63% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Cambridge costs $67 per day, on average, or $135 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Avis, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Cambridge is the Budget branch at 1 Bennett Street, which is 1 mile from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Cambridge.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Cambridge (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Cambridge is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Class Compact Car or similar) are, on average, 63% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.