Good place to stay in Boston is the John Jeffries House. (617) 367-1866 It's a small inn right on the banks of the Charles River in Beacon Hill. Most rooms are equipped with kitchenettes and many of views of the river. Rate includes continental breakfast. Rates run around $100. Some are a bit more; some are less. I stayed there when I was moving up here from New York City last year and it was great. The inn is also right on the RED Line into the city. Two stops from Downtown Boston and, in the other direction, one stop from Cambridge (MIT) and three stops from Harvard Square.

Brookline, Newton, and many close suburbs are very accessible without a car. Brookline and Newton are on the T Green Line. Other suburbs are linked by commuter rail right into North or South Station where you can connect to the RED, Green, and Orange Lines. I still am not driving (although I will have my license soon) but I have been commuting to Boston from a suburb (about 45 miles away) for the past year. Commuting is easy if you are near commuter rail and/or the T.

If you have any other questions, please let me know. Linda from Massachusetts.