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Avoid any eating or drinking establishment that claims to have been around since colonial days. Also attractions that claim a close affiliation with TV series (such as Cheers! ) have usually lost their original charm.

A Visitor’s Passport (see “T” Pass) lets you bypass the “T” token window. Avoid traveling from 8 to 9:30am and 4 to 6:30pm to beat the crowds. The biggest bottlenecks for entrance into most performance venues are at the “will-call” window, where you pick up pre-booked tickets, and the box office.

To avoid going the wrong direction on the subway, remember that all trains headed toward Downtown Crossing, Park Street, or State “T” stations are “inbound.” All trains heading away are “outbound.” Platforms for outbound and inbound trains often have different entrances. Be especially careful on the green line, which branches into four separate lines. The red line also branches into two south of the city. Check the final destination of the train you want against the MBTA map. Signs on the front and side of the train always list its final destination.

You are likely to be towed if you park illegally in a tow zone, which will be signposted. In addition to towing fees, you’ll also pay a large fine before your car is released. You will also get a ticket for parking at an expired meter or in a resident-only zone. It’s impossible to escape payment. Rental companies will charge your credit card, and if it’s your own car, your home state will not renew your license or registration until you pay.

Many hotels greatly inflate the cost of calls. Some may charge as much as $2 for a local call or a toll-free call. Save money by purchasing a prepaid phone card and using the lobby pay phone. Hotel breakfasts, unless explicitly included in the room rate, are also often outrageously priced. Most cafés will fill you to overflowing for $5 – the price of toast at some hotels.

Boston has its share of pickpockets, who often work in pairs, with one creating a diversion while the other relieves you of your wallet. Be careful in crowds and when boarding or leaving buses and subway trains. Consider using a hidden travel wallet for the bulk of your funds.

Massachusetts law forbids anyone except a licensed ticket agent from selling tickets and only permits a reseller to add $2 over the face price. Scalpers nonetheless ply their trade openly outside sports venues and theaters.

Boston has a large population of homeless people, many of whom beg on the street. One way to help the homeless is by purchasing a copy of Spare Change , the weekly newspaper produced and edited by the homeless.

Traffic jams are at their worst from 8 to 10am, and 4 to 6pm on weekdays. Highway traffic around Boston is very heavy on Fridays from noon to 7pm and on Sundays from 4 to 8pm. There are always some delays along the harbor and river roads, and on streets around Beacon Hill and Boston Common.

The laws against jaywalking are rarely enforced by police, but crossing outside marked crosswalks is dangerous. Boston drivers have hair-trigger reflexes when they see an opening to accelerate, and much slower reflexes when it’s time to stop.