Beantown as it is called by Bostonians is the perfect American city for a weekend getaway. There are plenty of cheap flights to Boston for sale and it only takes about 5 to 6 hours to get there. The best time to visit is Boston is autumn. At least, that is what I think. The weather can still be quite warm at that time of year and the intense colours of the leafs of the many maple trees are truly amazing. Boston is quite compact and can easily be explored on foot. The nicest shopping experience is on Newbury Street in historic Back Bay where the shops are housed in brownstone buildings that date back to the early 1900's. Here you can find clothing stores for all budgets and some quaint cafes and cool restaurants. For history buffs, the Freedom Trail is an easy and fun way to learn about the city of Boston and its role in the fight for American independence from the English Crown. This is a great do-it-yourself way to get to know the city. A nice are to wander around in is the North End. This is a predominantly Italian neighbourhood. Kind of like Boston's version of Little Italy. So if you love pasta and pizza, you will have no problem finding a restaurant here. There are too many to mention here, so just walk around and you will be sure to find something you like. If you want to see a bit more of Massachusetts, there are quite a few nice day trip options, such as the town of Concord (home of author Louisa May Alcott) or Salem (famous for the witch trials) which are easily reached by train.