Boston, United States
Best places to shop in Boston
4 markets, malls and shopping districts in Boston — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.
Last updated 2026-08-09
1. Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall
Photo: John P. Soule · Public domain · source
The 1826 market buildings — a food colonnade in Quincy Market, pushcart vendors and street performers in the surrounding cobbled square.
- Where: Market
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Monday to Saturday 10:00–21:00; Sunday 11:00–19:00
- Cost: Mid-range
2. Newbury Street
Photo: Daderot at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
The Back Bay's brownstone shopping street — international brands at the Public Garden end, independent boutiques and galleries as you walk west.
- Where: Luxury
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Daily 10:00–19:00
- Cost: Mid–Luxury
3. Boston Public Market and Haymarket
Photo: NewtonCourt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The year-round indoor market of New England producers, and the Friday and Saturday open-air Haymarket produce market beside it.
- Where: Market
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Public Market daily 08:00–20:00; Haymarket Friday and Saturday
- Cost: Budget–Mid
- Tip: Haymarket is the cheapest produce in the city by a wide margin. Vendors handle the goods themselves — do not pick.
4. Harvard Square and Cambridge bookshops
Photo: Elsa Dorfman · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
The bookshop district across the river — Harvard Book Store, the Coop, and the record and antiquarian shops around the square.
- Where: Street Shopping
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Daily 09:00–22:00
- Cost: Budget–Mid
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