Throughout the semester, I often find myself wanting to take a break from school and get off campus to explore the amazing city of Boston with my friends. As a college kid with limited money, I like to save money where I can, so here are some fun things to do that are free or have discounted prices.
Free Things
BU students have free access to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum located by the Back Bay Fens near Fenway Park. All you have to do is show your student ID. It’s about 30 minutes from central campus on foot or about 20 minutes on public transportation.
Places that are free to the public I would recommend visiting are the Boston Public Library, the Boston Public Garden, and the Boston Common. The Boston Common and Boston Public Garden are public parks located right next to each other near the downtown area of Boston, and they’re great places to hang out with your friends, do homework, or read a book when the weather is nice. It takes about 40-45 minutes of walking or about 15 minutes on public transportation from central campus. The Boston Public Library is a cool place to visit because of its beautiful architecture. One side of the building is more historic and museum-esque while the other side is more contemporary, like a typical public library with a cute café as well. In the center, there is a scenic courtyard, which is another great study spot.
While I have never visited the New England Aquarium, I have heard you and four others can get free admission if you register for a pass on the Boston Public Library’s website using your library card. You can get a library card for the BPL by going in person and showing your ID and proof that you live in Boston (such as your BU housing agreement page). The New England Aquarium is located near the Waterfront and takes about 30 minutes on public transportation from central campus.
Discounted Things
You can get a student discount on AMC Theatre movie tickets for $14, and there’s an AMC Theatre right outside the Boston Common. Full-time BU students can get discounted $12 tickets for theatrical productions such as The Addams Family at the Wheelock Family Theatre, which is located about 18 minutes away on foot from central campus.
Students can get $9 Red Sox tickets the day of a game about 5 hours in advance. Students can get these offers by signing up for email/text alerts on the Red Sox website. Additionally, students can get $30 rush tickets at the Boston Ballet, which are up for purchase 2 hours before a performance. The Opera House is located in the Theatre District about 20 minutes from central campus on public transportation.
College students can purchase a $30 Boston Symphony Orchestra College Card, which allows students to attend BSO performances at no further costs after the initial card purchase. The BSO Hall is located about 30 minutes from campus on foot and about 20 minutes on public transportation from central campus.