2019/Travel

WikiConference North America 2019 • Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

Registration • Travel Guide • Unconference

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About Boston and Cambridge

Boston is the tenth largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the U.S.

Geography and climate

It will be chilly the weekend of the conference! Dress warmly. Be sure to bring a coat, hat and gloves as we will be experiencing a cold snap Friday and Saturday.

• Geography and climate

Transportation

• Transportation

The public transportation system in Boston and Cambridge is "the T", including both subway and bus. The Kendall Square/MIT station on the Red Line subway is the closest to the Stata Center. The Red Line runs north to the rest of Cambridge, and south through Downtown Boston, South Boston, and Quincy.

In addition, the 1 bus stops on Massachusetts Avenue at the center of MIT's campus and travels directly across the river into the Back Bay neighborhood; this is a convenient way to access the western branches of the Green Line while avoiding a circuitous route through Downtown Boston.

There are two types of tickets — CharlieCards (reloadable plastic cards) and CharlieTickets (paper tickets). CharlieCards can be purchased at select MBTA subway stations , while CharlieTickets can be purchased at all fare vending machines. Learn more about purchasing a Charlie Card and the T system map.

Ticket types include:

• Subway one-way fares for $2.40 (CharlieCard) or $2.90 (CharlieTicket or Cash).
• 1-Day Pass ($12.75 for unlimited travel for 24 hours)
• 7-Day Pass ($22.50 for unlimited travel for 7 days)

From the airport or train station

See this page for details on public transit options from Logan Airport.

Service from Logan Airport is free. The Silver (SL1) bus picks up at every Logan Airport terminal, with connections to the Red Line and Commuter Rail at South Station in downtown Boston. Transferring to the Red Line here is also free.

If you're headed to Logan Airport, transfers from the Red Line to the SL1 are also free.

Northeast Corridor/Acela Trains arrive into South Station, which offers a connection to the Red Line.

Transport to conference venues

• Friday will be centered at the Museum of Fine Arts, and will also include other GLAM institutions across the area. Our Friday night reception will take place at the Waterworks Museum in downtown Boston.
  • How to get to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA):OpenStreetMap, T Stop: Museum of Fine Arts on the Green Line E

• The Saturday–Sunday–Monday portion of the event will take place on the MIT campus, in Building 32 (the Stata Center). MIT is located in Cambridge, which is directly north of the main part of Boston across the Charles River.
  • T Stop: Kendall/MIT on the red line

Lodging

The closest hotels to MIT are the Marriott, Residence Inn, and Kendall Hotel.

Several hostels are also available in Boston proper. We have a discount code for Hosteling International, available below.

Those looking for a hotel on a budget might consider staying in Quincy, which is a ~30 minute T ride south of Cambridge on the Red Line; you can get rooms in the $100–150 range. Some hotels convenient to T stations include:

• Holiday Inn Express Quincy, short walk to North Quincy station
• Best Western Quincy, walk to North Quincy station
• Howard Johnson, walk to Wollaston station
• Best Western Braintree, short Uber/Lyft to Quincy Adams station
• Extended Stay America, short Uber/Lyft to Quincy Adams station

Discount rates

Note that these are guaranteed rates; public prices may occasionally drop below.

Boston Marriott Cambridge

50 Broadway, Cambridge, MA (5 to 10-minute walk)

Discounted Rate: $299/night available until October 17th

Book Here to Secure the Discount

Hosteling International Boston

19 Stuart Street, Boston, MA (15-minute drive)

Rates ranging from $45-$260/night

Save 15% by using Wiki19 discount booking code by October 1st

Save 10% by using Wiki19 discount booking after October 1st while rooms last

Searching

When searching for affordable lodging, check both a hotel's website directly as well as travel aggregators (Booking.com, Google Hotels, etc.); prices can vary between sites.

Nearby food and drink

Within 5 minutes walk of the Stata center:

Clover Food Lab - vegetarian fast food (soups, salads, sandwiches)

Chipotle - fast Mexican

Legal Fish bowls - make your own rice or salad bowls, with fish or tofu

Cava - make your own rice or salad bowls, with meat

Dumpling daughter - dumplings and other rice dishes

Vester - coffee, matcha, sandwiches

Anna's Taqueria - burritos and tacos with generally clear nutritional info for vegetarian/vegan eaters

Within 15 minutes walk of the Stata center:

Flour - coffee, sandwiches, pastry

Mamaleh's - Jewish deli inspired restaurant

Veggie Galaxy - a slight walk but vegetarian and vegan-friendly diner classics including vegan bakery

Roxy's grilled cheese - grilled cheese, fries and hot dogs

Saloniki - Greek inspired fast food

Oath pizza - make your own pizza