Boston, capital of Massachusetts, lies south of the Charles River on Massachusetts Bay.

One of the oldest cities of the United States, Boston is a vibrant city with lots of well-known landmarks and plenty to see on a short break or longer stay. Just 215 miles from New York City, Boston has a significant place in the history of America and combines both academic and sporting kudos as home to the world-renowned Harvard University and the Red Sox baseball team.

You'll find Avis rental stations across Boston with three of the top Avis rental locations in Boston at Logan International Airport, Back Bay Garage in the central Back Bay area of Boston, and the Boston Government Centre, home to some of the city’s most historic buildings.

With Avis Car Rental, you can easily and conveniently explore Boston and the surrounding area and experience all it has to offer. It’s a city with its own individual character thanks to the distinctive appearance of its different neighbourhoods. Boston was the location of several key events during the American Revolution, including the  the Boston Tea Party.

Don’t miss Faneuil Hall, based near the waterfront and the Government Centre. As well as being the backdrop for many famous speeches during its time as a meeting hall, it is also part of the Freedom Trail, a path that takes in many historic sites and monuments. The hall itself is now a popular indoor and outdoor market providing fresh produce attracting more than 20 million visitors a year.

The central Back Bay area of Boston is just under 5.3 miles drive from Boston Logan Airport, a trip of around 15min. You leave the airport parking and join Interstate Highway 90 – the east–west transcontinental freeway which runs all the way from Seattle on the west coast of America – before turning south west onto Massachusetts State Highway 1A towards the city.

Boston is within easy reach of some of New England’s most popular destinations. One of the best day trips by car from Boston is a scenic 90-mile drive across to Martha’s Vineyard, the stunning island haunt of the rich and famous off the coast of Massachusetts. Head out to Cape Cod or drive west to Lexington, where the first shot of the American Revolutionary War was fired and then on to the small, beautiful town of Concord with its rich history and literary culture. Neighbouring states that are close by are New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.

While many parts of the historic city of Boston are easy to get around on foot and public transport, it is worth hiring a car to travel across and outside the city. Renting a car in Boston gives you the chance to explore further afield opening up opportunities to plan a road trip around New England.

The top tip for driving around Boston is to plan your route carefully, use GPS and try and avoid peak times – be aware that the rushour in Boston runs from 4pm to 7pm.

It’s worth checking the driving rules in the USA before you travel and pick up your hire car. In Boston, like the rest of North America, you will be driving on the right-hand side of the road. There are some specific driving rules in Boston and Massachusetts to follow including switching on headlights 30min before dawn and dusk.

On some highways there are high occupancy lanes (HOVs) which are reserved for cars with at least two occupants and on some toll roads you’ll need an account as you’ll be charged automatically.

Find out more about road rules in the US.