Boston

Explore Boston: East Boston

East Boston is our next spotlight in our Explore Boston series! While many just think of East Boston as the neighborhood closely connected to Boston’s international airport, it is actually a thriving cultural community. Large numbers of Italian and Latin American residents ensure that there is always a plethora of outstanding restaurants and interactive cultural festivities! Below are only a few examples of what the neighborhood has to offer to all visitors and families. 

Do you live in the area? Have you visited? If so, what are some of you favorite things to do in East Boston? We want to know

East Boston is has 40,000 residents and was created by connecting several islands using landfill, which was annexed by Boston in 1836. It is separated from the city proper by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop, Revere, and the Chelsea Creek. Directly west of East Boston across Boston Harbor is the North End and Boston’s Financial District. The neighborhood has long provided a foothold for the latest immigrants with Irish, Italians, and Latin Americans alternating as the predominant group. In recent years, East Boston has become home to a wave of young professionals in newly renovated condominiums along Jeffries Point, Maverick Square, and the Eagle Hill waterfront. The neighborhood is easily accessible to downtown Boston via the MBTA Blue Line.

Santarpio’s Pizza

Santarpio’s Pizza is a well-known restaurant in the neighborhood of East Boston. Established in 1903 as a bakery, Frank Santarpio began selling pizza three decades later. A landmark to locals and a destination for visitors, the eatery is primarily known for its New York-style pizza, which it has served at its Chelsea Street location since 1933. One Boston Globe reporter said of the establishment that “the average New Englander’s only knowledge of East Boston is the sign for Santarpio’s Pizza that can be seen from the highway on the way to the airport.”
Piers Park 
Piers Park is located on the west side of East Boston overlooking Boston Harbor and downtown Boston. Designed by Pressley Associates Landscape Architects of Cambridge, the 6.5-acre park was conceived to reclaim a former pier to allow the neighborhood direct access to its waterfront. The park consists of multiple trails paved in brick and granite from the pier’s original 1870 seawalls, native salt-tolerant New England plants, more than thirty-two tree varieties, seasonal flowers, ornamental shrubs, and a 600-foot meandering brick pedestrian promenade with four smaller shade pavilions. One of the pavilions is dedicated to Donald McKay. The park also has an amphitheater and a community boating program, Piers Park Sailing Center.


Constitution Beach 
This is one of Boston’s more popular public beaches located in the Orient Heights section of the community. It is known to locals as “Shay’s Beach.” Constitution Beach is one of Boston’s most family-friendly waterfront destinations. Thanks to the Department of Conservation and Recreation and TBHA’s advocacy for the Back to the Beaches program, visitors can enjoy a new bathhouse, large playground, picnic area, tennis and handball courts, shade shelters, and foot showers. An award winning pedestrian overpass across the MBTA tracks connects the local community to the redesigned beach and park, and creates a welcoming gateway. Constitution Beach is also one of the City’s best locations for swimming, with lifeguards on duty during the summer season.

By Global Immersions, Inc.

Global Immersions, Inc. specializes in Boston Homestay living for individuals and customized Group Homestay Programs. Global Immersions, Inc. distinguishes itself in the industry with its commitment to building cultural awareness and fostering global understanding. We are dedicated to the advancement of living and learning opportunities that provide an in-depth understanding of U.S. culture.