More About Boston Your Way

What is Boston Your Way
Boston Your Way is an upscale private guided tour service, offered year-round, on-request. We appeal to visitors who love discovering the culture and history of new places. And we appeal to those who appreciate the value of a guided tour, but expect a more polished and personal service than they can get from mass-appeal city tours.

We have hosted business and leisure visitors: couples, families, executives, convention-goers, clients of local companies, cruisers, sales teams, high-tech experts, physicians, scientists, attorneys, teachers & retirees.

We often answer requests to "show us around." But we are happy to focus on a locale, such as Beacon Hill, a historic period, such as the Revolution, or a topic, such as sports or Boston’s literary leaders.

We always mix history with contemporary...fact with lore...sights with stories...insiders' corners with tourists' must-sees. We make sure you don’t miss the Boston of Bostonians -- where we shop, eat, play -- and that you leave with ideas for the rest of your visit.

What types of tours do you offer & how much do they cost?
You may select either a drive tour or walking tour. We offer both.

Drive tours
Drive tours are conducted in hired chauffeured-driven luxury vehicles. They enable you to discover the full panorama of our city, in climate-controlled comfort.

On a typical drive tour, you can go all the way from the SS. Constitution in Charlestown, down to JFK Library in Dorchester, along the Freedom Trail, to Beacon Hill & Back Bay, on to the Fenway (Park!) area, and even to Cambridge. It would allow opportunities to take short walks around Harvard Square or along Charles Street or parts of the Freedom Trail.

A tour by car allows you to visit special hard-to-walk-to corners of Boston or Cambridge, such as Dorchester Heights, Mount Auburn Cemetery and Bunker Hill Monument.

Drive tours can run from a minimum of three hours to however long a guest wishes. Our most requested drive tour is a four-hour overview of Boston and Cambridge. But we have arranged off-the-beaten-track tours, for instance, to Student Neighborhood Boston, and 1776 Revolutionary Boston.

Cost of Drive Tours
Drive tours cost $100 an hour for the private guide PLUS the cost of transportation. It is wise to budget an additional $100 an hour for the car or van.

Walking tours
Walking tours typically range from two to four hours. They may include hops on the local transit or trips by taxi to extend the range of the tour route.

Of course, you cannot go as far on foot as you can in a car, but if you prefer to walk and have select areas or topics you want to explore, you can be sure of a rich, in-depth and entertaining tour.

Popular walking tours have been a city overview, the Freedom Trail (and more), Harvard Square, historic/contemporary neighborhoods, exploring the Waterfront.

Cost of Walking Tours
Walking tours cost $100 an hour for the private guide.

How do we reserve a tour?
Contact Boston Your Way by phone or email (617.792.9710; info@bostonyourway.com).

Tours can be paid for by cash or check.

Tours run year-round and in all weather, except major storms, such as declared snow emergencies or Nor’easters.

How can we possibly sightsee in bad weather?
In Boston, we cannot count on the weather, so we try not to let it stop us. You will have the benefit of comfortable vehicles and a guide to tweak the route, if necessary. We will also have emergency umbrellas and gloves on hand.

Why can’t I explore Boston on my own? They say it is small and walkable.
You can, and many tourists do. However, although Boston is small compared to New York or London, it is not that small. And thanks to its colonial past, its street layout can be confusing, even for residents. But that’s not all. We nickname and abbreviate many locales, like Mass Ave and JP. We leave street signs off many intersections. We tuck traffic signs behind trees. We switch directions of one-way streets. We are maniacs behind the wheel and daring jaywalkers. Parking is impossible.

There is much about Boston that is “behind the curtain.” As guests have exclaimed, they would never have discovered many of our hidden gems without our help.

Can we change our itinerary and do something different on the spur of the moment?
Of course you can! This is Boston Your Way. You can tailor it to suit your needs at any point – at the planning stage or in the moment.

Will we only look at historic sites? Can we go shopping or stop for coffee?
Absolutely! We want you to have fun! But we think you will not want to expend too much BYW time and cost on these diversions, which is why we happily make suggestions for shopping and dining later.

What should I wear?
Most important -- Comfortable Shoes! We will be walking on uneven brick and cobblestone sidewalks. You also should be prepared for wet and/or windy weather.

Who is the person behind Boston Your Way?
Boston Your Way was created by Maryglenn Vincens. A native New Yorker, she came to Boston for only one year -- some thirty years ago. Quickly captivated, she postponed her return home and enrolled at a Boston-area college to study history. She received an up-close education in America’s colonial and revolutionary past, as well Boston’s stature as a city of “firsts.”

Living right in one of Boston greatest downtown neighborhoods, she never stops studying her city-- its beauty, quirks, contradictions, tensions, pride, and the way it integrates its past into its present. Through Boston Your Way, she shares her passion and knowledge to create a special adventure for visitors to the city.

Prior to founding Boston Your Way, Maryglenn was an advancement professional at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a member of the Greater Boston Tourist Guide Association, Meeting Planners International, The Bostonian Society, Old South Meeting House, The South End Historical Society, and the Board of Directors of Women in Development of Greater Boston.