Where to?
Fourteen areas, from Allston basements to the Seaport waterfront to Salem and Lowell.
Allston
Cheap beers, loud rooms and live shows. Still the neighborhood that goes out.
Cambridge
Basement clubs, brick bars and breweries, three squares apart on the Red Line.
Somerville
Pick a square and stay in it: small cocktail rooms in Union, pubs and bands in Davis.
Seaport
Big bars on the harbor, a comedy club and a dance club. Wear a coat.
South End
Rowhouse blocks, wine bars and a jazz club. A two- or three-stop night.
Back Bay
Hotel lounges, wine bars and one long-standing dive. Date-night territory.
North Shore
Salem still goes out after October. Walk Derby, Essex and Washington.
Downtown
Hidden cocktail rooms, old Irish pubs and Tremont Street comedy, all walkable.
Fenway
Game-night crowds on Lansdowne, plus music rooms from tiny stages to a 5,000-capacity hall.
Jamaica Plain
Neighborhood pubs, an old brewery district and a rock bar that stays open late.
Dorchester
No single strip. Pick a village center.
South Boston
One street, two ends. Pick the old tavern or the new pizza.
East Boston
Skyline views, Blue Line, and kitchens that close earlier than you think.
Lowell
Mill-city pubs, weekend bands and a walkable downtown.