I don’t live on a nearby barrier island on the Gulf, but slightly inland from it. The cars owned by people in our building are parked in an under-building parking garage. It is open to the outside somewhat and stays relatively cool in hot weather. The cars are like what @Mustangman describes, rust free “Florida cars”.
However, if I ride my bike out to the island, early in the morning, and ride up the shoreline when there’s an onshore wind, I sometimes (occasionally) get a mist that collects on my sunglasses. Some call it “sea fog,” but that could be incorrect. I believe it’s what @texases has described.
I need to keep clearing my sunglasses. The liquid smears and is not easy to clean off as plain water would be. I’m sure it’s salt in the mist. I’m not sure if rust on cars is an issue there, but I’ve not heard of a problem.
It has some perks…like free car washes…Free shuttle service to a local garage to get a repair…fairly cheep oil changes. And if you own an electric vehicle…free charging.
For me - I’d take public transit…Driving in Boston is a royal pain. Driving TO Boston is even worse. 5 miles out on I-93 is a 45 minute drive just to get to the Airport and Government Center exit between (6:30 and 10:00).
I’ve only cabbed it into town from the airport. And even that was hairy!
Driven around the city from airport to suburb… also a pain! Lots of traffic and aggressive drivers.
An old city that evolved before cars. Mass transit pretty much grew along with the city from sheer necessity. Like NY and to a lesser extent, Chicago. People live in the suburbs - 'cause it is cheaper and you can have a yard - and work in the city. But the suburbs require a car even if you use the bus or train to enter the city.
NY and Chicago subways were very well planned out with future growth plans - Boston: Not so much. Boston was the first public transit system in the US. It’s decent. But it’s no where near the Physical size of NYC (Manhattan only). On a nice summer day you can easily walk everywhere you need to go. I will take public transit to get into the city…then if the weather is nice…walk everywhere else. Before we had kids, more then once we’d take in an afternoon Sox game. Then walk to the North-End for Pizza. Then walk to Back-Bay for some Jazz clubs. Then walk back to North Station to take the Orange Line to where we parked our car.
Yes, very walkable city. I spent 2 weeks there in 2002 staying near Tufts Medical while my mom had open heart surgery. Chinatown was a block away. The Boston Commons a few blocks away. Took a Grayline tour as well. Pretty nice.
It is too late for me now as I dought I will ever get back up that way again. I have been the Boston area quite a few time’s I am a history buff and would have liked to have seen the historical area’s. The problem was I alway’s in a 18 wheeler. Those of you who know the area what sugestion’s would you have givin me to find some place to park and get around the area to see the historical site’s? Also would have liked to see the Salem and Bunker H ill area’s.
Not sure where a Tractor Trailer can park. Try googling it. But definitely park outside the city and then take the public transit it. For a good historic walk…just walk the Freedom trail (Paul Revere’s ride). You can pick up a guide map showing the historic land marks along route. Bunker Hill is part of the freedom trail. A side trip to the USS Constitution is always worth it. If you can’t walk it…then there are tourists trolleys at several locations…and there are also the Duck Boat tours.
Salem MA is about 20 miles away. But you can take a train out of North Station or a ferry (Not exactly sure where the Ferry leaves Boston).
Thank you for that information I will keep that in mind if I ever get back up that way I had forgot about the USS Constitution another one I would like to see.
The last few times I drove into Boston (2017), surface lots off Atlantic or Commercial Streets were running about $20/day. Parking in a downtown DC garage is usually $20-30/ day as well.
