Month guide · Boston · United States
Boston in October
What October is really like in Boston: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
October is one of the best months to visit Boston. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 8°C (46°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 11 hours of daylight. Crisp, sunny days and autumn foliage in the city's parks and across New England; book well ahead.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 11 hours
- Sea temperature
- 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in October
October is the 6th-warmest month in Boston: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 15°C (59°F), and nights fall to about 8°C (46°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with September (23°C (73°F)), October is cooler; by November highs drop to around 11°C (52°F).
- Sunrise (15 October)
- About 06:57
- Sunset (15 October)
- About 18:03
- Daylight
- About 11 hours
- Sea
- 14°C (57°F)
Autumn (September–November). Students return, the leaves turn in October and the weather is crisp and sunny; hotels are at their most expensive until early November.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, October rates 5 for crowds (the peak is June at 5) and 5 for hotel prices (highest in May). Book accommodation early: October is one of the pricier months.
Events in October
- Head of the Charles Regatta (usually the second-to-last weekend of October)
- Halloween month in Salem (throughout October)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in October
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Gallery · Seaport District
Institute of Contemporary Art
The ICA's glass building by Diller Scofidio + Renfro cantilevers out over Boston Harbor, and its top-floor galleries end in a full-width window onto the water.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Views
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Dorchester
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Take the Red Line to JFK/UMass and use the free shuttle bus to the museum.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
Experience · Back Bay
Mapparium
Inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library, the Mapparium is a three-storey stained-glass globe from 1935 that you walk through on a glass bridge, showing the world's political borders as they were then.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Historic site · Downtown
Freedom Trail
Walk it north from Boston Common in the morning and break for lunch in the North End; most sites can be seen from outside for free, and a few charge entry.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 8°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is October a good time to visit Boston?
One of the best months to visit Boston, with 2 notable events on the calendar. The other best months are May–June and September. Compare every month.
Boston in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is October a good time to visit Boston?
It is one of the best months to visit Boston. Crisp, sunny days and autumn foliage in the city's parks and across New England; book well ahead.
+How warm is Boston in October?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Boston in October?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.