Practical Information for visiting Massachusetts

Phone coverage is excellent across the state, with only occasional gaps in the western hills.

Wi-Fi is universal in lodging and cafés, and Boston has extensive free public access in libraries and civic buildings.

The main practical note is on the islands and the outer Cape, where networks are heavily loaded in peak summer and can slow to unusable at busy hours.

Boston is a safe city by American standards and the state as a whole has low violent crime. Ordinary urban precautions are sufficient.

The specific hazards are coastal. White sharks are now regularly present off the outer Cape, following the recovered seal population; swim at lifeguarded beaches, obey closures, and stay away from seals. Rip currents are the more common danger.

Winter nor'easters bring coastal flooding and can close roads and transport with a day's notice.

Boston drivers have a national reputation, and the street layout is genuinely confusing; visitors driving here should expect both.

No vaccinations or precautions are required, and tap water is safe.

Ticks are a real concern from spring to autumn, and Lyme disease is common — the Cape and the islands have among the highest incidence in the country. Check after any time in grass or scrub.

Summer heat and humidity can be taxing inland; the coast is consistently cooler.

Massachusetts has exceptional healthcare, concentrated in Boston's teaching hospitals, and it is expensive. Travel insurance covering medical costs is essential for non-US visitors.

Sales tax is 6.25%, with clothing under $175 exempt — prices on shelves exclude it.

Tipping is expected: 18–20% in restaurants and bars, and customary for taxis and hotel staff.

Alcohol is sold in licensed package stores rather than supermarkets in much of the state, and the drinking age is 21 with identification routinely checked.

Jaywalking is effectively the local custom and enforcement is negligible, but Boston traffic does not slow for it. Right turns on red are permitted unless signed otherwise — except in Boston, where they frequently are.

911 reaches police, fire and ambulance anywhere in the state.

Boston's teaching hospitals are among the best in the world and are concentrated in the Longwood area and downtown. Cape and island communities rely on smaller facilities, with serious cases flown to Boston — a real consideration on Nantucket in particular.

The Coast Guard handles marine emergencies; VHF channel 16 along the coast.

In a winter storm, follow local travel bans, which are issued rarely and carry legal force when they are.