<p>How close are the nearest shopping areas (e.g. malls, centers)? I'd like to get out once in a while and shop. =)</p>
<p>It's 20 mins by subway to downtown Boston. There are other suburban malls which are also around 20 mins away, but you'll need a car/taxi to get there.</p>
<p>It really depends what you are looking for. Tufts is a 10-15 minute walk from the Davis Square stop on the MBTA Red Line. You can be in Harvard Square in 10 minutes or in downtown Boston in about 20 minutes. Harvard Square has books, cd's and some funky clothes, while Boston obviously has plenty of high end clothing stores. The best places to shop in Boston, again depending on what you're looking for, are the Copley Place Mall or the Newbury Street/Back Bay area. Both are about a 15 minute walk from the MBTA Red Line stop at Park Street.</p>
<p>There are suburban malls ringing Tufts. All are 20-30 minutes by car. Public transportation is simply not available to these malls.</p>
<p>Thanks, lantern. that's good to know. I guess that means i'd either need to hop a ride with a friend or take a cab to a mall, eh?</p>
<p>Learn to navigate the subway into Boston...the suburban malls are boring unless your over fifty!!!</p>
<p>right. why would you want to go to a mall when you're almost in a city?</p>
<p>that's like ordering folgers instant at starbucks.</p>
<p>hahahha! true. true. =)</p>
<p>There's a good shopping area at Downtown Crossing, 20 min away on the Red Line. There's a supposedly good shopping area at the Fenway stop on the Green Line, although I've only ever been to the movie theatre there.</p>
<p>And there's a traditional mall, the Cambridgeside Galleria, that's 20 min away on the bus. It's also accessible by T (Red Line to Green Line - Lechmere) but it takes a while to get there.</p>
<p>Cambridgeside is about 20 minutes or so by bus; maybe a bit less by car (and $3 to park on evenings/weekends!); and about an hour by subway, because you have to get into Davis, take the Red Line into Park Street, and take the Green Line all the way out.</p>
<p>If you're doing all that, you may as well just head to Copley, which is slightly closer. That also gets you close to Newbury Street and the fabulous dining options there. </p>
<p>I grew up in suburban Boston - and now that I'm living somewhere else, I can be appropriately happy with the Boston shopping options. Try the Burlington Mall (15 min away by car); the Natick Mall (30 min away by car); Northshore Mall (30-45 min away by car?); and, for the tax-free shopping experience, Rockingham Mall in NH (about 35 min away). </p>
<p>Copley & Burlington have theatres, if you're into movies after shopping.</p>
<p>If you happen to have a car, the Wrentham outlet mall is a well-kept secret from outsiders - VERY much worth visiting.</p>