On a budget, weigh it — Seaport District isn't cheap for what it is.
Free to wander; food/drink à la carte
Boston's most modern, walkable nightlife-and-dining zone — harborfront patios, a buzzy after-work scene, and the architecturally striking ICA contemporary-art museum cantilevered over the water. The catch: it's brand-new and corporate-feeling with little of old Boston's soul, prices run high, and it can feel like an outdoor mall by the sea.