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Boston Downtown Crossing Shopping

With everything from large department stores and bookstores to jewelry shops and clothing retailers, Downtown Crossing has something for everyone. It is located steps away from Boston Common as well as the Theater and Financial Districts, making it an easy spot for visitors to work into their itineraries.

About The Neighborhood

Washington Street, the main street cutting through Downtown Crossing, was colonial Boston’s main road, making it a prime spot for commercial and financial institutions to spring up. Today, the streets and sidewalks of Downtown Crossing are mostly laid with cobblestone and brick, retaining some of the area’s old-fashioned feel. Because of its central location, the area is busy and diverse, with street carts and outdoor events rotating through all the time.

The Downtown Crossing T stop is on the Red and Orange lines, and the area is also only a block away from Boston Common and Park Street station.

Shopping

Unlike many of other Boston’s shopping hotspots, Downtown Crossing is a great place to shop on a budget. There isn’t really any high end shopping here, but plenty of discount stores including Payless Shoe Source, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and an Eddie Bauer outlet are all right on Washington Street. Another big shopping attraction is the large Macy’s department store, located at the corner of Washington and Summer Street. The Summer Street side of the store features a series of illuminated window displays that change periodically and focus on various holidays, events, and elements of local culture.

Visitors to Downtown Crossing will also find a plethora of jewelry stores, clothing stores such as H&M and City Sports Downtown, and the shoe lovers’ havens of DSW and Aldo. Everything is concentrated within just a few blocks, with most stores right on Washington Street itself.

Food

Shoppers will find a ton of takeout and coffee shops all over the Downtown Crossing area for quick eats during the day. For more upscale dining, try Avenue One, the restaurant inside the Hyatt Regency on Avenue De Lafayette, or Mantra on Temple Place, which turns into a dance club at night. Also try the more laid-back Max & Dylans Kitchen and Bar, or the Mexican hole-in-the-wall Fajitas & ‘Ritas next door on West Street.

Other Attractions

The Freedom Trail skirts the northeast end of Downtown Crossing, with the Old South Meeting House (the building where the Boston Tea Party began) located right on Washington Street. Downtown Crossing is also close to the nightlife and arts scene of the Theater District, as well as the historic landmarks around Boston Common and Faneuil Hall.

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Boston Downtown Crossing Shopping