Music

• Boston is a music-lover's town. With many local music schools, there is a never-ending supply of fresh new artists that luckily come with a fresh price tag as well. There are many cheep venues around the city such as the Middle East, Paradise Rock Club and TT the Bears that host local (and out-of-town) indie bands. Cover charges are usually between 10 and 20 dollars. Boston is also home to many music festivals, including the Brantown Jazz festival each September. The festival hosts nine stages of music throughout Boston and Cambridge, and most shows are free. Check the website (www.beantownjazz.org) for information and concert lineups.
  
  

Art and Entertainment

• Aside from music, live stage (and street) performances run rampant through the city. There are a number of opera, dance, circus and comedy shows available for under 25 dollars; check out www.bostix.org for Boston-area performing arts tickets for as low as 10 dollars. Aside from the stage, a myriad of street performers can be found on a daily basis at the famous Harvard Square. During October, try to catch the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission's live presentation of the Ghosts of Somerville performed in the Milk Row Cemetery; tickets are only 5 dollars.
  
  The Boston Art Museum is always a favorite of tourists (and locals) looking for an inexpensive activity. If art is your thing, consider trekking to the antithesis--the Museum of Bad Art, the only one of its kind in the world. The museum features some pretty terrible works of art--and admission is free. The MOBA is located in two basements in Boston: under the Somerville Theater in Davis Square and under the Dedham Community Theatre in Dedham Square.
  
  

The Great Outdoors

• Boston is home to many parks and tourist activities that are either free or relatively inexpensive. The Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain is a favorite location year round to both locals and tourists, and the breathtaking trees and foliage undoubtedly offer the Boston feel free of charge. If heading to the harbor, consider a tour of the USS Constitution, known as Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned ship in the nation. Admission to the ship's museum is free (donations are encouraged). If you are visiting Boston in the winter, strap on your skates and head to the Boston Common Frog Pond where rink admission is only 4 dollars.
  
  

Eat and Drink

• Boston is home to some of the greatest food finds in the country. Rich with a history of Irish and Italian immigrants, cafes, bakeries and breweries are omnipresent and more likely than not to offer a great deal. Take a tour of the Sam Adams Brewery; tours are free Monday through Saturday. At the Harpoon Brewery, weekend tours are 5 dollars and weekday tastings are free. Visit Boston's North End for a taste of authentic Italian pastries such as Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street. Or snuggle into an independent coffee cafe for a cup of coffee (or tea) at local favorites like Cafe Luna in Cambridge or Ula Cafe in Jamaica Plain.
  
  Mike's Pastry
  300 Hanover St.
  Boston, MA 02113
  (617) 742-3050
  
  Cafe Luna
  403 Massachusetts Ave
  Cambridge, MA 02139
  (617) 576-3400
  
  Ula Cafe
  284 Amory Street
  Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
  (617) 524-7890