After living in Atlanta and spending quite a bit of time in Boston (like every other weekend for a year plus two months), Atlanta wins. You lose your personal independence in Boston because to park at, for example, Copley to shop costs about $19 an hour. When it's zero degrees outside and you'd get frostbite walking to the nearest T stop, you're forced to use cabs because they're actually cheaper than parking. One day I spent $100 on cabs when I stayed with my daughter for the month of January at MIT (actually at the Hyatt because it was closer to her dorm than the MIT hotel). So my daughter and I decided to only eat 2 meals a day. We'd have cereal for breakfast in the room, eat snacks in the room for lunch, and for dinner either take a cab to a restaurant or eat at the Hyatt. I spent about $8000 that month in Cambridge.
Don't get me wrong - I really liked Boston/Cambridge, but not the transportation situation when the weather is bad (like 9 months of the year).
Yeah, the traffic in Atlanta stinks. But at least you can drive to Micky D's for a cheap meal without having to pay megabucks for a parking garage.
However, I wouldn't advise MARTA if you're alone. You're subject to harassment, intimidation, robbery, and worse on MARTA unless you travel in groups. I know many people who have had very scary experiences using MARTA and would rather have a two-hour commute to Dunwoody than take MARTA. Peachtree Road Race Day is not your typical MARTA crowd.
Don't get me wrong - I really liked Boston/Cambridge, but not the transportation situation when the weather is bad (like 9 months of the year).
Yeah, the traffic in Atlanta stinks. But at least you can drive to Micky D's for a cheap meal without having to pay megabucks for a parking garage.
However, I wouldn't advise MARTA if you're alone. You're subject to harassment, intimidation, robbery, and worse on MARTA unless you travel in groups. I know many people who have had very scary experiences using MARTA and would rather have a two-hour commute to Dunwoody than take MARTA. Peachtree Road Race Day is not your typical MARTA crowd.
