Brookline, Boston, MA

With its stately suburban air and leafy residential streets, Brookline is decidedly more subdued than the neighboring student havens of Allston and Brighton.

One of the wealthiest areas in Boston, Brookline is home to many urban professionals and old-money families, as well as one of the city’s largest populations of Russian and Israeli immigrants, whose influence can be seen in the synagogues, kosher delis, and Jewish schools that dot the area.

By day, shoppers can browse the boutiques in the quaint Coolidge Corner and look for bargains in the retail shops in Washington Square, while history buffs check out notable landmarks like the birthplace of John F. Kennedy and the two spots where the Underground Railroad stopped in Brookline.

Nightlife in Brookline is a typically laid-back affair, with both locals and young Brighton residents looking to escape the college bar scene converging on the venues on Beacon Street or the upscale bars and restaurants clustered around Coolidge Corner.