Editing Boston (section)

===Finding a Couch in Boston===
Here are some general tips to increase your odds for finding a couch in the Boston area:
* As mentioned above, send requests to hosts residing in areas other than Boston "proper". Many CSers live in Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.  The search by map feature is useful as well.  Especially during the summer tourist season (which is preceded by college graduation season starting in mid-May and followed by college move-in season ending in mid-September), hosts in Boston "proper" have been known to receive more than 10 requests PER DAY.  Do not get discouraged if your requests are repeatedly declined or not acknowledged in a timely manner.  Hosts themselves tend to travel during the summer season as well.  
* Consider hosts with proximity to non-subway forms of public transportation. For example, there some bus lines that run as frequently as subway lines and even bus/commuter train/commuter boat schedules that are less frequent may not present too much of an issue.  Many hosts will list proximity to public transit in their profiles. Then, you can compare it with your maps and see if its worthwhile. Just remember, though, that public transit tends to end around midnight. Taxi rides from the city center to the suburbs could nearly $30-40 depending on how far away you're staying.
* Plan ahead. Sometimes this is not possible as travel opportunities do come up at the last minute and CouchSurfers in general tend to be more spontaneous than the average folk.  If you are able to fix your plans in advance, don't put off sending out requests until the last minute. A good time frame for sending requests is 1-3 weeks prior to arrival.  Likewise if you have control over your planning arriving try to avoid arriving in the wee hours, especially on a weeknight.  Also, the public transportation system does not run all night so think carefully before buying a cheap bus ticket into the city that arrives in Boston at 2:30am - you'll only end up having to pay for a taxi cab at that point anyways.
* Groups of 3+ people may have better luck splitting up (for sleeping purposes) and using "divide and conquer" to find couches.  Even for those willing to sleep on the floor be advised that apartments in this area tend to be on the smaller side.  Also, many hosts live with roommates who may be fine sharing a bathroom with one or two extra people, but not six extra people.
* If you are not able to find a couch through the traditional request syste,m consider the emergency request message board.  Whining about not being able to find a couch and/or scolding the CS community here for not being responsive/hospitable will NOT help your cause.  Even if you are feeling discouraged, try to convey positive energy in your post.