Find AA Meetings in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts AA Meetings

Boston has one of the densest AA networks in the country. The area offers more than 120 in-person groups in our listings, meeting at more than 85 locations across the city, alongside roughly 60 groups that meet online.

The list above shows current days, times and formats. Boston’s listings carry an unusually high number of entries flagged as temporarily closed, so confirm a meeting is still running before you travel to it.

The large majority of Boston meetings are open, meaning anyone can attend, including family and people who are only curious. Discussion and speaker meetings are the most common formats, with step meetings and Big Book study also well represented.

More than 65 in-person groups are listed as wheelchair accessible, a far higher share than most cities, and the city supports a substantial number of LGBTQ+ meetings.  Use the filters above to narrow by either, and call the venue if you need to confirm a specific entrance. You can also browse AA meetings across Massachusetts if you are looking beyond the city.

For context, an estimated 19.1 percent of Boston adults report binge drinking, according to the CDC’s Places, 2025.

Here is a snapshot of meeting types in our Boston directory, counting both in-person and online groups (as of July 2026):

• Wheelchair-accessible: 66
• LGBTQ+: 16
• Women’s: 12
• Men’s: 8
• Beginner-focused: 6
• Young people: 4

Counts change as schedules update, so treat this as a snapshot and the list above as the current source.

Your First AA Meeting in Boston

You do not need to register, pay or call yourself an alcoholic to attend an AA meeting in Boston. Arrive a few minutes early, find a seat and listen. Nobody will ask you to speak.

Because Boston leans so heavily toward open meetings, you have room to sit in and get a feel for the format first. Open groups welcome anyone, whereas closed groups are for people who want to stop drinking, and each listing notes which kind it is.

Few Boston groups are labelled specifically for newcomers, but with this many open discussion meetings, almost any works as a starting point.

Our account of what happens at a first AA meeting walks through a typical hour, and our plain-language guide to the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions covers the ideas the program is built on.

Boston’s AA Central Service Office and Helpline

Local AA here is coordinated by the AA Central Service Committee of Eastern Massachusetts, which has served Greater Boston since 1945. Its office sells AA literature including the Big Book, and its phone line is answered by live volunteers on weekday and weekend hours rather than around the clock.

If you are not sure which meeting to try, that is a reasonable first call.  The office address, hours, and phone number are under Resources below. Central Service also publishes separate Spanish-language and Portuguese-language meeting lists.

Sober.com is an independent directory and is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services or the AA Central Service Committee of Eastern Massachusetts.

Staying on Track Between Meetings

Many people pair meetings with the free Sober App. It tracks your sober days, what you have saved by not drinking and milestones worth marking, which can help you to maintain your motivation on the days between meetings.

If You Need More Help Than a Meeting

AA is peer support, not medical care. If you have been drinking heavily every day, stopping abruptly can be dangerous, and it is worth getting a medical opinion before you quit. Our guides to the alcohol withdrawal timeline and alcohol detox explain what withdrawal involves and when supervised care makes sense.

Boston runs an unusually direct route into treatment. The Boston Public Health Commission’s PAATHS program is a single front door to the city’s treatment system. Its staff assesses what you need and refers you to detox, medication-assisted treatment or outpatient care.

It serves anyone in Greater Boston regardless of insurance status, takes weekday walk-ins as well as calls, has Spanish-speaking staff and can help with transportation. PAATHS details are under Resources below, along with FindTreatment.gov and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also browse alcohol rehab options in our directory.

AA in Boston: Common Questions

How much do AA meetings in Boston cost?

Nothing. AA groups are self-supporting through voluntary contributions, so a basket may be passed at some point in the hour, but no one is expected to put anything in, least of all someone attending for the first time.

Do I have to call myself an alcoholic to attend?

No. AA states that the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking, and you do not need even that to sit in on an open meeting. Plenty of people attend for a while as they work out what their drinking means to them.

What is the difference between open and closed meetings in Boston?

Open meetings welcome anyone, including friends and family. Closed meetings are limited to people who want to stop drinking. Boston leans strongly open, so if you want to bring someone with you or simply observe, most of the schedule is available to you.

Are there Spanish-language AA meetings in Boston?

Our own listings do not currently capture them, but they exist. The AA Central Service Committee of Eastern Massachusetts publishes a dedicated Spanish-language meeting list, along with a Portuguese-language one, and its phone line can point you toward both.

Can I join an AA meeting online from Boston?

Yes. Around 60 online AA groups appear in our Boston listings, holding roughly 100 sessions a week between them. Online meetings hosted elsewhere are open to anyone too, which helps on days you cannot get somewhere in person.

Resources

• AA Central Service Committee of Eastern Massachusetts (Boston Central Service Office). Phone: 617-426-9444, answered by live volunteers Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Office: 12 Channel Street, Suite 604, Boston, MA 02210. Accessed August 20, 2026. https://aaboston.org/
• Boston Public Health Commission. PAATHS (Providing Access to Addictions Treatment, Hope and Support): 1-855-494-4057, also reachable by dialing 3-1-1. Walk-in: 774 Albany Street, 1st floor, Boston, MA 02118, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Accessed August 20, 2026. https://www.boston.gov/government/cabinets/boston-public-health-commission/recovery-services/find-your-path-recovery
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PLACES: Local Data for Better Health (2025 release). Accessed August 20, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/places/
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. FindTreatment.gov treatment locator. Accessed August 20, 2026. https://findtreatment.gov/
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 (24/7).