Destination Guidebook for Boston, Massachusetts
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The best way to see Boston is on foot. The city has preserved many important buildings and sites and has created walking tours that make it easy and enjoyable to visit places that bring U.S. history to life. The Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mi/4-km walking trail that runs from Boston Common through the North End to Charlestown, takes you to the city's most famous historical sites. Bunker Hill, the Old North Church and the Paul Revere House are just a few of the stops on the trail. Most sites are open 9 am-5 pm daily. Many provide guided tours or talks, and some charge a small admission fee.
If the weather is bad (always a possibility in the unpredictable Northeast), you can access most sites along the Freedom Trail by subway (or T, as the locals say). Most lines have several stops downtown near Freedom Trail sites, such as State, Government Center and Park Street, and often the stops on different lines will be within easy walking distance of one another.
In addition to historic sites, Boston is blessed with magnificent world-class art museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) and the eclectic Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Also notable are the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art and Harvard's Museum of Natural History. Harvard's inner quadrangle is a place of grand halls and tree-shaded lawns. (The annual influx of 250,000 college students goes a long way toward explaining the energy, vitality and innovative achievements of this supposedly staid city.)
If you plan on doing extensive sightseeing, consider purchasing a Boston CityPass for US$39 for adults and US$21.25 for children, which can save you as much as 50% on combined admission fees to some of the city's most popular attractions. The passes are available at the Visitors Information Booth on Boston Common or at any of the attractions covered by the pass (http://www.citypass.com). An ArtsBoston coupon book provides discounts to area museums, tours and attractions. | Historic Sites | Top  |
America's first free municipal library offers visual arts, as well as books. This magnificent Italian Renaissance Revival building houses a John Singer Sargent Gallery on the third floor. Also peek into the beautiful Bates Reading Room with its vaulted ceiling. Monday-Thursday 9 am-9 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am-5 pm; October-May, also open Sunday 1-5 pm. One-hour art and architecture tours daily, except Wednesday. Call for times. Free. 700 Boylston St. (Copley T stop on the Green Line), Copley Square, Boston. Phone 617-536-5400. http://www.bpl.org. This is the site of the famous battle at which Colonel William Prescott of the colonial army is said to have ordered, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." Perhaps they should have fired sooner, because the British won the battle, the first of the Revolutionary War. Nevertheless, the engagement showed that the patriots could go musket-to-musket with the British and inflict heavy damage. A 221-ft/67-m granite obelisk commemorates that historic event, and you can climb stairs to the top. Daily 9 am-4:30 pm. Free admission and park ranger talks. Monument Square (North Station T stop on the Green Line and follow the Freedom Trail over the Charlestown Bridge, or Community College T stop on the Orange Line), Charlestown. Phone 617-242-5641. http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/bhm.htm. This revered structure (half of Boston pronounces its name FAN-yul and the other half FAN-ull) is known as the Cradle of Liberty because, as Boston's town meeting hall in the 1770s, fiery debates leading to the Revolutionary War took place there. Today, it's a stop on the Freedom Trail walking tour and part of the Faneuil Hall Marketplace (often called Quincy Market), a busy area filled with stores, restaurants, food stands and bars. You won't find a quiet museum atmosphere on the ground, but walk up to the second-floor rotunda to the neoclassical Great Hall, where Samuel Adams and his fellow revolutionaries passionately discussed matters of liberty and growing tensions with Britain. Daily 9 am-5 pm. Talks by park rangers about the building's history are offered every 30 minutes 9:30 am-4:30 pm except when the hall is booked for other events. Free. North Street at Congress Street (State T stop on the Blue and Orange lines, or Government Center stop on the Blue and Green line, Boston. Phone 617-242-5642. http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/faneuilhall.asp. Boston's historic ballpark saw its first American League game in 1912, making it the oldest (and smallest) stadium still active in the Major Leagues. The most coveted tickets these days are in the Green Monster section, which was built in 2003. However, all tickets are hard to come by after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. Behind-the-scenes guided tours are offered during baseball season on game days. Hourly tours leave from the Souvenir Store across Yawkey Way daily 9 am-4 pm or until three hours before game time, whichever is earlier. US$12 adults, US$11 seniors, US$10 children younger than 15. Tour reservations are recommended. 4 Yawkey Way (Kenmore or Fenway T stops on the Green Line), Boston. Phone 617-236-6666. http://www.redsox.com. Costumed guides give 90-minute walking tours of the Freedom Trail, which includes more than a dozen historic sites such as Paul Revere's house, the site of the Boston Massacre and the USS Constitution. The trail is marked on sidewalks and street crossings with a double row of red bricks or a painted red line. Bronze pavement markers indicate each of the sites. If you want to go it alone, audio tours, easy-to-follow maps and guidebooks are available at the Boston Common Visitors Information Booth and the Boston National Historic Park Visitors Center. Phone for information. Tours take place daily 11 am, noon, 1 and 3:30 pm from the Visitors Information Booth, and at 10:30 and 11:30 am from the Bostix booth in Faneuil Hall. US$12 adults, US$6 children, US$10 seniors and students. Phone 617-357-8300. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org. Founded only 16 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Harvard University counts six U.S. presidents and numerous Nobel laureates as alumni. Standing in Harvard Yard, in front of the imposing Widener Library (third largest in the U.S., largest university library in the world), you can feel the history. And yes, many of the halls, representing four centuries of architecture, are covered in ivy. June and August student-led tours depart Monday-Saturday at 10 and 11:15 am, 2 and 3:15 pm. During the academic year, tours depart Monday-Friday at 10 am and 2 pm, Saturday at 2 pm. Free. Tours start at the Holyoke Center, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Phone 617-495-1573. http://www.news.harvard.edu/guide/to_do/index.html. This stone and wood Anglican church was built in 1688 on orders from King James II. The adjacent burying ground is the oldest in the city: John Winthrop, Massachusetts' first governor, is buried there, as is Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower. Literary buffs should look for Elizabeth Pain's gravestone—Nathaniel Hawthorne describes it in The Scarlet Letter, and there's debate on whether she was the inspiration for Hester Prynne, the famous adulteress. Monday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 1:30-4 pm. 58 Tremont St. (State T on the Blue and Orange lines), Boston. Phone 617-635-4505. This esteemed college is where the teaching laboratory was pioneered. Though known for research and science, it also pays ample respect to the arts. Many campus buildings were designed by famed architects, and works by well-known sculptors (including an enormous Alexander Calder stabile) adorn the grounds. Be sure to stop at the Frank Gehry-designed Ray and Maria Stata Center for Computer Sciences, a whimsical, nine-story structure that was built without parallel walls. Elsewhere on campus, works by established and emerging artists are displayed in three exhibition spaces. In keeping with MIT's pragmatic image, classroom buildings and laboratories are designated by numbers instead of names. Meet in Lobby 7 of the main building for 90-minute guided tours, which are offered Monday-Friday at 10:45 am and 2:45 pm (except legal holidays). 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Phone 617-253-4795. http://www.mit.edu. Dedicated in 1995, the six majestic and artfully designed glass towers of the memorial rise more than 50 ft/15 m skyward, a prominent sight in narrow Carmen Park between City Hall and Faneuil Hall. Shaped to resemble death-camp chimneys, the towers are etched with 6 million numbers representing the infamous tattoos given to Holocaust victims by the Nazis. The monument is always open. Free. Between Congress and Union streets (Haymarket T stop on the Green and Orange lines), downtown, Boston. Phone 617-457-0755. http://www.nehm.com. Gilded in 23-karat gold, the golden dome of the "new" statehouse (built 1795-1798 and designed by Charles Bulfinch) crowns the top of Beacon Hill. A statue of John F. Kennedy stands on the west plaza, and yellow Sienese marble adorns the Hall of Flags. Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm. Free 45-minute tours offered every 30 minutes. Reservations recommended. Tours begin on the second floor, in Doric Hall. Beacon Street at Joy Street (across from Boston Common; Park Street T stop on the Green and Red lines), Beacon Hill, Boston. Phone 617-727-3676. http://www.state.ma.us/sec/trs. The steeple of this North End landmark, officially known as Christ Church, became famous when it was used to hang signal lanterns warning of the British march on Lexington and Concord in 1775 ("one if by land, two if by sea"). It was immortalized in Longfellow's Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. January and February Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm; March-May daily 9 am-5 pm; June-October 9 am-6 pm; November and December 9 am-5 pm. Free. 193 Salem St. (Haymarket T stop on the Green and Orange lines), Boston. Phone 617-523-6676. http://www.oldnorth.com. This is where the patriots, disguised as "Indians," gathered to plot the Boston Tea Party before dumping imported English tea into the harbor. An audio program lets visitors listen to re-enactments of church meetings and the Tea Party. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm April-October, 10 am-4 pm November-March. US$5 adults, US$1 children. 310 Washington St. (at Milk Street; Downtown Crossing T stop on the Orange and Red lines), Boston. Phone 617-482-6439. http://www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston took place from the balcony of the Old State House in 1776. Two centuries later, Queen Elizabeth II delivered an address from the same spot during the U.S. bicentennial celebrations. The building overlooks the cobblestone circle that marks the site of the Boston Massacre. Built in 1713, this is the oldest public building in Boston and now functions as the city's history museum. Daily 9 am-5 pm, with extended hours in summer (call for details). US$5 adults, US$1 children. 206 Washington St. (State T stop on the Blue and Orange lines, Downtown Crossing T stop on the Red and Orange lines, or Government Center T stop on the Green and Blue lines), Boston. Phone 617-720-1713. http://www.bostonhistory.org. The church, built in 1809, was the site of William Lloyd Garrison's first anti-slavery speech (in 1829). A children's choir sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" there for the first time in 1831. The remains of Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Ben Franklin's parents and (we're told) the Mother Goose of the nursery rhyme lie in the burial ground. Take some time to observe the tombstones of the less famous, as well. The decorations tell much about the period in which they were carved: On the older stones, there are grim depictions of skulls; look closely for the second, smaller skull within the skull—it's a figurative representation of the soul. Church open July and August Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 am-3:30 pm; all other times by appointment only. Burying ground open daily 9 am-5 pm. Free. Behind the Park Street Church, Tremont Street at Park Street (Park Street T stop on the Green and Red lines), downtown, Boston. A small clapboard house decorated in colonial "saltbox" style that not only was home to the famous patriot but is said to be the oldest building standing in central Boston. It was built around 1680, and Revere moved in about a century later. Today, it offers an interesting look at Revere's era, displaying period furnishings, maps, documents and other artifacts. Open mid-April to October daily 9:30 am-5:15 pm. The rest of the year it's open until 4:15 pm (closed Monday January-March). US$3 adults, US$1 children. 19 North Square (Haymarket T stop on the Green and Orange lines, or Government Center T stop on the Green and Blue lines), Boston. Phone 617-523-2338. http://www.paulreverehouse.org. Views from the top of Boston's tallest building—the John Hancock Tower—have been closed to the public since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Fortunately, commanding glimpses of Boston and the surrounding region can be taken in from the 50th floor of Boston's second-tallest building, the Prudential Tower. The Prudential Skywalk Observatory and Exhibit is open May-October daily 10 am-9:30 pm, November-February 10 am-8 pm, except when closed for private functions (call ahead to confirm). Tickets can be purchased 10 am-6 pm at the Skywalk Observatory Kiosk in the Prudential Arcade on the ground floor of the building. After 6 pm, tickets can be purchased at the Skywalk entrance on the 50th floor. US$11 adults, US$7.50 children. 800 Boylston St. (Copley T stop or Prudential T stop on the Green Line), Boston. Phone 617-859-0648. http://www.prudentialcenter.com. The mother church and the world headquarters of the Christian Science religion, founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879, has a stunning domed main building with one of the largest pipe organs in the world. The grounds feature an elegant reflecting pond. The unusual Mapparium (a spectacular 30-ft/9-m stained-glass globe that you can walk through, housed in the Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity) has been renovated to include a programmable multimedia exhibit called Hall of Ideas. Along with the Mapparium, the library houses displays related to Eddy's life and work. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm. Tours of the church, Thursday-Saturday noon-4 pm, except holidays. Call for tour times and details. Mapparium admission: US$6 adults, US$4 seniors, US$3 students. Massachusetts and Huntington avenues (Symphony T stop on the Green Line E train), Back Bay, Boston. Phone 617-450-7000. http://www.tfccs.com. Looming over the east side of Copley Square, this beautiful Romanesque church, designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in 1877, is a National Historic Landmark. The exterior is grand, but be sure not to miss the artwork and stained-glass windows inside. The building is open daily 9 am-6 pm except for scheduled services (on Sunday at 7:45, 9 and 11:15 am and 6 pm). A half-hour organ recital is held at 12:15 pm September-June on Friday. A brochure for a self-guided tour is available for US$5. Guided tours are offered Monday-Saturday 9 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm. US$5 adults, children younger than 12 free. In summer, free guided tours are offered. Call for details. 206 Clarendon St. (Copley Square; Copley T stop on Green Line), Boston. Phone 617-536-0944. http://www.trinitychurchboston.org. Also known as Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution is the oldest officially commissioned warship in existence. It never lost a battle, and its victories during the War of 1812 are legendary. The ship is open daily 10 am-5:50 pm (November-March 10 am-3:50 pm), with self-guided tours of the top deck available (sailors are on hand to answer questions). Guided tours are available every half-hour, with the last tour leaving at 3:30 pm. The adjoining museum is open daily May to mid-October 9 am-6 pm, mid-October to April 10 am-5 pm. Anchored at an adjacent pier is the World War II destroyer USS Cassin Young. Free. On Constitution Street at the Charlestown Navy Yard (A ferry runs from near the Aquarium T stop on the Blue Line, or North Station T stop on the Green and Orange lines, or the Bunker Hill T stop on the Orange Line), Charlestown. Phone 617-426-1812. http://www.oldironsides.com or http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil. A strictly hands-on museum with activities for children of all ages. Highlights include an indoor climbing wall, crafts activities and cultural exhibits focusing on daily life in other countries. Daily 10 am-5 pm, Friday until 9 pm. US$10 adults, US$8 children ages 2-15, US$1 everyone Friday 5-9 pm. 300 Congress St. (South Station T stop on the Red Line), Boston. Phone 617-426-8855. http://www.bostonkids.org. This complex includes three galleries: Zoological, Mineralogical and Geological, and Botanical. If you have children in tow, seek out the zoological galleries, filled with preserved, stuffed animals and Jurassic-sized whale and dinosaur bones. The botanical galleries present the world-renowned collection of glass flowers—more than 3,000 intricate plant models created in the 19th century by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka. The mineralogical galleries include sparkling displays of rough and cut gemstones as well as meteorites. Daily 9 am-5 pm. US$9 adults for all museums in the complex. Free for Massachusetts residents year-round Sunday 9 am-noon and September-May Wednesday 3-5 pm. 26 Oxford St. (Harvard T stop on the Red Line), Cambridge. Phone 617-495-3045. http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu. An important collection of paintings and sculpture is housed in Harvard's three excellent art museums. The Arthur M. Sackler Museum displays Asian, Egyptian and Islamic antiquities, as well as traveling exhibits, in a postmodern building. The Fogg Museum, just across Broadway, has Western and Italian Renaissance art from the Middle Ages to present, as well as special shows of modern and historically significant art movements. The Busch-Reisinger Museum (entered via the Fogg) focuses on the early-20th-century expressionist art of German-speaking Europe. Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm. US$9 adults (covers all three museums). Free for Massachusetts residents Saturday 10 am-noon, daily after 4:30 pm. Sackler: 485 Broadway; Fogg and Busch-Reisinger: 32 Quincy St. (Harvard T stop on the Red Line), Cambridge. Phone 617-495-9400. http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu. Founded in 1936, the ICA is one of the oldest and boldest contemporary art museums in the U.S. and is known for its thought-provoking exhibits. Both during the day and in the evening, the theater often stages something challenging and worthwhile—concerts, lectures, films, videos or performance art. Don't miss this gorgeous postmodern space with its expansive views of the city. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm (until 9 pm Thursday and Friday). US$12 adults, US$10 students and seniors, free for members and children younger than 17. Free on certain Thursdays after 5 pm, and free on the last Saturday of the month for families with children younger than 12. 100 Northern Ave. (Silver Line from South Station to Courthouse stop), Boston. Phone 617-478-3100. http://www.icaboston.org. A gem built in the style of a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, this museum perfectly represents the preferences and vision of its idiosyncratic founder, Isabella "Mrs. Jack" Gardner, who opened the museum to the public in 1903. Her extensive art collection includes mostly Renaissance works with some Renoirs and Whistlers thrown in. She even kept a studio for her friend, John Singer Sargent. The rooms are dimly lit, making the lush, flowering courtyard even more enticing. Tuesday-Sunday 11 am-5 pm. US$12 adults, free for anyone named Isabella. 280 The Fenway (near the Museum of Fine Arts; Museum T stop on the Green E Line), Boston. Phone 617-566-1401. http://www.gardnermuseum.org. This stunning I.M. Pei-designed structure, brilliant in its exterior form and interior function, recalls the "Camelot" era of Boston-born JFK. The cleverness of the design is apparent once you begin to tour the museum. First, you're treated to a photo gallery of the Kennedy family from their early days. Next, a film traces the family's history up to JFK's run for the presidency in 1960. After the film ends, you enter galleries that trace his campaign in detail via memorabilia, photos, and film and video clips. You get to hear and see Kennedy's famous speeches, including the fateful televised Nixon-Kennedy debates. Numerous galleries present various aspects of JFK's presidency, such as the Cuban missile crisis, in informative detail. Open daily 9 am-5 pm. US$10 adults. Columbia Point (JFK/UMass T stop on the Red Line; then board the free shuttle to the library), Boston. Phone 617-514-1600. Toll-free 866-535-1960. http://www.jfklibrary.org. The holography collection traces the history of holography since its discovery in the 1940s. It has the largest collection of holograms in the world. Other collections relate to science and technology, architecture and design, nautical engineering and history. Exhibits offer a variety of hands-on activities. The Mark Epstein Innovation Gallery has more than 5,000 sq ft/465 sq m of exhibit space. Daily 10 am-5 pm. US$7.50 adults; free on Sunday 10 am-noon. 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Phone 617-253-4444. http://web.mit.edu/museum. Two 19th-century buildings in Beacon Hill make up this museum: the African Meeting House, the oldest standing African-American church in the U.S., and the Abiel Smith School, the first publicly funded school for African Americans. They contain exhibits about the city's and the region's African-American history. The museum is a stop on the Black Heritage Trail. Monday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Thursday in the summer until 8 pm. US$5 suggested donation. 46 Joy St. (Charles/MGH T stop on the Red Line, the Arlington T stop on the Green Line, or Park Street T stops on the Red and Green lines), Boston. Phone 617-725-0022. http://www.afroammuseum.org. Founded in 1870, the museum houses one of the largest art collections in the U.S. Superb Egyptian and Asian holdings. Its collection of works by Monet is the largest outside of Paris. Monday and Tuesday 10 am-4:45 pm, Wednesday-Saturday 10 am-9:45 pm (select galleries only open after 4:45 pm Thursday and Friday), Saturday and Sunday 10 am-4:45 pm. US$17 adults, pay what you wish Wednesday after 4 pm. 465 Huntington Ave. (Museum T stop on the Green E Line), Boston. Phone 617-267-9300. http://www.mfa.org. More than 600 fascinating exhibits and lots of hands-on activities. When it incorporated the city's acclaimed Computer Museum, things only got better. Films and programs are scheduled daily in the five-story-tall Mugar Omni Theater and the Hayden Planetarium. Laser shows set to a variety of music take place Thursday-Sunday evenings. Because shows sell out (especially on weekends), call in advance for tickets or buy online at the museum's Web site. Saturday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm (until 7 pm in the summer), Friday 9 am-9 pm. Admission to exhibit halls US$16 adults. US$9 each for admission to Hayden Planetarium, Omni Theater or laser show. Science Park (below the Charles River Bridge; Science Park T stop on the Green Line), Boston. Phone 617-723-2500. http://www.mos.org. Founded in 1866, the Peabody (pronounced PEE-bud-dee) is one of the oldest museums in the world devoted to anthropology. The museum exhibits indigenous art, artifacts and antiquities of the Americas, Oceania, Asia and Africa. Daily 9 am-5 pm. US$9 adults. Free for Massachusetts residents year-round Sunday 9 am-noon and September-May Wednesday 3-5 pm. 11 Divinity Ave. (next to the Harvard Museum of Natural History; Harvard T stop on the Red Line), Boston. Phone 617-496-1027. http://www.peabody.harvard.edu. This photographic museum displays eye-grabbing work, with subjects ranging from war zones to aging rock stars. Tuesday-Friday 10 am-6 pm (Thursday until 8 pm), Saturday and Sunday noon-5 pm. Open by appointment only during August. US$3 adults. Free on Thursday and on the last weekend of the month. 832 Commonwealth Ave. (Kenmore T stop on the Green Line or the Green Line B train to Boston University West), Boston. Phone 617-975-0600. http://www.bu.edu/prc. | Neighborhoods & Districts | Top |
Though it looks old, Victorian Back Bay is actually one of Boston's youngest neighborhoods. And it was originally under water. In the mid-1800s, Boston was booming but lacked land for expansion. A massive landfill effort was undertaken that created the neighborhood now known as Back Bay. The tip-off that this is not part of "old" Boston? Note the formal, "non-Bostonian" grid pattern and the alphabetical designations for the east-to-west cross streets (Arlington to Hereford, each named for an English duke). The Charles River Esplanade to the north is lovely for a summer walk or an evening concert at the Hatch Shell. Stroll down the Commonwealth Avenue Mall when the magnolias and dogwoods bloom in the spring. Browse the fashionable art galleries, boutiques and restaurants along Newbury Street. A good starting place is the very Victorian Boston Public Garden. Perhaps the best-known neighborhood in Boston, Beacon Hill has an early-1800s feel to it. Beginning on Beacon Street at the New State House, the neighborhood continues downhill to Charles Street. Be sure to swing by the exclusive town houses of Louisburg Square and the much-photographed Acorn Street—the only completely cobblestone-paved street left on the Hill. The flat Charles Street perimeter of the neighborhood offers an array of antiques shops and boutiques, all of which are independently owned. It can be accessed by the Charles/MGH T stop on the Red Line, the Arlington T stop on the Green Line, or Park Street T stop on the Red and Green lines. Bounded roughly by Essex, Washington and Kneeland streets, the official entrance to Chinatown (the third-most populous in the U.S.) is marked by a huge ceremonial gateway on Beach Street. Just a few blocks make up the area, but it's all authentic. The neighborhood is filled with restaurants (many stay open late), markets and shops. Annual events include Chinese New Year (January, February or March depending on the lunar calendar) and the August Moon Festival, complete with dragon parades and firecrackers. Accessible from the Chinatown stop on the Orange Line or Downtown Crossing on the Red and Orange lines. Not just a baseball stadium, Fenway is a district that extends west of Back Bay. It's an eclectic neighborhood with many family-owned restaurants along brick-house-lined streets. The Fens, which borders the Museum of Fine Arts, is a beautiful park with gardens that include privately owned garden plots, among them a Victory Garden first planted during World War II. Be cautious in the area at night. To reach the eastern section of the Fenway, take the Green Line E train to Symphony or continue outbound on this line to the MFA stop. For western Fenway, take a Green Line D train to Kenmore or to Fenway. Actually, it's a triangle, and it's lost some of its young, idealist bohemian atmosphere. But it's still full of students, teachers, chess aficionados, street musicians and, occasionally, protesters. In the neighborhood, you'll also find cafes, shops and dozens of bookstores, as well as the headquarters of the fictional law firm Dewey, Cheetam & Howe from National Public Radio's Car Talk show (at the corner of Brattle and JFK streets). Intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and JFK Street (take the Red Line to the Harvard T stop), Cambridge. Boston's oldest neighborhood is an authentic "Little Italy," with plenty of local flavor. It takes up the tip of the peninsula on which the central city is built, including everything northeast of Interstate 93. The Freedom Trail zigzags through the North End's historic, narrow streets, which are studded with Italian restaurants, cappuccino cafes, bakeries, mom-and-pop fruit stands and salumeria grocery stores. In the summer, there are often street fairs and parades on saints' days. Via the Green and Orange lines, it's a short stroll from the Haymarket T station. For a slightly longer walk from the plaza fronting Boston City Hall, take the Blue or Green line to the Government Center T stop. The South End Landmark District is packed with the largest concentration of mid-19th-century Victorian row houses in the U.S. and has an artsy, bohemian feel. Covering an area south of Back Bay, it runs roughly between Columbus and Washington streets and Berkeley Street and Massachusetts Avenue. Start your tour by walking south on Dartmouth from the Back Bay T stop on the Orange Line. On Tremont Street, you'll encounter a variety of innovative restaurants and ritzy cafes, as well as the Boston Center for the Arts. Deeper into the neighborhood are 19th-century brownstones and redbrick streets and sidewalks. Particularly beautiful are Rutland Square and the London-like Union Park. Once a run-down, marginalized area, the South End has been revitalized and is now a vibrant multicultural neighborhood, with a sizable gay community, signaled by the gay-pride rainbow flags on streetlights and buildings. After dark, stick to well-lit streets. | Parks & Gardens | Top |
Boston is blessed with many parks and gardens, thanks to the Emerald Necklace, a string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1887. The 5-mi/8-km stretch of green runs from Franklin Park to downtown Boston. Along the way are a zoo, golf courses, river walkways and an internationally known arboretum. It all ends at Boston Common, the country's oldest public gathering place, which is still very much in use. As with most parks in large cities, Boston's green spaces should be visited in the daylight hours.
Flowering bushes and trees cover this 265-acre/107-hectare park, which is especially lovely in mid-May when the lilacs are in bloom. Some guided tours are available in spring and summer. Grounds open daily sunrise-dusk. The visitors center is open Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm, Saturday 10 am-4 pm and Sunday noon-4 pm. Free. 125 Arborway (Forest Hills T stop on the Orange Line), Jamaica Plain, Boston. Phone 617-524-1718. http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Set aside as an English-style town green in 1634, Boston Common has been a site for grazing cows, Puritan "justice" (usually involving a gallows), political speeches, strolling lovers, flower children of the 1960s, outdoor concerts and a Catholic Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. On a sunny day, relax and enjoy people-watching or be entertained by street musicians, religious and political evangelists, and pushcart vendors. In the winter, weather permitting, you can ice-skate on Frog Pond. This 48-acre/20-hectare park in the very center of the city is bordered by Tremont, Boylston, Charles, Beacon and Park streets. In the center of the city and adjacent to Boston Common, the Public Garden is a lovely Victorian park with a sleepy lagoon, elegant flower beds and wandering paths. Notice the bronze ducks from the children's book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Take a ride on one of the slow-moving swan boats, which have paddled around the lagoon since 1877. The pedal-powered boats operate, weather permitting, mid-April to mid-June daily 10 am-4 pm, mid-June to Labor Day daily 10 am-5 pm. A 15-minute circuit around the lagoon in a swan boat costs US$2.75 adults. Across Charles Street from Boston Common (Arlington T on the Green Line), Boston. Phone 617-522-1966 for information about the swan boats. http://www.swanboats.com. Part of the Emerald Necklace of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the nine-block-long mall is embellished with sculptures, a memorial to firefighters killed in a devastating 1972 fire, and benches for relaxing beneath the trees. It cuts a grassy swath through the Back Bay, from Boston Public Garden to Kenmore Square, and is a popular spot for walking or jogging. Commonwealth Avenue, Back Bay, Boston. A glorious location in Watertown and Cambridge for bird-watchers, horticulturists and nature lovers. The beautiful grounds contain an arboretum, gardens and the graves of many famous early residents. (Among the illustriously departed: Julia Ward Howe, Mary Baker Eddy, Fannie Farmer, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Winslow Homer and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.) Rent a one-hour audiocassette walking or driving tour from the office. Guided walking tours are sometimes offered in summer—call for details. No bikes, skates or dogs. Daily 8 am-7 pm in summer, 8 am-5 pm in winter. Office open daily 8:30 am-4:30 pm. Free. 580 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge. Phone 617-547-7105. http://www.mountauburn.org. | Amusement Parks | Top |
New England's largest theme and water park is just 40 minutes from downtown Boston. The park has 10 roller coasters, including the Superman Ride of Steel; a 500,000-gallon wave pool; and the first-ever tornado-thrill waterslide. Memorial Day-Labor Day, open daily 10:30 am-10 pm; Labor Day-late October and mid-April to May, open weekends and some holidays; hours vary. Tickets are US$49.99 for those taller than 53 in/135 cm, US$29.99 for those taller than 36 in/91 cm, free for children less than 36 in/91 cm tall. Route 159, Agawam. Phone 413-786-9300. http://www.sixflags.com. | Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries | Top |
Visit this Boston beer company and watch how "the best beer in the country" is brewed (and sip a sample). Stalwart patriot Samuel Adams did indeed make his living by brewing his own "house-brand" of beer, and this company has revived the tradition. One-hour tours Tuesday-Thursday noon-3 pm, Friday noon-5:30 pm, Saturday 11 am-3 pm, every half-hour. Arrive early for Saturday tours. US$2 donation suggested (it's given to local charities). 30 Germania St., Jamaica Plan (Stonybrook T stop on the Orange Line), Boston. Phone 617-368-5080. http://www.samadams.com. | Zoos & Wildlife | Top |
This 72-acre/29-hectare site nestled in historic Franklin Park was founded in 1911 and has undergone a period of expansion after years of neglect. Highlights include one of the world's largest indoor exhibits of western lowland gorillas, the Bongo Congo (zebra, ibex and ostrich), the Giraffe Savannah, Australian Outback (kangaroo, wallaby and emu), Franklin Farm (including a "contact corral" where visitors can pet goats, sheep and other farm animals) and, June-September, a butterfly enclosure. April-September open Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday till 6 pm; October-March open daily 10 am-4 pm. US$11 adults, US$6 children ages 2-12, free for children younger than 2. 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston. Phone 617-541-5466. http://www.zoonewengland.com. The New England Aquarium houses more than 2,000 aquatic creatures. Some of them (including several species of shark) live in an impressive 24-ft-/7-m-tall fish tank that fills the center of the building. Divers plunge into the tank several times a day to feed the fish. The Simons IMAX Theatre offers a larger-than-life perspective on sea creatures and other science-related topics. The penguin community is entertaining, though a wee bit smelly. Look for the little blue penguins from Australia, wandering on their own aquarium island. July-Labor Day, the aquarium is open Monday-Thursday 9 am-6 pm, Friday-Sunday till 7 pm. The rest of the year, it's open Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am-6 pm. IMAX theater open daily 10 am-9 pm. Aquarium admission: US$18.95 adults, US$10.95 children younger than 12. IMAX admission US$9.95 adults, US$7.95 children younger than 12. Central Wharf (on Atlantic Avenue, behind Faneuil Hall Marketplace; Aquarium T stop on the Blue Line), Boston. Phone 617-973-5200. http://www.neaq.org. Humpback whales can be found in the waters off Massachusetts during the summer. (The hunting of humpbacks for ivory, blubber and meat was one of the industries that built and sustained the early New England economy.) Several companies offer boat excursions to view the whales. One of the most popular is operated by the New England Aquarium. Trips last three to five hours. Children must be at least 30 in/76 cm tall to take the cruise. Trips sell out quickly, so reserve tickets in advance. The boats leave one to two times daily May-September and Saturday and Sunday in April, October and November. Tickets are US$34.95 adults. Combination tickets for aquarium admission and a whale-watching cruise are available. Central Wharf (on Atlantic Avenue, behind Faneuil Hall Marketplace; Aquarium T stop on the Blue Line; board at the dock adjacent to the Aquarium), Boston. Phone 617-973-5281. http://www.neaq.org. Thanks to its parks and proximity to the ocean, Boston has plenty of recreational opportunities, offering enough variety to keep active people happy year-round. Most Boston and Cambridge hotels provide maps of the best jogging routes in the vicinity. Jogging or biking along either side of the Charles River during daylight hours is wonderful. If you prefer to be on the water, consider boating on the Charles. Better yet, head out to sea for whale-watching or deep-sea fishing. Massachusetts is renowned for its coastline, with beaches both north and south of Boston, as well as in the city itself.
A favorite among visitors and residents, this beach has its own cafe, as well as free parking and lifeguards. The beach is on Day Boulevard and is a short walk from the JFK-UMass T stop on the Red Line. The beach is adjacent to the L Street and M Street beaches, which are also open to the public. This 28-acre/11-hectare beach area is located in East Boston and is easily accessible from the Orient Heights T stop on the Blue Line. The beach features a bathhouse, parking, boating, recreational ball fields and ice skating in winter. Located on Quincy Shore Drive, this is the largest beach on Boston Harbor, with more than 1.5 mi/2.4 km of shoreline. Bicycles can be rented for a ride along the Charles River or other scenic routes, but riding on the streets is a challenge. A great way to see Boston "up close and personal." Tour choices include Boston neighborhoods, the Freedom Trail or Harvard Square. Friday-Sunday 11 am-2 pm. Tours start at US$25, including bike rental. Guided tours begin and end at Boston Common, Boston. Phone 617-308-5902. http://www.BostonBikeTours.com. Paths on both sides of the river run from the Museum of Science to Watertown Square. Bicycles are available for rent. US$20 per day and US$24 overnight. 496 Tremont St. (at East Berkeley), Boston. Phone 617-542-8623. http://www.communitybicycle.com. An 11-mi/18-km biking path (replacing a stretch of unused railroad tracks) from Alewife T stop in North Cambridge to suburban Lexington and Bedford. Walkers, joggers and in-line skaters also enjoy outings on the bikeway. http://www.minutemanbikeway.org. A scenic 5-mi/8-km trail that begins behind Back Bay Station in Copley Square. The inner-city portion of the corridor is an environmental success story: Planners had initially intended to ram a highway through it, but the scheme was shouted down by the local citizenry. A fantastic biking trail, but it's safe only during daylight hours. | Bird Watching | Top |
Some of the region's best bird-watching can be found within the city limits, easily accessible by the T. One exception is the Boston Harbor Islands, which are accessible by a ferry service that departs from Long Wharf near the Aquarium (operated by Boston Harbor Cruises).
This center is located on a portion of the Boston State Hospital property in Mattapan and offers more than 2 mi/3 km of scenic trails. The center also offers programs for adults and children (call for details). Notable bird species include hawks, pheasants and wild turkeys, all just a few minutes from downtown. Trails open daily dawn to dusk. Nature Center open Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 am-4 pm. 500 Walk Hill St., Mattapan. Phone 617-983-8500. http://www.massaudubon.org. | Boating & Sailing | Top |
Rent a boat to paddle around Boston Harbor, take part in a moonlight canoe tour or enjoy a sea-kayaking adventure. The store is located in Newton, but it will deliver boats to a dock of your choice. 2401 Commonwealth Ave., Newton. Phone 617-965-5110. http://www.ski-paddle.com/main.php. A long-established sailing center for residents and visitors who are staying in town for an extended period of time. Located near the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade, it has sailboats, kayaks and wind surfboards. Novice boaters have the opportunity to crew with an experienced sailor. Application required for seasonal or short-term membership. April-October open Monday-Friday 1 pm-sunset, Saturday and Sunday 9 am-sunset. Membership fees vary. 21 David Mugar Way, Boston. Phone 617-523-1038. http://www.community-boating.org. The most-popular deep-sea fishing boats leave from the North and South Shores. Try your hand at catching cod, pollack, haddock and the occasional bluefin tuna.
Offering half-day, full-day and overnight excursions into Cape Cod Bay from historic Plymouth. April-November weekdays 7 am-3 pm and 2-6 pm, weekends 7 am-2 pm. First-come, first-served, so plan to arrive about an hour early. Rates start at US$27 adults for half-day trips. Town Wharf/Water Street, Plymouth. Phone 508-746-2643. http://www.deepseafish.com. Half- and full-day trips, as well as overnight cod-fishing expeditions depart daily March-December. Call for schedule. Rates start at US$45 adults for half-day trips, excluding equipment rentals. 75 Essex Road, Gloucester. Toll-free 800-942-5464. http://www.yankeefleet.com. A conveniently located nine-hole municipal course that wraps around the Fresh Pond Reservoir. Open daily dawn-dusk. Nine holes US$21 weekdays, US$25 on weekends and holidays; 18 holes US$31 weekdays, US$37 weekends and holidays. 691 Huron Ave., Cambridge. Phone 617-349-6282. http://www.freshpondgolf.com. An 18-hole, par-70 course designed by Donald Ross and built as a WPA project during the 1930s. The course has been refurbished and restored to its earlier beauty. Daily dawn-dusk. US$28 weekdays, US$40 weekends. 420 West St. (about a 15-minute drive southwest of downtown Boston, or take the MBTA commuter rail from South Station or Back Bay Station to Hyde Park), Boston. Phone 617-364-2300. http://www.georgewrightgolfcourse.com. This members-only, PGA-tournament course opened in 2002 and offers a championship-caliber, 18-hole course that has hosted the Deutsche Bank Championship. 400 Arnold Palmer Road, Norton. Phone 508-285-3200. http://www.thetpcofboston.com. An 18-hole, par-70 course. Built in 1891, this course is the second oldest in the U.S.: Bobby Jones used to practice there. The clubhouse has a pro shop, snack bar and dining patio. Dorchester, where the course is located, is a high-crime area, but the park area is considered to be relatively safe in the daytime. Year-round golfing, weather permitting. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Monday-Friday, nine holes US$16, 18 holes US$26; Saturday and Sunday, nine holes US$18, 18 holes US$25. 1 Circuit Drive (in Franklin Park—take a taxi), Dorchester. Phone 617-265-4084. http://www.sterlinggolf.com/franklin/index2.htm. | Hiking & Walking | Top |
The Esplanade along the Charles River is a favorite destination for walking, jogging and in-line skating, although it gets a bit crowded on weekends. Visitors to Cambridge should also try the paths around the green and lovely Fresh Pond Reservoir. There are also several great places to walk, jog and hike just outside of the city.
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