|
Things To Do
Boston is home to celebrated educational institutions, blue-collar neighborhoods, sleek skyscrapers, brownstones on cobbled streets, peaceful parks and a raucous baseball stadium. Bostonians can make bold claims about their city: it contains the nation’s oldest public park, first public library, first subway system and first public school, and played an influential role in the American Revolution.
Sports & Outdoors
Arts Museums & Landmarks
Take a journey through Colonial Boston, enjoy the weather at the Public Gardens or grab a frosty beer and cheer on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Boston has an interesting attraction for every predilection.
1. Just 20 minutes outside of Boston lies the historic Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau’s residence for more than two years. Take a picnic, canoe in the clear blue water, go bird watching and let nature inspire you. Near the entrance to the parking lot is an actual-size model of Thoreau’s home. For more information, call 978-369-3254. 915 Walden Street, Concord.
2. Freedom Trail, a 16-stop tour through sites influential to the American Revolution, gives a history lesson encompassing such highlights as Boston Common, King’s Chapel, Paul Revere’s House, the Bunker Hill Monument and the site of the Boston Massacre. For more information, call 617-357-8300. 15 State Street, Boston.
3. A popular public spot is Boston Common, where Revolutionary War soldiers practiced, Vietnam War protests were held and regular gatherings take place today. Adjacent to Boston Common is the Public Gardens, a place to people-watch and enjoy the outdoors. America’s first public garden features cherry trees, willows and an ever-changing display of foliage, as well as a bridge that the famous Swan Boats float under. The Bull & Finch, the pub known as the Cheers bar from the popular television show, faces the gardens. For more information, call 617-635-7383. Charles Street, Boston.
4. Affectionately nicknamed “The Green Monster,” the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park is the oldest, smallest and one of the most expensive stadiums in Major League Baseball. Built in 1912, the stadium features unique dimensions (just 302 feet down the right field line), a real grass field and less than 34,000 oak seats. Such famed players as Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk have called Fenway Park home. For tickets, call 877-733-7699. 4 Yawkey Way, Boston.
Boston’s museums honor the nation’s forefathers, artistic endeavor and educational pursuits.
1. Children can climb a puzzle-piece maze at the New Balance Climb, shop for multicultural groceries at the Supermercado or visit a construction zone. A former wool warehouse on the South Boston waterfront, the Children’s Museum accommodates kids of all ages. For more information, call 617-426-8855. 300 Congress Street, Boston.
2. Located in Cambridge, the Harvard Museum of Natural History contains three natural history institutions: the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Observe thousands of stuffed animals on display, a glass flower gallery and ancient dinosaur bones. For more information, call 617-495-3045. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge.
Dining
Seafood is the culinary specialty in Boston, but visitors can find a restaurant to suit every preference. Tasteful dining rooms, informal oyster bars and student-filled diners form a diverse dining scene.
1. Legal Sea Foods’ motto is, “If it isn’t fresh, it isn’t legal.” Clam chowder and the raw bar are the house specialties at all seven area restaurants. Visit the location at Long Wharf for its outdoor dining and waterfront views of the Boston Harbor. For reservations, call 617-227-3115. 255 State Street, Long Wharf, Boston.
2. L’Espalier, set in a late 19th-century townhouse in the Newbury Street area, provides elegant French cuisine and delicious desserts, including almond crème brulee. For reservations, call 617-262-3023. 30 Gloucester Street, Boston.
3. Arguably Boston’s finest Italian restaurant, Mamma Maria creates unique Italian specialties in an intimate setting in the north Boston area. For reservations, call 617-523-0077. 3 North Square, Boston.
Shopping
Above sightseeing and museums, visitors come to Boston to shop the city’s boutiques, outlets and marketplaces. Shopaholics can wander upscale Copley Place and appreciate the historic setting of Faneuil Hall and Newbury Street.
1. Located in historic Back Bay, Copley Place is a luxury mall that holds 100 stores, including Gucci, Christian Dior, Neiman Marcus and Kenneth Cole, as well as restaurants and an 11-screen cinema. For more information, call 617-369-5000. 1 Copley Place, Boston.
2. More than 250 years old, Faneuil Hall Marketplace was originally known as a market for fishermen, vendors and merchants. Today it features more than 100 indoor/outdoor shops and 40 food stalls in three buildings: North Market, Quincy Market and South Market. For more information, call 617-523-1300. 4 S. Market Street, Boston.
3. Reminiscent of New York’s Fifth Avenue or Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive, Boston’s Newbury Street spans eight city blocks of 19th-century storefronts, open-air coffee shops, chic boutiques and antique stores. Newbury Street shopping is located in the Back Bay area of Boston.
Events
Celebrate the nation’s independence in its birthplace, or sip a beer at Harvard Square’s Oktoberfest in the fall. Events are usually scheduled from late spring to early fall.
1. Boston Harborfest is a seven-day Independence Day celebration in the downtown area, displaying the colonial heritage of historic Boston, the cradle of the American Revolution. The festivities include fireworks displays over the harbor, a free Boston Pops Concert on the Esplanade and the annual Chowderfest, where visitors can sample clam chowder from various city eateries. The celebration lasts from June 28 to July 4, 2006. For more information, call 617-227-1528. City Hall Plaza, Boston.
2. Every October, Harvard Square kicks off the month with Oktoberfest, where food, beer, live entertainment and shopping reign supreme during the popular German festival. Admission is free. For more information, call 617-491-3434. 18 Brattle Street, Cambridge.
3. From June 3 to Sept. 10, 2006, the Boston CowParade comes to town, bringing nearly 200 painted, life-size cows to various public areas of the city. The cows, grazing the parks, plazas and streets, are created and painted by local and national artists. For more information, visit http://boston.cowparade.com.
4. Held during the nine-day Boston Pride Week, the 36th annual Gay Pride Parade and Festival takes place on June 10, 2006, in Copley Square at Boylston and Clarendon streets. The parade starts at noon. The most popular area to watch the parade is at the intersection of Clarendon Street and Tremont Street. Additional Pride Events include a Flag Raising (June 2, 2006), Faneuil Hall Day (June 3, 2006) and the Stuart Street Block Party and Women’s Block Party (June 11, 2006). For more information, call 617-262-9405. Back Bay, Boston.
Gay Pride Events and Gay Parades in Boston
Neighborhoods
1. Back Bay/Copley Square
Once a landfill, Back Bay is now an elegant area to shop, dine and reside. Newbury Street is located in the area, as well as Boston Common and the Public Gardens. Historic homes line the streets, making the neighborhood an interesting place to visit. Copley Square, an area in Back Bay, is the ending spot for the Boston Marathon, and is known for its architectural landmarks, including H.H. Richardson’s Trinity Church, the Boston Public Library and the New Old South Church.
2. Cambridge/Harvard Square
Across the Charles River lies Cambridge, an academic village filled with students and bohemians. Cambridge houses clubs on Central Square, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and low-key restaurants in this classy area of Boston.
3. Downtown/Financial District
The downtown area boasts both skyscrapers and a Colonial district, a popular part of the Freedom Trail. Faneuil Hall Marketplace calls downtown home, as do City Hall and the State House.
| |
|
