BOSTON
Essayist
Oliver Wendall Holmes once described Boston as the “hub
of the solar system”, and the Hub it is! This beautiful
city on the bay is richly endowed with landmarks of historical
significance and unlimited cultural and entertainment
possibilities. Boston is a city of fascinating narrow
streets and byways that invite exploration on foot.
The
Freedom Trail (also known as the Red Line you see running
along Boston's sidewalks) winds through a path of 16
of the historically significant sites associated with
the beginnings of our Republic. The tour begins at the
meadowlands of Boston Common and ends at the harbor
in Charlestown Navy Yard, winding along the way for
2.5 miles through downtown Boston and the attractive
North End. Sites along the trail include Faneuil Hall,
the Old North Church, and Copp's Hill Burying Ground.
The
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine
Arts house some of the world's most famous works by
such greats as Singer Sargent, Rembrandt, Vermeer and
Botticelli as well as a stunning three story garden
atrium. Meanwhile, Fenway Park, one of the most vaunted
in baseball, is home to the no longer cursed Red Sox,
while football's Superbowl Champion Patriots reign supreme
in Foxboro.
Harvard
Square boasts bookstores, cafe chess players, street
musicians and some of the most eclectic shopping in
Boston. Harvard Square is where you might sit down for
an afternoon with a cappucino and a thick novel, or
where you might just walk around and let the crowds
entertain you. There's no shortage of sights in this
small, entertaining enclosed space.
Don’t
miss visiting Boston Public Garden and the swan boats;
Newbury Street with its boutiques and art galleries;
the Italian North End with its old-world ambience; Beacon
Hill, with its gas lamps and Yankee Federal architecture,
Louisburg Square mansions and the gold-domed State House;
and the South End, with its Victorian row houses.
If
it's culinary excellence you desire, make a beeline
for the fabulous French fare of Radius. Or meander through
the campus of the country's preeminent university, Harvard,
in Cambridge en route to celebrity chef Jody Adams's
Rialto. For a hometown specialty, dine on fresh chowder
at Turner Fisheries, then head to the Cask 'n' Flagon
bar near Fenway for a cold pint and a chat with Boston's
finest feature: its people.
Boston
is a city of dreams and also a city alive and pulsing
with energy. At all hours of the night, Faneuil Hall
and Harvard Square are well lit and filled with patrons
of the many bars and restaurants. There is dancing,
a game of pool here and there, and lots of music everywhere
for every taste. Irish music, sounds of the Middle East,
alternative rock, jazz, salsa, and meringue to name
a few.
“Take
a hike” in Boston can mean anything from a romantic
stroll on The Charles River Esplanade to a try at winning
the Boston Marathon. Wherever your hike takes you, there
are incredible sights to see: Beacon Hill, with its
old brick sidewalks and Federal bow-front architecture;
Cambridge's Brattle Street, which runs from Harvard
Square past stately Tory-era mansions; the Commonwealth
Avenue Mall from the Public Garden to Kenmore Square;
and the walking paths through the Arnold Arboretum.
Boston
is a favorite with families. There is the New England
Aquarium with its huge, two-story-high fish tank; the
lowland gorillas at the Franklin Park Zoo; the interactive
exhibits of the Children's Museum; the displays, the
giant-screen Omni Theater, and the planetarium at the
Museum of Science. Year round activities include skiing,
snowboarding, and ice skating. Spring and summer bring
white water rafting, mountain climbing, hang gliding,
kayaking, surfing, hiking, and windsurfing. Only a few
miles outside Boston are some outstanding seaside spots
that are clean, beautiful, and accessible.
Whether
you are planning a vacation with the entire family,
an intensive solo shopping expedition, a journey into
history with a grandchild, an “escape from stress
weekend for two”, or a myriad of other relaxing
and enriching opportunities: Boston is the place to
go.
