Boston’s Back Bay
Boston Public Garden.
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S Freedom Trail: Trace the thin red line from Boston Common to Bunker Hill (click here).
S Boston Common and Boston Public Garden: Catch a ride on a swan boat or watch some summertime Shakespeare in the oldest park in the United States (click here).
S Museum of Fine Arts: Discover impressionist treasures and artifacts from around the world (click here).
S Boston Public Library: With masterpiece paintings and exquisite architecture, this landmark library is far more than books—but it’s got millions and millions of those, too (click here).
S Fenway Park: From the Green Monster to the bleachers, this ball field is a pilgrimage destination for baseball lovers (click here).
S North End Cuisine: Pick up a cannolo, slurp an Italian ice, then watch the neighborhood drift by over a perfect cappuccino (click here).
Follow the Freedom Trail through Boston to find a city that’s grown up alongside its history.
Skyscrapers and modern architecture tower over—yet don’t overshadow—Victorian brownstones, colonial graveyards, crooked streets, and gracious squares.
Downtown is bustling and busy, but it wraps around a park that’s older than the United States, where swan boats, pavilions, and quiet pathways provide an oasis of green grass and calm. And while Greater Boston sprawls across four New England states—in addition to Massachusetts, the metro area crosses into Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut—its principal sights are concentrated on the “Hub” of the tiny Shawmut Peninsula, making it easy to explore on foot or by public transport.
Crossing from one side to the other is a quick trip through the collective history and culture of the United States: See the Boston Red Sox’s roaring fans in Fenway Park, visit the hushed reading room at the Boston Public Library, make way for ducklings in the Boston Public Garden, then walk the cobblestones where Patriots preached, fought, bled, and rebelled during the dawning days of the American Revolution.
Boston’s history is anything but simple, and those Revolutionary battles are entwined with a legacy of slavery, the massacres and abuse of Native Americans, and immigration-related racial strife. Today’s city, though, is thrillingly diverse: Those ethnic enclaves are celebrated as Boston’s collective heritage, the African American Heritage Trail highlights the legacies of black Bostonians, and locals with roots from around the world blend with Boston’s characteristic brass and bluster.
You could spend a week exploring all that Boston has to offer. The city’s small size, however, makes it easy to see different parts on the same trip, no matter how much time you have. The only mandatory sightseeing destination is a walk along the Freedom Trail, which connects all of downtown’s Revolutionary War sites. The city’s cultural attractions, for the most part, are grouped on the outskirts of downtown in the Back Bay, South End, South Boston, and Fenway districts. Art buffs can choose between several very different museums—the world-class Museum of Fine Arts, the charming Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, or the cutting-edge Institute of Contemporary Art, while sports fans won’t want to miss a guided tour of Fenway Park.
Even on a short trip, it’s worth getting across the river to Cambridge, Boston’s more bohemian “left bank.” In addition to a more laid-back vibe, this sister city is home to Boston’s most elite cultural institutions—Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The bulk of Boston’s downtown still takes up the Shawmut Peninsula, with Boston Common at the center. The downtown neighborhoods are organized around the Common, with Beacon Hill and the North End to the north, the Financial District and downtown to the east, and Back Bay and the South End to the west and south. East Boston, along with Logan International Airport, is across Boston Harbor to the northeast, while South Boston and the new Seaport District form a peninsula to the southeast. Across the river to the north are intellectual Cambridge and hip Somerville.
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John Hancock, Sam Adams, Paul Revere—history has given the names of America’s Revolutionaries a nobility and purpose that might have surprised those early Bostonians. In fact, the months leading up to the War for Independence must have seemed more haphazard insurrection than organized battle for freedom to those who lived through them. Even in today’s Boston, the passionate men and women who agitated for independence are vivid and accessible. It’s easy to get drawn into the stories—both those that have become legendary and those that are less known.
Freedom Trail tour guide
A red line on the sidewalk connects 16 historic sites on a 2.5-mile walking trail ideal for getting your bearings in the city. Make your way from Boston Common to a series of churches, graveyards, and other early landmarks in downtown, then continue through the Italian American neighborhood of the North End to visit Paul Revere’s House and the church where he hung signal lights for Revolutionary commanders.
The trail then crosses the Charles River via the stunning Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge to the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Bunker Hill Monument, where climbing 294 steep steps earns you panoramic views of the city from the top of a 221-foot obelisk that has commemorated the first major battle of the Revolution since 1843.
Visitors can walk the line themselves or take a 90-minute guided tour offered by the Freedom Trail Foundation (Boston Common Visitor Information Center, 148 Tremont St., 617/357-8300, www.thefreedomtrail.org, $12 adults, $10 students and seniors, $6.50 children) that covers the first 11 sites along the route; guides are costumed actors playing one of the lesser-known patriots. This is a good place to meet William Dawes, the “other” midnight rider; Abigail Adams, the intellectual letter writer and future first lady; or James Otis, who gave fiery, pro bono legal representation to colonists challenging British laws in court. The National Park Service (NPS, www.nps.gov/bost) also leads free tours and offers talks at sites along the Freedom Trail; check the website for schedules.
Perhaps the best way to take in the trail is to book the morning tour with the NPS or the Freedom Trail Foundation, then stop for lunch and an Italian ice in the North End. After lunch, continue across the Charles River to Bunker Hill and the Charlestown Navy Yard via the ferry (www.mbta.com, $3.50), which comes every 15-30 minutes, from Long Wharf, a waterfront transportation hub at the eastern end of State Street.
Federal-style row houses and narrow brick sidewalks make this compact, exclusive district one of the most charming historic neighborhoods. The Black Heritage Trail goes right through the neighborhood, which also contains some of the earliest stops on the Freedom Trail. It’s worth taking some time to simply wander, discovering picturesque Acorn Street, spotting the characteristic rippled purple glass in some of Beacon Hill’s oldest homes, and making like a local in a café on Charles Street.
Across from the Massachusetts State House is a life-sized bas-relief bronze of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw by New England sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It depicts the commander of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the first all-black volunteer regiment to fight during the Civil War, marching out of Boston with his troops in March 1863. Two months later, Shaw and 271 of his men were killed during an attack on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, galvanizing the country with the bravery of these soldiers. The sculpture is a powerful depiction of Shaw atop his horse, surrounded by soldiers carrying rifles, backpacks, and bedrolls. Above them is an angel with an olive branch, symbolizing peace, and poppies, symbolizing death, and the inscription “Omnia Relinquit Servare Rempublicam,” which means “He relinquished everything to serve the republic.”
The Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial is the beginning of the Black Heritage Trail (www.afroammuseum.org/trail.htm), which traces the separate journey to freedom of African Americans, nearly 100 years after the events of the first Freedom Trail. Plaques at historic houses en route detail the lives of abolitionists and orators who lived on the back side of Beacon Hill, where Boston’s more than 1,000 free African Americans lived and worked by the turn of the 19th century. Follow the trail to the end to visit the African Meeting House, once headquarters of the New England Anti-Slavery Society. Considered the “Black Faneuil Hall,” the church now houses the Museum of African American History, which has exhibits and films dedicated to the story of Boston’s abolitionists. The trail is also part of the Boston African-American National Historic Site (617/742-5415, www.nps.gov/boaf), and the National Park Service runs free 90-minute tours along the route June-October (self-guided tours can be taken anytime).
Small but fascinating, the Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., 617/725-0022, http://maah.org, 10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., $10 adults, $8 seniors and youth 13-17, children under 13 free) has exhibits and films dedicated to the story of Boston’s abolitionists. See the pulpit where Frederick Douglass recruited for the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, learn about the lives of activist pastors, and trace the roots of some of the United States’ most prominent African American writers and thinkers to local Boston neighborhoods. It’s worth seeing this museum as part of the free National Park Service-run tours of the Black Heritage Trail (617/742-5415, www.nps.gov/boaf).
On a sunny day, the shimmering gold dome of the state’s capitol building can be seen from miles around. The brick building beneath it is the tidy federal-style structure of the Massachusetts State House (24 Beacon St., 617/727-3676, www.sec.state.ma.us/trs, tours 10am-3:30pm Mon.-Fri., free) designed by prominent Boston architect Charles Bullfinch and built in 1798. At the time, 15 white columns were pulled up Beacon Street in a procession of 15 white horses, one for each state. The wooden dome on top was sheathed in copper by Revolutionary renaissance man Paul Revere in 1802, then re-covered with 23-karat gold leaf in 1948. Two marble wings were added at the turn of the 20th century.
An impressive selection of statues graces the park side of the building. The equestrian statue in front of the main entrance depicts Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, a Civil War general from Massachusetts who led the Army of the Potomac for all of six months. (There is no basis, however, to the myth that “hookers” are named after his troops, rumored to be frequent brothel patrons while on leave.) Other statues in front of the building are dedicated to 19th-century orator Daniel Webster and educator Horace Mann. In front of the wings are statues of two prominent women colonists: Anne Hutchinson, a freethinking Puritan who was banished to Rhode Island after nettling local ministers, and Mary Dyer, a prominent Quaker minister condemned for her religion and hanged on Boston Common in 1660.
There isn’t much to see inside the building, other than more statues of various Massachusetts politicians. Most interesting by far is the “Sacred Cod,” a five-foot-long pinewood fish that hangs over the chamber of the state House of Representatives. Given to the state by a Boston merchant in 1784, it changes direction depending on which party is in control of the legislature.
The center of Boston’s intellectual life during the early 19th century, this private library was a favorite of scholars like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Oliver Wendell Holmes, who gathered to debate the political and philosophical issues of the day. Today, docents offer tours of the renovated Boston Athenaeum (10½ Beacon St., 617/227-0270, www.bostonathenaeum.org, public hours 10am-8pm Tues., 10am-4pm Wed.-Sat., $10 ages 13 and up, under 13 free), including the study where author Nathaniel Hawthorne reportedly saw the ghost of onetime library regular Reverend Thaddeus Mason Harris (Hawthorne mused that the good reverend might have stopped by to read his own obituary). Among the library’s more unusual holdings are the private library of President George Washington and one of the world’s largest collections of books about the Romany people. One-hour Art & Architecture tours of the library are offered at 5:30pm Tuesday, 3pm Thursday, and 11am Saturday. Tours are $2 in addition to regular admission charges. Free 30-minute “Up Close” tours of the Athenaeum’s 1st floor are offered at 11am on Wednesday.
The white-steepled church at the corner of Park and Tremont Streets looks particularly dramatic with a backdrop of downtown high-rises and has been a beloved landmark since its completion in 1809—the novelist Henry James once called it “the most interesting mass of brick and mortar in America.” As legend has it, Park Street Church (1 Park St., 617/523-3383, www.parkstreet.org, 9am-4pm Tues.-Sat. mid-June-Aug.) was known as “brimstone corner” during the War of 1812 for the great stores of gunpowder in the basement, and the song “America (My Country ’Tis of Thee)” was sung on the steps of the church on July 4, 1831, the first public performance. Religious services are held daily at 8:30am, 11am, and 4pm.
Three signers of the Declaration of Independence are interred in the tiny Granary Burying Ground (Tremont St. between School St. and Park St., 617/635-7361, 9am-5pm daily) surrounded by gleaming commercial buildings: Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine. You’ll also find Paul Revere, Ben Franklin’s parents, and the victims of the Boston Massacre here, though this was far from being a cemetery for the elite—historians believe over 5,000 people were buried here, some in mass burial sites like the crowded Infants Tomb.
The grave markers of the patriots all date from the 20th century—the originals were either stolen or “lost.” Many of the gravestones date from the 17th century, weather-beaten stone slabs inscribed with moving (and sometimes flippant) epitaphs and winged death skulls.
Boston Common (139 Tremont St.) began its life as a sheep and cow pasture in 1634, just a few years after the city itself was founded. By Puritan law, it was legal for any resident of the city to graze their livestock on the common land (that law was repealed in 1833, so you now need to provide your own forage for your cows and sheep). These days, the Common feels like the city’s collective backyard, with space for throwing Frisbees, spreading out picnics, and playing in the grass.
Boston Common
Several monuments within the park are attractions in and of themselves. The stunning fountain located just a few steps down from Park Street toward Boylston is named Brewer Fountain, a bronze replica of a fountain exhibited at the Paris World’s Fair of 1855. The objects on its base depict the sea gods and goddesses Neptune, Amphitrite, Acis, and Galatea. Opposite the gold-domed statehouse is the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial, a bas-relief by Augustus Saint-Gaudens that depicts the first all-black volunteer regiment in the Union army. Near the intersection of Park and Beacon Streets, the Frog Pond is an ice-skating rink in winter and a shallow fountain in summer, when it fills with kids cooling off. On the Tremont Street side, at the intersection with Boylston, the Francis Parkman Bandstand is used as the site for summer concerts, political rallies, and Shakespeare on the Common (www.commshakes.org).
In contrast to Boston Common’s open, parklike feel, the Boston Public Garden (4 Charles St.), right next door, is an intimate outdoor space, full of leafy trees and flower beds. Built on landfill in the 19th century, the garden was the country’s first public botanical garden, envisioned by its creators as a respite from urban life. It’s especially romantic at sunset, when the trees cast mysterious shadows over the walkways. The centerpiece is a lagoon, which is crossed by a fairy-tale bridge and surrounded by willow trees trailing their branch tips in the water—note the tiny island in the center of the lagoon, which is used by ducks that pad up out of the water on an adorable ducks-only ramp. Tracing lazy circles in the lagoon are Boston’s famous swan boats (617/522-1966, www.swanboats.com, 10am-4pm daily Apr.-mid-June, 10am-5pm daily mid-June-early Sept., noon-4pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-4pm Sat.-Sun. early Sept.-mid-Sept., $3.50 adults, $3 seniors, $2 children 2-15, children under 2 free), a flotilla of six large paddleboats with the graceful white birds at the stern. The boats are a mandatory attraction if you are in Boston with children, as are the nearby bronze statues of Mrs. Mallard and her eight little ducklings: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. The statues pay homage to Robert McCloskey’s children’s book Make Way for Ducklings, which was partially set in the Boston Public Garden.
Downtown is where Boston’s history and cutting edge coexist, an easily walkable district where colonial sites are densely packed amid skyscrapers. While not as picture-perfect as Beacon Hill, it’s the heart of the action. The waterfront is pedestrian friendly, lined with parks, restaurants, and attractions. Just east of Boston Common, the Downtown Crossing area has mega stores, boutiques, and landmark theaters.
Boston’s original Anglican church, King’s Chapel (Tremont St. and School St., 617/523-1749, www.kings-chapel.org, 10am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 1:30pm-5pm Sun., $3 suggested donation), was founded in 1686, but the current stone church building dates to 1749 and holds a bell cast by Paul Revere that is still rung before services. The adjoining graveyard is the oldest in Boston; as such, it contains the graves of some of the original colonists of Massachusetts, including Governor John “City on A Hill” Winthrop and Anne Prine, said to be the real Hester Prynne on whom Hawthorne based his book The Scarlet Letter. Along with them are several lesser-known patriots like William Dawes, the “other rider” who raised the alarm on the eve of the battles of Concord and Lexington. There’s a fascinating “Bells and Bones” tour (617/523-1749, tours at 11am, noon, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm Mon. and Wed.-Sat., 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm Tues. and Sun., $10 adults, $7 seniors, students, and military, $5 children under 13) of the church’s bell tower and 200-year-old crypt.
The Boston Tea Party may have ended in the harbor, but it started at the brick church building with a gray-shingled tower known as the Old South Meeting House (310 Washington St., 617/482-6439, www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org, 9:30am-5pm daily Apr. 1-Oct. 31, 10am-4pm daily Nov. 1-March 31, $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, $1 children 5-17), dating from 1729. Led by Samuel Adams, over 5,000 patriots gathered here, overflowing into the streets, on the night of December 16, 1773. After fiery speeches, Adams spoke the code words: “This meeting can do no more to save our country.” Those words were a prearranged signal to some members in the audience to don face paint and feathers and head down to Griffin’s Wharf, where three ships stood loaded down with bins of loose tea. In all, about $1.7 million worth of tea (in today’s money) was thrown into the harbor, setting the stage for the battles that followed. (As a postscript, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Boston for the Bicentennial in 1976, the mayor of the city presented her with a check to cover the cost of the tea—not counting inflation.)
The Old South Meeting House still serves as a meeting place of sorts, offering (somewhat less rabble-rousing) lectures and classical music. The meeting house museum traces the events surrounding the tea party through an audio exhibit, with actors reading the words of Sam Adams and the other patriots along with sound effects to re-create the time period. A separate multimedia exhibit dubbed Voices of Protests focuses on Adams, statesman Ben Franklin, and abolitionist Phyllis Wheatley, who were all members of the Old South Meeting House congregation.
Before construction of the new state house on Beacon Hill, both British and American governors ruled from the small brick Old State House (206 Washington St., 617/720-1713, www.bostonhistory.org, 9am-6pm daily mid-May-early Sept., 9am-5pm daily early Sept.-mid-May, $10 adults, $8.50 seniors and students, youth under 18 free) that’s now surrounded by towering offices. On one side of the building are replicas of the standing lion and unicorn that signified the crown of England (the originals were torn down during the Revolution), while on the other is a gold-covered eagle signifying the new United States. On the 2nd floor of the building is the headquarters for the Bostonian Society, which runs a small museum full of artifacts, including tea from the Boston Tea Party, weapons from the Battle of Bunker Hill, and clothing worn by John Hancock. Old State House tours and Boston Massacre tours are held daily.
Old State House
On March 5, 1770, a group of angry Bostonians gathered in front of the Old State House to protest treatment by British regulars and royalists, and they soon began pelting the redcoats with a very Boston blend of dirty snowballs, cinders, and oyster shells.
British soldiers answered by firing their rifles into the crowd, and when the smoke cleared, five colonists lay dead, including Crispus Attucks, a former slave and whaler of African and Native American descent. The soldiers were later exonerated of the charges on the basis of self-defense; lawyer and future president John Adams defended them in court, giving a rousing oratory describing the protesters as “a motley rabble of saucy boys, Negroes and mulattos, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tars . . . the sun is not about to stand still or go out, nor the rivers to dry up, because there was a mob in Boston, on the 5th of March that attacked a party of soldiers. Such things are not new in the world.”
There was spin and counter-spin, as the British government dubbed the event the “unhappy occurrence at Boston,” while Paul Revere described it as the “bloody massacre.” Patriot PR won out: Adams might have gotten the soldiers acquitted, but Revere’s engraved images of soldiers firing into a defenseless crowd defined the encounter for Revolutionary Bostonians and posterity. A Boston Massacre memorial marker is on the Freedom Trail at the corner of State and Congress Streets. There’s also a memorial to Attucks on the Boston Common.
Peter Faneuil built this landmark building for two purposes: The ground floor would serve as a public food market, and the upstairs meeting hall would be a “marketplace of ideas.” When Faneuil Hall (Congress St, 617/523-1300, www.nps.gov, 9am-5pm daily, free) was built in 1742, the most pressing issues were taxation on goods by the British government, and it became the main meeting space for protests and discussions by the Sons of Liberty—earning it the nickname the “Cradle of Liberty.” After it was expanded in size by architect Charles Bullfinch, the hall was also the main venue for talks by William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and other antislavery activists. Public talks and citywide meetings are still held in the upstairs hall, lent more gravitas by the huge mural of Daniel Webster arguing against slavery that overlooks the stage. During the day, historic talks are given by national park rangers every half hour.
Downstairs, the stalls still exist, even though they have long since stopped selling food products; most are now the venue for souvenirs and other made-in-Boston goods. The adjacent Faneuil Hall Marketplace (www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com) adds far more indoor and outdoor shopping and dining opportunities.
Just behind Faneuil Hall is Quincy Market (367 S. Market St., 617/523-1300, www.quincy-market.com, 10am-9pm Mon.-Sat., noon-6pm Sun.), where farmers and butchers began selling their wares in 1826. Produce vendors have given way to food stalls, restaurants, and shops, making this a convenient place to grab a snack along the Freedom Trail.
Close to the waterfront is Boston’s oldest “skyscraper,” the 500-foot-tall Custom House Tower (3 McKinley Sq., 617/310-6300, www.marriott.com, lobby open 7am-11pm daily), which now houses a Marriott hotel. Built in 1915, the distinctive Beaux-Arts tower features a 22-foot-wide clock and a pair of peregrine falcons that nest atop it during summer. You can try to catch a glimpse of them, along with knockout views of the harbor, on the 26th-floor observation deck (2pm and 6pm Mon.-Thurs. and Sat.-Sun., $7-17). The deck on the 26th floor opens twice daily: Tickets are sold 2pm-2:15pm, which is $7, or come between 4:30pm and 7pm for the evening tour, which is $10 for admission with a non-alcoholic drink included, or $17 with an alcoholic beverage. Inside the tower is also a small museum with a few paintings and American historical artifacts on loan from the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem.
The centerpiece of the massive waterfront New England Aquarium (Central Wharf, 617/973-5200, www.neaq.org, 9am-6pm Sun.-Thurs., 9am-7pm Fri.-Sat. July-Aug., 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat.-Sun. Sept.-June, $27.95 adults, $25.95 seniors, $18.95 children 3-11, children under 3 free; IMAX: $9.95 adults, $7.95 seniors and children 3-11; whale watch: $53 adults, $45 seniors, $33 children 3-11, $16 children under 3) is a 200,000-gallon tank full of sharks, sea turtles, and giant ocean fish that rises like a watery spinal column through the center of the building. A long walkway spirals around the tank, giving viewers a chance to see sealife on all levels of the ocean, from the toothy pikes that float on the surface to the 550-pound, 80-year-old sea turtle, Myrtle, often spotted snoozing on the floor. Other crowd-pleasers are the harbor seals in the courtyard and enormous open-air penguin pool, containing three dozen rockhopper, little blue, and African penguins who fill the building with their raucous cries.
The aquarium is not just a museum, but also a research-and-rescue organization that finds stranded seals, dolphins, and other animals and nurses them back to health. You can see the aquarium’s latest convalescents in a hospital ward on the 2nd floor. The aquarium also ventures out into the harbor itself for whale-watching trips, seeking out the humpbacks and right whales that make their way into Massachusetts Bay.
Everyone from tour guides to locals will tell you the same thing about this historic neighborhood: “It’s just like being in Italy!” The truth is, though, there’s something essentially Bostonian about the Italian American North End—the home of the Celtics basketball team as well as numerous pastry shops, old-fashioned grocers, and classic red-sauce joints.
The area is the oldest part of the city, and its history overflows with Puritans and Revolutionaries, including Paul Revere, whose house still stands. But by the mid-19th-century, it was rundown and crime ridden. Poor Irish immigrants settled here after fleeing famines at home and were joined by a wave of Jewish immigrants and, finally, the Italians, who reshaped the neighborhood in the image of Genoa, Palermo, Milan, and Naples.
Even as it has gentrified over the years, the North End has retained its cultural identity, with third- and fourth-generation Italians returning on Italian feast days, when churches and community clubs try to outdo each other with lavish parades full of floats, bunting, and sizzling Italian sausage. It’s a fascinating place to eat, drink, and explore: With a cannoli in hand, taking in colonial architecture and dodging Boston traffic, you wouldn’t mistake it for anywhere else in the world.
Every town in New England claims to have a Paul Revere bell in its belfry or a dusty bit of Revere silver in its historical museum. The patriot who made the famous midnight ride to warn the suburbs of the British march, however, was virtually unknown until before the Civil War, when Massachusetts poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow made him the subject of a poem to stir up passion for the Union cause. Contrary to the poem’s dramatic narrative, Revere never made it to Concord to warn the minutemen of the British approach; he was arrested by the British after warning John Hancock and Sam Adams in Lexington. And he wasn’t the only rider out that night. At least two other riders, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott, were also out warning the colonists.
Whatever the details of Revere’s famous night, he was a riveting one-man band of the colonial world who earned his living as a silversmith, coppersmith, bell ringer, and dentist. He raised many of his 16 children in the house that still bears his name. The Paul Revere House (19 North Sq., 617/523-2338, www.paulreverehouse.org, 9:30am-5:15pm daily mid-Apr.-Oct., 9:30am-4:15pm daily Nov.-mid-Apr., $5 adults, $4.50 seniors and students, $1 children 5-17, children under 5 free) is a typical example of 17th-century architecture and the oldest house still standing in downtown Boston.
The house doesn’t have many artifacts—the Museum of Fine Arts is the best place to go to see Revere silver—but it’s an interesting window into the living quarters and implements of a typical family in colonial urban North America. Interpretive guides are on hand to lead guests up creaking narrow staircases into the snug quarters where Revere and his wife slept and entertained guests. On Saturday afternoons, artisans demonstrate colonial arts like silversmithing and gilding in the outdoor courtyards. The Education and Visitor Center has exhibits on Revere’s professional and personal life as well as his famous Midnight Ride. Tours of the neighboring, brick-faced Pierce/Hitchborn House, built in 1711 in Georgian style, are by appointment only ($4 adults, $3.50 seniors and students, $1 children 5-17).
Paul Revere was a bell ringer in the landmark Old North Church (193 Salem St., 617/858-8231, www.oldnorth.com, 10am-4pm daily Jan.-Feb., 9am-5pm daily Mar.-May and Nov.-Dec., 9am-6pm daily June-Oct., $3 donation) when he was a child, so he knew just where to hang his signal lights to warn the rebels that the British were moving by sea to Charlestown, then on to Concord and Lexington. The church sexton, Robert Newman, was the unsung hero in the story—he was arrested by the British the following morning. Inside the church, reproductions of colonial flags hang from the ceiling, and every half hour a guide tells Revere’s story from the pulpit.
Between Old North and Hanover Street is the Paul Revere Mall, with a huge bronze statue of Revere on his horse, keeping watch over pigeons and wizened Italian ladies. Look for the plaques along the wall that honor other patriots who grew up in the North End or tell the stories of some of the original Puritan settlers of the neighborhood, including theologians Cotton and Increase Mather, governor John Winthrop, and Ann Pollard, the first woman settler to arrive in Boston.
The original settlement of the Puritans was named after the king they left behind. A swampy mess of a place without much access to fresh water, Charlestown was eventually abandoned when John Winthrop and company were invited over to the Shawmut Peninsula to found Boston. Charlestown, which is incorporated as a neighborhood of Boston, grew to be an important port in the 18th century. Then tragedy struck during the Revolutionary War, when the British fired cannonballs filled with incendiary oil across the channel and burned the city to the ground in retaliation for their losses at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The city was rebuilt in the early 19th century, about the same time as the brick mansions and brownstones were going up on Beacon Hill, and it shares that neighborhood’s historical, cozy feel. Gas lamps, black shutters, and window boxes abound in the neighborhood that winds up toward the Bunker Hill Monument.
High on the top of Breed’s Hill stands the 221-foot granite obelisk of the Bunker Hill Monument (Monument Sq., 617/242-5641, www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/bhm.htm, 9am-5pm daily (last climb 4:30pm) mid-Mar.-Nov., 1pm-5pm (last climb 4:30pm) daily Dec.-mid-Mar., free) to mark the misnamed first major battle of the Revolutionary War. In it, the patriots—while defeated—inflicted such high casualties upon the British army that thousands rushed to the colonial cause to begin a protracted siege of Boston. Climb the 294 steep, winding steps to the top of the monument for fine views of Boston Harbor and the city skyline.
Across the street, the impressive Bunker Hill Museum (43 Monument Sq., 9am-5pm daily mid-Mar.-Nov., 1pm-5pm daily Dec.-mid-Mar., free) opened in 2007 with two floors of exhibits about the battle. In addition to artifacts such as a British cannonball, the museum features two dioramas with miniature figurines that perpetually fight the battle over again with the help of a sound and light display. The highlight, however, is the beautifully painted “cyclorama” on the 2nd floor, depicting the battle in breathtaking 360 degrees.
The oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy, the USS Constitution (10am-6pm Tues.-Sun. mid-Apr.-Oct., 2:30pm-4pm Thurs.-Fri. 10am-4pm Sat.-Sun. Nov.-Apr.)—also known as Old Ironsides—was named by President Washington and launched in 1798. In 17 years of active duty, it racked up a battle record as celebrated as any ship of its time, defeating the heavier British ships Guerrière and Java during the War of 1812, and leading a blockade of Tripoli during the War of the Barbary Coast.
She’s now docked at Charlestown Navy Yard, where sailors give tours every half hour; it’s thrilling to stand behind a long cannon on the gun deck or sit at the gambrel table in the captain’s quarters. Some of the stones in the bilge are the originals placed there for ballast more than 200 years ago. The last time the Constitution detached from a tugboat to sail freely under its own power was in 1997, during its 200th anniversary; the ship, however, is towed out into Boston Harbor and turned around with a 21-gun salute every year on July 4. (Members of the public can sign up on the ship’s website for a lottery to board the ship for these cruises.)
Another warship living out her days in Charlestown is the USS Cassin Young, a Fletcher-class destroyer that was active in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, then stayed in service until 1960. The Cassin Young is one of just four Fletcher-class vessels still afloat, and it offers a glimpse of the cramped, tidy life aboard a naval vessel.
Get the background on the ships and the naval yard at the Charlestown Naval Yard Visitors Center (Charlestown Navy Yard, Bldg. 5, 617/242-5601, www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/cny.htm, 9am-5pm Tues.-Sun. late Apr.-Oct., 9am-5pm Thurs.-Sun. Nov.-late Apr.), which features a 10-minute video on the history of the yard, along with ropes, chains, uniforms, and other artifacts. Near the ship is the much larger USS Constitution Museum (Charlestown Navy Yard, 617/426-1812, www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org, 9am-6pm daily Apr.-Oct., 10am-5pm daily Nov.-Mar., suggested donation $5-10 adults, $3-5 children, $20-25 families), which displays swords, pistols, and cannonballs captured from the Constitution’s various engagements, along with a giant model of the ship under full sail. Several short films give more information about the ship and its history. Kids love the upper floor of the museum, which features a cannon they can swab, wad, and “fire” against an enemy ship and a rudimentary video game in which they can engage the HMS Java while learning the basic principles of battle under sail.
TOP EXPERIENCE
This grand, neoclassical museum’s art collection is one of the best and most beloved in the country. The MFA, as it’s known, is particularly noted for its French Impressionist works, but it also has outstanding Asian and Egyptian collections, as well as many celebrated early American paintings and artifacts. The Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave., 617/267-9300, www.mfa.org, 10am-5pm Sat.-Tues., 10am-10pm Wed.-Fri., $25 adults, $23 seniors and students, $10 youth 7-17, free for youth 7-17 after 3pm Mon.-Fri. and on weekends, children under 7 free, free for active-duty military Memorial Day-Labor Day) began its life as the painting collection of the Boston Athenaeum, the private library on Beacon Hill. Under its current leadership, the museum has taken some gambles to bring a new generation of viewers into the galleries, staging artistic exhibitions of guitars, race cars, and the World Series rings of Red Sox slugger David Ortiz alongside showstopping special exhibits featuring masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, and Gauguin.
At present, most visitors to the MFA make a beeline for the 2nd floor, which is home to several jaw-dropping rooms dedicated to works by French Impressionists Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and others. Less trafficked but equally rewarding are the American galleries, where you’ll find what’s arguably the most famous American painting ever: Gilbert Stuart’s original unfinished painting of George Washington. The collection includes several paintings by John Singer Sargent, including the arresting Daughters of Edward Darley Bolt, as well as those by Boston’s own adopted artist, John Singleton Copley, including his portrait of Paul Revere. Several examples of the patriot silversmith’s work are on display in adjoining galleries of colonial artifacts and furniture. Tours of various collections within the museum are offered free with admission throughout the day.
In the most fashionable neighborhood in Boston, Back Bay’s grand boulevards are lined with brownstones and large Victorian-style apartment buildings, linked by short side streets that are ordered alphabetically (Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, etc.). Ironically, given how swanky the neighborhood has become, the area used to be one big disease-spreading swamp—it’s no accident that the neighborhood’s main drag, Boylston Street, is named after a doctor. In the days when Boston used to be a peninsula, Back Bay was literally a bay in the Charles River, where refuse would wash up with the tides, and men and boys—including a young Ben Franklin—would fish from shore. As the city expanded in the 1800s, the earth from Beacon Hill and other high ground was used for landfill to close up the bay, and a new neighborhood was born, quickly populated with larger and more impressive houses.
Striking Tiffany windows depict Jesus’s beatitudes—a series of blessings praising the meek, merciful, and peaceful—in the Unitarian Universalist Arlington Street Church (351 Boylston St., 617/536-7050, www.ascboston.org, open most mornings, free), where ministers like Theodore Parker and William Ellery Channing preached about abolition and social justice in the early 19th century.
This Presbyterian landmark is the undisputed masterpiece of architect H. H. Richardson, whose bold style sparked a trend called Richardson Romanesque, featuring massive blocks of stone, often worked in a contrasting checkerboard pattern, with sweeping arches and towers. The inside of the Trinity Church (206 Clarendon St., 617/536-0944, www.trinitychurchboston.org, 10am-4:30pm Tues.-Sat., 12:15pm-4:30pm Sun., guided and self-guided tours $7, children under 16 free) is calculated to impress, with a vaulted ceiling and a huge carved wooden pulpit in front of the altar. Classical music concerts are regularly offered here, especially around the holidays, and volunteers lead tours twice a day Tuesday-Sunday (call for times).
The first municipal public library in the United States feels like a temple to learning and Western culture, from the bust of Athena watching over the entryway to stunning murals depicting vivid mythological scenes. The Boston Public Library (700 Boylston St., 617/536-5400, www.bpl.org, 9am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 9am-5pm Fri.-Sat., 1pm-5pm Sun., free) fills two city blocks on the south side of Copley Square, dividing its treasures into two buildings. The original, designed by Charles McKim and opened in 1895, is now the research library, with a more modern building next door holding the circulating collection.
While the library’s collection is vast, its art and architecture make it destination worthy as well; the exterior has classical proportions and is covered with names of great thinkers through the ages, and twin female statues of Art and Science keep guard outside. One of the best-kept secrets of the city is the library’s central courtyard, an Italianate plaza that wraps around a central fountain (high tea at the courtyard restaurant is a special treat); the Map Room Café, open for breakfast and lunch, is a lovely spot for having a drink and a sandwich over a good book.
The hushed, studious heart of the McKim building is the Bates Reading Room, a 200-foot-long hall with a barrel-vaulted ceiling; high, arched windows; and long tables lined with dimly lit green lamps. One artistic highlight is the 80-foot-long Sargent Gallery, which features painter John Singer Sargent’s fantastical mural sequence Triumph of Religion, a sensual, often tempestuous journey through the gods, goddesses, and prophets of the ancient world. Other artistic works in the library include a mural sequence dedicated to the story of the search for the Holy Grail by American artist Edwin Austin Abbey, and a painting of Washington at Dorchester Heights by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze (who also did the famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware). Free hour-long tours of the library’s art and architecture are offered at various times daily; call for times.
When it was first proposed in the 1970s, the 790-foot 200 Clarendon Street (www.200clarendon.com) building, formerly (and still more commonly) known as the John Hancock Tower, was met with fierce resistance by residents who feared it would wreck the historical ambience of Copley Square. In a stroke of genius, architect I. M. Pei covered the outside of the building with reflective glass, thereby enhancing rather than overshadowing the architectural beauty of Trinity Church, the Boston Public Library, and other nearby buildings. Not everything ended happily, however—due to a design flaw, many of the 10,344 panes of glass began falling out and shattering on the sidewalk below before the building was completed. Pei later corrected the technique for hanging the glass (which he also used on the pyramid for the Louvre), and the building is now one of the most striking in the city skyline.
Nearby, the much smaller “old” John Hancock building features a beacon on top that changes color depending on the weather forecast. Many older Bostonians can still recite the rhyme that cracks the code: “Steady blue, clear view / Flashing blue, clouds due / Steady red, rain ahead / Flashing red, snow instead.” During summer and fall, flashing red means the Red Sox game is cancelled due to weather conditions.
With a towering dome and a grand organ, this “mother church” is the international center for the Church of Christ, Scientist (not, as docents are at pains to point out, the totally unrelated Church of Scientology). Founded in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, the religion is best known for its practice of “faith healing” that forbids its practitioners to take medicine for illnesses. Eddy, however, was once a larger-than-life figure in U.S. culture who was a leader of the early women’s movement and a pioneering publisher. Visitors can learn more about Eddy’s life at the eclectic Mary Baker Eddy Library (200 Massachusetts Ave., 617/450-7000, www.marybakereddylibrary.org, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sun., $6 adults, $4 seniors, students, and youth 6-17, children under 6 free). A series of multimedia exhibits encourages visitors to develop their own life philosophies while at the same time tracing the evolution of its matriarch’s ideas with refreshingly little proselytizing. Another exhibit within the museum literally provides a window into the newsroom of the Christian Science Monitor, which has its headquarters in the complex.
Within the Christian Science Center, one hidden gem deserves special mention. The Mapparium (200 Massachusetts Ave., 617/450-7000, www.marybakereddylibrary.org, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sun., $6 adults, $4 seniors, students, and youth 6-17, children under 6 free) is a 30-foot-diameter globe with the countries of the world (circa 1935) displayed in vibrant stained glass around the walls. Standing on a clear bridge in the center offers a remarkable perspective on a world whose borders have been dramatically rewritten by over 80 years of conflict. Twenty-minute tours of the Mapparium include a seven-minute light show with inspirational sound bites from antiapartheid leader Nelson Mandela, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and other seminal thinkers.
Upon first glance, the area of the city known as “the Fenway” doesn’t seem to offer much. A gritty network of streets lined with pubs and discount stores, the neighborhood has traditionally been the stomping grounds for students of nearby Boston University. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and you’ll find several of the city’s premier cultural attractions, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the jewel-box Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The neighborhood gets its name from the Back Bay Fens, a winding, swampy greensward that serves as the drainage channel for the city. Today, The Fens is a rambling parkland, lined with ball fields and community gardens, including the hidden Kelleher Rose Garden, a dreamy garden full of vine-covered trellises and over 100 varieties of roses. The center of the neighborhood is Kenmore Square, a lively crossroads of student bars, discount stores, and burrito joints, just down the street from the historic home of the Boston Red Sox: Fenway Park.
A new banner was flapping in the breeze here after the Red Sox’s come-from-behind race to win the 2004 World Series; more titles, in 2007 and 2013, were to come, putting to rest the legendary “Curse of the Bambino” that had seemingly denied the Sox a championship since 1918. While the high of those victories has infused Fenway Park (4 Yawkey Way, 617/226-6666, www.redsox.com, tours 9am-5pm daily May-Oct., 10am-5pm daily Nov.-Apr., hours differ on game days, $20 adults, $16 military, $14 children 3-12) with a new energy, Fenway has long been one of the most electric places to catch the national pastime. First opened in 1912, Fenway has a soul that none of the more modern parks can match. For the uninitiated, the geography of the park—with its Green Monster, Pesky’s Pole, and Ted Williams’s seat—can seem a little arcane, but you can get your bearings with a tour led by one of the Fenway faithful. As good as those tours may be, however, nothing quite beats taking a seat in the bleachers, grabbing a Sam Adams, and waiting for the first crack of the bat.
Fenway Park
The small Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (280 The Fenway, 617/566-1401, www.gardnermuseum.org, 11am-5pm Fri.-Mon. and Wed., 11am-9pm Thurs., $15 adults, $12 seniors, $5 students, free for military, youth under 18, and anyone named Isabella) is filled with priceless European and American paintings. The most cherished work of art, however, may be the building itself, which is constructed around a plant-filled Italianate courtyard that may be the most pleasing indoor space in the city. The namesake socialite who built the museum was known as something of a brilliant eccentric who loved art and the Red Sox, and scandalized polite society by posing for a sensuous portrait by John Singer Sargent. (On display in the museum, the portrait was exhibited only once in Gardner’s lifetime due to the wishes of her husband.) Other works of art in the collection include Titian’s Europa, which may be the single most important work of art in Boston; Sargent’s dynamic El Jaleo; Boticelli’s Virgin and Child with an Angel; and an early Rembrandt self-portrait.
The building, where Gardner lived, has four floors of artwork organized as a living house museum, with some of the original typed labels still in place. Gardner’s will stipulated that nothing in the museum be moved, or else the entire collection would be sold and the proceeds donated to Harvard’s art faculty. The museum made headlines around the world for what’s often called the largest art heist in history: As St. Patrick’s Day revelers filled the streets during the early hours of March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as police officers stole 13 works of art, including two Rembrandts and a stunning Vermeer. The empty frames for the stolen paintings still hang on the wall, and a $5 million reward has never been collected. Keep your ticket stub from the MFA (or wear a piece of Red Sox gear) for a $2 discount on admission. Charmingly, anyone named Isabella gets free entry for life.
Running along the southern edge of Fenway, Back Bay, and downtown, Boston’s South End neighborhood doesn’t have major sights, but with brick Victorian houses and a thriving gay and arts community, it’s an appealing place to wander. Pleasant parks are filled with young families. The hotel and restaurant options that spill out along the northern edge, including the acclaimed B&G Oysters, are convenient to downtown and Back Bay.
Across Fort Point Channel from downtown, the South Boston waterfront district is a neighborhood in transition. For years, it has been home to New England’s largest community of artists, who have taken advantage of the solid warehouses that once housed the stores for Boston’s wool trade to build artist studios and performance spaces; the area itself is a visual artist’s dream, with open spaces broken by iron girders and views of the harbor. It’s now a darling of developers using the last bits of open space to create new hotels and condos.
The original three British ships that were the unwilling hosts to the Boston Tea Party were moored at Griffin’s Wharf, which was later buried in landfill during the expansion of the city. The best estimate of the location is near the present-day corner of Atlantic Avenue and Congress Street, near South Station. Not far from that spot, the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum (306 Congress St., 617/338-1773, www.bostonteapartyship.com, 10am-5pm daily (closes at 4pm in winter), $28 adults, $25 seniors, $18 children, purchase online for 10 percent discount) features replicas of two of the three original ships—the Eleanor and the Beaver, but not the Dartmouth—and the real highlight is the vivid, and participatory, reenactment by actors in period dress, which includes tossing crates of tea into Fort Point Channel. Among the items on display is the so-called Robinson Tea Chest, which was recovered by a participant the day after the event, and one of only two original tea chests known to survive. Early American patriots drank coffee to signal their rejection of British traditions and sovereignty, but you can still find a nice cup of tea at the on-site Abigail’s Tearoom & Terrace (9am-6pm daily, closes an hour earlier in off-season).
The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA, 25 Harbor Shore Dr., 617/478-3100, www.icaboston.org, 10am-5pm Tues.-Wed. and Sat.-Sun., 10am-9pm Thurs.-Fri., $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 students, children under 17 free, free to all Thurs. after 5pm) was once viewed as being on par with New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), on the vanguard of experimental modern art. While MoMA decided to collect the artists it exhibited and now boasts the likes of Jackson Pollock and Jasper Johns, the ICA felt that it could better remain on the cutting-edge by continually exhibiting new work. Making up for lost time, the ICA opened a new home on the waterfront in 2006, a space-age landmark that triples the size of the museum’s old home in Back Bay, and more importantly added a permanent collection for the first time. In its old location, the museum garnered a reputation for staging explosive exhibitions such as the first U.S. display of the photos of Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1980s; in recent years, however, its exhibits of contemporary multimedia installations and photography have had a more uneven reception. The South Boston building, designed by edgy architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, reinvigorated the museum, providing dramatic views of the waterfront from flexible gallery spaces, and a 325-seat performing arts theater overlooking the harbor.
Kids can get their hands into giant bubbles, colorful art projects, and science exhibits at the fun Boston Children’s Museum (308 Congress St., 617/426-6500, www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org, 10am-5pm Sun.-Thurs., 10am-9pm Fri., $17, children under 1 free and $1 for all admissions 5pm-9pm Fri.), which is best suited for children under the age of 11. Budding construction workers can build skyscrapers and jackhammer them down in the Construction Zone; little monkeys can tackle a brightly colored maze of tunnels, towers, and walkways called the Climb; and families can explore an authentic Japanese tea merchant’s shop imported from Kyoto, a gift from Boston’s sister city.
Two of the country’s most iconic universities—Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)—are just across the Charles River from downtown Boston in historic, quirky Cambridge. These are just a couple of the over 100 colleges and universities in the Greater Boston area, and a regular influx of students is part of what keeps Boston eternally young and energetic. Head across the river to get a taste of the intellectual scene; Cambridge is about three miles from downtown Boston and easily reached on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Red Line (Harvard station).
Download an audio tour and map to take a self-guided trip around the Harvard campus, or start the trip like a prospective undergrad on a student-led Harvard Campus Tour (1350 Massachusetts Ave., 617/495-1573, www.harvard.edu, free tours Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm) that takes in the best of the university’s green quads, landmark libraries, and that famous Harvard Yard.
Three separate facilities make up the Harvard Art Museums (32 Quincy St., 617/495-9400, www.harvardartmuseums.org, 10am-5pm daily, $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 non-Harvard students, children under 18 free) and Harvard’s Peabody Museum (11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, 617/496-1027, www.peabody.harvard.edu, 9am-5pm daily, $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, $8 children 3-18, children under 3 free) is one of the oldest anthropological museums in the world.
Many of Boston and Cambridge’s schools open their doors to the public for lectures by speakers from around the world. The Harvard University Gazette (www.news.harvard.edu/gazette) publishes a full schedule of talks. At Harvard you can even attend a class (www.college.harvard.edu/visitors-guide-larger-lectures) on anything from East Asian cinema to post-Hamlet literature and statistics. Contemporary readings and talks by authors are frequently held at the Harvard Book Store (1256 Massachusetts Ave., 800/542-7323, www.harvard.com).
Campus life spills into the streets at Harvard Square (Massachusetts Ave. and Brattle St., www.harvardsquare.com), a bustling plaza lined with shops and restaurants. Chain outlets have dimmed some of the spot’s independent charm, but there are still enough buskers, artists, and studious undergraduates to make it an inviting destination.
Head to MIT (77 Massachusetts Ave., www.web.mit.edu, 617/253-1000, free tours, call for times) for a tour of the striking campus, whose blend of old-fashioned architecture and modernist, cutting-edge buildings offers a wonderful study in contrasts. No surprise: MIT’s whiz engineers also designed a mobile app campus tour that you can download from iTunes and Google Play. Tours are primarily for prospective students and their families; check in with the Office of Admissions on the day of your visit to see if you can join a tour.
The MIT Museum (265 Massachusetts Ave., 617/253-5927, www.web.mit.edu/museum, 10am-5pm daily, until 6pm July-Aug., $10 adults, $5 seniors, students, and children, children under 5 free) traces the history of science, engineering, and research. The school also publishes a full schedule of talks (www.events.mit.edu).
As a city that has always prided itself on culture, Boston rarely lacks for interesting arts and entertainment offerings. To find what’s happening, check www.boston.com and www.thebostoncalendar.com, which have lots of free events. For tickets to theater performances, a great resource is BosTix (617/262-8632, calendar.artsboston.org/booth-hours-locations), which offers half-price tickets the day of the show. Booths are located in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace (1 Faneuil Hall Sq., 617/262-8632, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sun.) and Copley Square (650 Boylston St., 11am-5pm Thurs.-Fri., 10am-4pm Sat.-Sun.). Hours can vary, so call or check the website before stopping by.
Last call for the sitcom Cheers was in 1993, but the Beacon Hill bar where the exterior shots were filmed is still a serious destination. Life imitates art at Cheers on Beacon Hill (84 Beacon St., 617/227-9605, www.cheersboston.com, 11am-1am daily), formerly the Bull & Finch Pub, where the upstairs has been reinvented as the fictitious television bar, complete with brass nameplates for the “regulars.” There is a second location at Faneuil Hall, but it’s worth heading to the original, which has a bit more charm to go with the cheese.
An oasis of blue-collar culture (or at least off-duty lawyers) with a tony address, Beacon Hill Pub (149 Charles St., 617/625-7100, 10am-2am daily, cash only) is a great spot to pull up a stool and catch a game.
The menu at chef Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park (9 Park St., 617/742-9991, www.no9park.com, 5:30pm-9pm Sun.-Mon., 5:30pm-10pm Tues.-Sat., bar stays open later) includes hard-to-find bottles and old-world varietals that earned the wine program a James Beard Award. Though it’s primarily a restaurant, the quiet bar is an elegant place to enjoy a glass and a snack from the à la carte menu.
The most iconic bars in Boston fall firmly into “dive bar” territory—the kind of sticky, beer-soaked neighborhood joints where St. Patrick’s Day memories are forged (or erased). One classic of the genre is The Tam (222 Tremont St., 617/482-9182, 8am-1am Sun.-Thurs., 8am-2am Fri.-Sat., cash only), a morning-to-night destination for cheap beer, loud music, and a gruff crowd of locals. Another downtown favorite is Biddy Early’s (141 Pearl St., 617/654-9944, 10am-2am daily), where Irish-themed decor and PBR Sriracha chicken wings pair beautifully with dartboards and arcade games.
All dark wood and scuffed signboards, the Green Dragon Tavern (11 Marshall St., 617/367-0055, 11am-2am daily) evokes the 1654 bar by the same name that Daniel Webster called the “Headquarters of the Revolution.” The original was knocked down in 1854, but the new version is atmospheric and cozy, with an old-world feel and live music most nights.
There’s an excellent selection of beers from around New England at jm Curley (21 Temple Pl., 617/228-5333, 11:30am-2am daily), along with very credible cocktails and fresh bar food. Bacon popcorn is a favorite here.
Some of the finest cocktails in town are at the ultra-stylish, nostalgic Yvonne’s (2 Winter Pl., 617/267-0047, www.yvonnesboston.com, 4pm-2am daily), a Downtown Crossing supper club with two great places to drink (and take selfies): Settle in at the grand mahogany bar or grab a spot in the “library,” which is lined with designer-selected vintage titles.
Quirky Victorian-era ephemera—black-and-white images of shirtless boxers, framed corsets—give Stoddards Fine Food & Ale (48 Temple Pl., 617/426-0048, www.stoddardsfoodandale.com, 11:30am-1am Tues.-Wed., 11:30am-2am Thurs.-Sat., 11:30am-midnight Sun.) a time-warp feel. Classic cocktails are listed by year, stretching back to the 1850s-era Sazerac, but the solid beer list is strictly 21st century.
Many of Boston’s finest Irish bars are buried in hard-to-reach neighborhoods, but despite its downtown location, Mr. Dooley’s (77 Broad St., 617/338-5656, www.mrdooleys.com, 11:30am-2am Mon.-Fri., 9am-2am Sat.-Sun.) is the real deal. Pints of Guinness and Jameson shots go well with live Irish music most weekend nights. Come ready to sing along to all the classics.
Somewhere between chic Italian bistro and fantasy Prohibition-era speakeasy, Parla (230 Hanover St., 617/367-2824, www.parlaboston.com, 4:30pm-10:45pm Mon.-Tues., 4:30pm-11:15pm Wed., 4:30pm-midnight Thurs.-Fri., 11am-midnight Sat., 11am-11:15pm Sun.) infuses its cocktail list with seasonal ingredients and offbeat flavors, but the gorgeous space alone is worth the visit.
The North End take on the Boston dive bar is Corner Cafe (87 Prince St., 617/523-8997, 9am-2am Mon.-Sat., noon-2am Sun.), where locals scratch lottery tickets, drink cheap draft beer, and slurp up pudding shots (which are better than they sound). The real secret, however, is that Corner Cafe invites patrons to order food from outside, so you can grab a beer and call for a Regina’s pizza.
In the spirit of the raunchy, beer-loving poet, the Bukowski Tavern (50 Dalton St., 617/437-9999, 11:30am-2am Mon.-Sat., noon-2am Sun.) has a gleefully unreconstructed feeling, but with a good draft list that transcends the usual dive bar pours.
Generic, somewhat corporate decor almost seems like a smoke screen for the incredible draft list at The Lower Depths (476 Commonwealth Ave., 617/266-6662, www.thelowerdepths.com, 11:30am-1am daily), which often includes cask beers and unusual brews from around the East.
Think outside the margarita at the gothic-themed Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar (271 Dartmouth St., 617/369-5609, www.lolitatequilabars.com, 4pm-2am daily), where tufted black leather and red lights meet a menu of sophisticated cocktails. Mixed drinks are both fresh and fierce, but there’s also an appealing menu of house-made nonalcoholic drinks. The dessert menu is legendary.
The South End’s Wally’s (427 Massachusetts Ave., 617/424-1408, www.wallyscafe.com) hosts jazz the way it was meant to be played, in a closet-sized room that heats up both on and off stage. Meanwhile, the nearby “Harvard of jazz,” the Berklee School of Music, sponsors performances of both modern legends and up-and-coming prodigies at its Berklee Performance Center (136 Massachusetts Ave., 617/747-2261, www.berklee.edu/BPC), which also occasionally has folk and pop acts.
In addition to Boston Symphony Hall (301 Massachusetts Ave., 617/266-1492 or 888/266-1200, www.bso.org), Boston has many excellent smaller halls that regularly offer classical concerts. These include New England Conservatory’s acoustically refined Jordan Hall (30 Gainsborough St., 617/585-1260, www.necmusic.edu/jordan-hall) and Boston University’s Tsai Performance Center (685 Commonwealth Ave., 617/353-8725, www.bu.edu/tsai).
A little-known choral gem, Emmanuel Music (15 Newbury St., 617/536-3356, www.emmanuelmusic.org) performs entire Bach masses on Sunday at Emmanuel Church. Trinity Boston (206 Clarendon St., 617/536-0944, www.trinitychurchboston.org) performs half-hour organ recitals on Friday at 12:15pm, as well as occasional choral concerts in one of the most beautiful settings in Boston—Copley Square’s Trinity Church.
Everyone gets a little Irish for St. Patrick’s Day in Boston, which is celebrated with a parade through South Boston streets decked in shamrock green. In April, runners come from around the world to compete in the Boston Marathon, the oldest (and some say toughest) marathon in the United States. Spectators start lining the route to cheer along Beacon and Boylston Streets, all the way to Copley Square, where the finish line is painted in the street. Americans from around the country tune in to the Boston Pops performance on the Fourth of July, when the esplanade becomes a gallery for a fabulous fireworks show.
Numerous (often free) events take place throughout the summer months, from open-air Shakespeare on Boston Common (www.commshakes.org) to outdoor concerts. A good resource for finding current event listings is www.bostonusa.com.
Touristy? Yes. Pricey? Also. But the Faneuil Hall Marketplace (4 S. Market St., 617/523-1300, www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com, 10am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-7pm Sun.) is an outdoor mall where you can pick up all your Boston-themed souvenirs. Best of Boston (54 N. Market Bldg., Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 617/227-3962, 10am-9pm Mon.-Sat., noon-6pm Sun.) has a colorful selection of lobster shot glasses, Red Sox gear, saltwater taffy, and “Boston Tea Party”-brand tea for drinking or throwing in the harbor.
Charles Street in Beacon Hill has some 40 antiques stores crammed into 0.33 mile; one of the best is Upstairs Downstairs Antiques (93 Charles St., 617/367-1950, 11am-6pm Sun.-Fri., 10am-6pm Sat.), a warren of rooms stuffed with tableware, glassware, and other knickknacks from a dozen decades. Armchair historians and explorers alike thrill at the selection of antique maps and charts at Eugene Galleries (76 Charles St., 617/227-3062, 11am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.), which cover Boston, New England, and the rest of the world.
The place to shop for high-end, stylish clothes is Back Bay’s stylish Newbury Street, which carries outposts of international designers from Armani to Zegna, alongside local boutiques.
Newbury Street also hosts the most prestigious art galleries in the city. The biggest name on the street is the Krakow Witkin Gallery (10 Newbury St., 617/262-4490, www.krakowwitkingallery.com, 10am-5:30pm Tues.-Sat.), which draws nationally known contemporary artists. More traditional paintings and prints are on display at the venerable Childs Gallery (169 Newbury St., 617/266-1108, www.childsgallery.com, 9am-6pm Tues.-Fri., 11am-5pm Sat.-Sun.), which focuses on pre-World War II American and European work.
The kind of shop where you can settle in with a coffee and a good read, Trident Booksellers & Cafe (338 Newbury St., 617/267-8688, www.tridentbookscafe.com, 8am-midnight daily) has a wonderful selection of titles and hosts frequent author events and reading.
Most of the shopping in this bustling district is of the big-name, big-store variety, with names like H&M and Primark lining Washington Street, Summer Street, and Winter Street. One long-standing exception to downtown’s plate glass window displays is Brattle Book Shop (9 West St., 617/542-0210, www.brattlebookshop.com, 9am-5:30pm Mon.-Sat.), where three stories cannot contain a collection of books that spills beyond the bookstore and into the adjoining alley, whose brick walls are painted with the images of iconic authors.
There are still some locally owned gems among the chain stores that have crept into this triangular plaza. The thoughtfully curated Black Ink (5 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617/497-1221, www.blackinkboston.squarespace.com, 10am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-7pm Sun.) is ideal for gifts, pretty stationery, and what the shop accurately calls “unexpected necessities.” With time-warp charm and all sorts of quirk, Leavitt & Peirce (1316 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617/547-0576, www.leavittandpeirce.com, 9am-6pm Mon.-Wed. and Fri.-Sat., 9am-8pm Thurs., noon-5:30pm Sun.) has been Harvard’s tobacconist since 1884, but also stocks a trove of games and gentlemanly gifts like cuff links and shaving brushes. Another fun place to browse is Goorin Bros. Hat Shop (43 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617/868-4287, www.goorin.com, 10am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-7pm Sun.), which has everything from ball caps to fedoras to Kentucky Derby wear.
Watch pink- and white-sailed dinghies tack and jibe along the shore from the Charles River Esplanade (www.esplanadeassociation.org), which comprises three miles of waterfront stretching from the Museum of Science to the Boston University Bridge and crisscrossed with running and biking trails. The trails are especially charming in the springtime, when blossom-laden cherry trees arch over portions of the path.
Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed a series of parks known as the Emerald Necklace (www.emeraldnecklace.org) that stretches from the Back Bay Fens to Forest Hills and the Arnold Arboretum, with walking and biking trails throughout. One highlight of the Back Bay Fens park is the Fenway Victory Gardens (www.fenwayvictorygardens.org)—while it’s indistinguishable from the many community gardens that have been appearing in cities across the United States, this 7.5-acre plot was planted during World War II to supplement strained food supplies. It’s the oldest continually operating garden of its kind in the country, and the 500 garden plots are now waitlist-only growing spaces for Boston residents.
When the “Big Dig” construction project put I-93 underground, it created 15 acres of surface-level space that’s been transformed into the Rose Kennedy Greenway (www.rosekennedygreenway.org), a slender line of parks that runs 1.5 miles from the Chinatown Gate to North End Park. One highlight of the parks is the Greenway Carousel (Atlantic Ave. and Cross St., 888/239-7616, $3), whose colorful animals are all Massachusetts natives—don’t miss the chance to ride a codfish, peregrine falcon, whale, or lobster. You’ll also find some wonderful art along the way; exhibits change seasonally, but past installments have featured Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and abstract pieces with a focus on local history and nature. Many of the seven water fountains along the greenway are strategically designed for cooling off in the Boston summer. Favorites with the wading toddler crowd include the Rings Fountain (Central St. and Cross St.), North & South Canal Fountains (Cross St. and Hanover St.), and interactive Harbor Fog Fountain (High St. and Cross St.), where movement sensors trigger great billows of cooling mist.
Boston Harbor remains a transportation hub for the region, and Boston Harbor Cruises (www.bostonharborcruises.com) runs convenient boat service to Salem (1 hr., round-trip ticket $45 adults, $41 seniors, $35 children 3-11) and Provincetown (1.5 hrs., round-trip ticket $59 adults, $55 seniors, $39 children 3-11, $23 children under 3) that are good alternatives to driving. To simply get views of the city from the water, though, take a turn on its Historic Sightseeing Cruise (1.5 hrs., tickets $28.95 adults, $26.95 seniors, $24.95 children 3-11), which loops along the shoreline of the inner and outer harbor to the historic Boston Light and the Harbor Islands.
Take in the harbor under sail with the Liberty Fleet (617/742-0333, www.libertyfleet.com, cruises $30-45 adults, $24 children under 12), which offers day sails, sunset sails, and a “Rum and Revelry” sail with costumed actors and drinks. The schooner Liberty Clipper is the flagship, a 125-foot gaff-rigged replica of the Baltimore Clipper-style ships prized by fast-moving privateers during the American Revolution and War of 1812. Her little sister is the 67-foot Liberty Star, whose classic lines are modeled on 19th-century coastal schooners—crews onboard both ships are friendly and experienced, and the sails can be as hands-on (or off) as desired.
All those postcard-ready sailboats on the Charles River belong to Community Boating (21 Mugar Way, 617/523-1038, www.community-boating.org, 3pm-sunset Mon.-Fri., 9am-sunset Sat.-Sun. Apr.-Oct.), an institution on the Charles River Esplanade since the 1940s. Nonmembers can rent a stand-up paddleboard or kayak for $45—a single and a double kayak cost the same, so paddling with a friend is half the price.
With baseball, hockey, and basketball, Boston has an almost year-round sports season, with fervor to match. Most iconic are the Red Sox (877/733-7699, www.mlb.com/redsox) baseball team, and after suffering through the 86-year-long “Curse of the Bambino,” it can finally bring home pennants again (the Red Sox sold legendary player Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees after winning the 1918 championship, and didn’t catch a break until the 2004 World Series). The hockey-playing Bruins (617/624-2327, www.nhl.com/bruins) are another passion-inspiring team and the oldest National Hockey League team in the United States. And while the 1980s heyday of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish has not returned, the Celtics (866/423-5849, www.nba.com/celtics) still pack the TD Garden to the gills. Gillette Stadium, located about halfway between Boston and Providence in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is home to the perennial Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (800/543-1776, www.patriots.com).
The open kitchen at The Paramount (44 Charles St., 617/720-1152, www.paramountboston.com, 7am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-10pm Sat.-Sun., $8-24) slings fresh, flavorful diner fare at breakfast and lunch: Try the caramel banana French toast, huevos rancheros, hefty salads, and sandwiches. Dinner gets a bit more grown-up with pasta dishes and entrées like citrus-brined chicken statler and steak frites. Lines can get long at this neighborhood favorite, so it’s a good option to call ahead for sandwiches and have a picnic in Boston Public Garden, which is just a couple of blocks away. If you do dine in, you’ll order and pay for your food at the counter, then sit down when your meal arrives.
Tucked down a brick-lined side street, 75 Chestnut (75 Chestnut St., 617/227-2175, www.75chestnut.com, dinner 5pm-11pm Sun.-Thurs., 5pm-midnight Fri.-Sat., brunch 10:30am Sat., $11-30) is a cozy neighborhood bistro that’s refined enough for a romantic evening out. The dinner menu includes classic seafood dishes and pasta, salads, steaks, and a few burgers. Brunch is especially popular here, with a short but appealing menu and a Bloody Mary bar.
Bright and stylish, Tatte Bakery & Café (70 Charles St., 617/723-5555, www.tattebakery.com, 7am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-8pm Sat., 8am-7pm Sun., $5.50-13.50) is a good spot to nibble something sweet and watch locals drift in and out of the cozy space. Pastries are the star of the show, but there’s also an appealing lineup of sandwiches and lunch items.
Orator Daniel Webster downed brandy and oysters here, and John F. Kennedy loved to sip lobster bisque in booth 18; Union Oyster House (41 Union St., 617/227-2750, www.unionoysterhouse.com, 11am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., bar open until midnight, $13-34) is the oldest operating restaurant in the United States, and if it’s acquired a few overpriced dishes, a cheesy gift shop, and a pile of Olde New Englande tat over the years, it’s easy to forgive over a bowl of super-creamy clam chowder. Find all the classics here, from Boston baked beans to baked scrod, but if you just want to soak up the historic atmosphere, grab a drink and a half-dozen oysters at the downstairs raw bar or the darkly colonial-looking Union Bar.
One might never suspect this laid-back, counter-service lunch place of having the “World’s No. 1 Sandwiches,” but S Sam LaGrassa’s (44 Province St., 617/357-6861, www.samlagrassas.com, 11am-3:30pm Mon.-Fri., $9-13) has a passionate following that lines up for enormous deli sandwiches and chowder. Roast beef and Reubens are served in classic style here, piled high with deli meat, but it’s the pastrami that made this place famous. Most sandwiches can easily serve two people.
Find Chilean sandwiches piled with freshly grilled meat, veggies, and Muenster cheese at Chacarero (101 Arch St., 617/542-0392, www.chacarero.com, 8am-6pm Mon.-Fri., $7-10), a pocket-sized sandwich shop beloved by locals. The secret ingredient: green beans.
A little, family-run “shack” on the waterfront, James Hook & Co. (15-17 Northern Ave., 617/423-5501, www.jameshooklobster.com, 10am-5pm Mon.-Thurs. and Sat., 10am-6pm Fri., 10am-4pm Sun., $19-24) sells live lobsters and seafood, but it’s worth stopping by for the truly satisfying (though quite pricey) lobster rolls—just mayonnaise, hot dog bun, fresh meat, and no fuss. A few tables for sitting are located outside, or you can bring your roll down to the waterfront harborwalk.
It is possible to order the namesake sandwiches at S Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe (86 Bedford St., 617/482-1888, 11am-6:30pm Mon.-Fri., 11:30am-7pm Sat., $5-11), but the real draw is the hand-pulled noodles that come doused in garlicky oil, mild chili powder, fresh herbs, and green onions. The noodles are a chewy delight, and Gene’s is one of the only places in New England where you can find the traditional food.
The sushi and Japanese small plates at S O Ya (9 East St., 617/654-9900, www.o-ya.restaurant, 5pm-9:30pm Tues.-Thurs., 5pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $50-70) are both creative and exquisite, and meals here are consistently ranked among the best in the city. For an all-out feast, try the 21-course tasting menu that includes one of the chef’s signature dishes: Kumamoto oyster nigiri is a warm, fried oyster atop a tiny bed of rice and seaweed, topped with a froth of ethereal squid ink. In keeping with the culinary artistry, the decor is modern, simple, and elegant.
North End trattorias have the low lights and Chianti candles on lock, but Erbaluce (69 Church St., 617/426-6969, www.erbaluce-boston.com, 5pm-10pm Tues.-Thurs. and Sun., 5pm-11pm Fri.-Sat., $30-50) offers a more contemporary, sophisticated experience. Minimalist decor pairs well with the chef’s use of simple, full-flavored northern Italian recipes and super-fresh ingredients.
Boston Public Market (100 Hanover St., 617/973-4909, www.bostonpublicmarket.org, 8am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-8pm Sun.) is a covered, year-round market space with dozens of local vendors selling prepared foods, products, and groceries.
There’s always a line out the door of S Regina Pizzeria (11½ Thatcher St., 617/227-0765, www.reginapizzeria.com, 11am-11:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-12:30am Fri.-Sat., $8-16), but joining the line is part of the fun at this landmark destination. The kitchen turns out blistered, lightly blackened pies topped with traditional Neapolitan ingredients, but it’s the crust that really shines: The pizzaoli in the open kitchen throw disks of dough that are chewy, thin, and just slightly uneven, truly some of the best in town. Walls are decked with streamers and signs from neighborhood saints’ days, tables are closely packed, and service is brusque—with a bit of a North End swagger (either native or adopted). When waits are long, large groups might do well to go elsewhere, but someone regularly goes down the line plucking out pairs and singles for seats at the bar.
Italian coffee shop in Boston’s North End
Stop by Monica’s Mercato (130 Salem St., 617/742-4101, www.monicasboston.com, 9:30am-11pm daily, $6-12) at lunchtime, and you’ll order your sub or pizza alongside a line of North End cops, construction workers, and longtime locals—it’s a good omen that doesn’t disappoint. Sandwiches are layered with freshly sliced prosciutto, salami, and Italian cheeses, bathed in extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and wrapped to go. There’s no seating in this shoebox-sized deli, but it’s a five-minute walk to the North End Park, where you’ll find shaded tables, park benches, and a series of fountains that keep things cool on the steamiest Boston afternoons.
It would be easy to miss little Polcari’s Coffee (105 Salem St., 617/227-0786, www.polcariscoffee.com, 10am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat., Italian ice $2-3), a shop that’s weighed out the neighborhood’s espresso beans and spices on a pair of great brass scales since 1932. In the warm months, though, Polcari’s scoops cups full of fine-grained, lemony Italian ice that’s unbelievably refreshing on a hot day.
Whether you’re sipping a morning cappuccino or an amaro nightcap, the marble-topped tables at Caffé Vittoria (290-296 Hanover St., 617/227-7606, www.caffevittoria.com, 7am-midnight Sun.-Thurs., 7am-12:30am Fri.-Sat., $3-9, cash only) are perfect for watching North End life drift by. Every surface of this old-world café is covered in antique espresso machines, vintage Italian posters, and other memorabilia. Cappuccinos come under a melting layer of powdered chocolate, and the late-night menu of cordials—these include herbal amari and sweet sips like crema di limoncello—are perfect with traditional Italian desserts.
An island of contemporary style in the thoroughly old-school North End, S Neptune Oyster (63 Salem St., 617/742-3474, www.neptuneoyster.com, 11:30am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $22-39) gets a lot of hype and deserves every bit of it. The big, buttery lobster rolls are the best in Boston, but the creative seafood menu skims through the world’s great coastal cuisines: Try Acadian-style redfish and chips, Veracruz-style mackerel, or North End cioppino. Raw bar offerings include East and West Coast oysters along with a rotating lineup of what’s fresh. The line starts well before the doors open for lunch, and the tiny space can be cramped and loud.
Another neighborhood favorite with a constant line, Giacomo’s Ristorante (355 Hanover St., 617/523-9026, 4:30pm-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 4:30pm-11pm Fri.-Sat., 4:30pm-9:30pm Sun., $16-26) serves huge portions of Italian American favorites like baked ziti, eggplant parmesan, and veal marsala in a simple brick dining room. Cash only.
Don’t leave the North End without a string-wrapped box filled with traditional Italian sweets. The classic cannoli rivalry is between a pair of legendary shops geographically close enough for a head-to-head comparison. The versions at Mike’s Pastry (300 Hanover St., 617/742-3050, www.mikespastry.com, 8am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 8am-11:30pm Fri.-Sat., $2-8) are hefty and sweet, overflowing with ricotta filling. S Modern Pastry (257 Hanover St., 617/523-3783, www.modernpastry.com, 8am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 8am-11pm Fri., 8am-midnight Sat., $2-8) has a slight edge, serving smaller, more delicate cannolo that are filled on the spot.
Far less flashy and famous, Maria’s Pastry (46 Cross St., 617/523-1196, www.mariaspastry.com, 7am-7pm Mon.-Sat., 7am-5pm Sun., $2-8) has a passionate cadre of supporters who swear by the sfogliatelle that overflow with luscious vanilla cream.
In the North End, little Italian markets are the ideal place to stock up for a picnic of cured meats and imported cheeses; one favorite is Salumeria Italiana (151 Richmond St., 617/523-8743, www.salumeriaitaliana.com, 8am-7pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-4pm Sun.), which also has fabulous deli sandwiches.
In a convenient spot by Copley Square, Dig Inn (557 Boylston St., www.diginn.com, 10am-10pm daily, $11-30) has a fresh menu of mix-and-match dishes that emphasize sustainable values and ingredients sourced directly from producers. Choose from a list of proteins including wild-caught fish, tofu, and farm-raised meats and add whole grains and sides, or snack on lighter options like avocado toast or a roasted kale salad. This restaurant is part of a small chain based in New York City.
Another fabulous place for something sweet is Flour + Bakery Cafe (131 Clarendon St., 617/437-7700, www.flourbakery.com, 6:30am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm Sat., 8am-5pm Sun., $3-9), one of four locations in the Boston area run by master pastry chef Joanne Chang. You’ll find sandwiches and salads enough for a fine, upstanding lunch, but it’s the lusciously sugary tarts, rolls, buns, and pies that bring in the crowds—a particular favorite is Chang’s sticky bun, a mammoth treat that’s surprisingly light beneath a coating of caramel and pecans.
Somewhat out of the way on the western side of Fenway, S Mei Mei (506 Park Dr., 857/250-4959, www.meimeiboston.com, 11am-9pm Sun. and Tues.-Wed., 11am-10pm Thurs.-Sat., $7-19) is worth the trek and an easy, five-minute walk from the Fenway T station. It’s a fun, welcoming place run by the Li siblings—one brother and two sisters—who bring a lighthearted approach to a menu that leans Chinese American but doesn’t shy away from eclectic dishes like pierogi or mac and cheese (which gets a whiff of Chinese heat from a spicy gochujang cheese sauce). Mei Mei’s most famous creation, though, is its oozy, savory sandwich the Double Awesome: pesto, cheese, eggs, and meat layered between two flaky scallion pancakes.
The Boston Public Library’s Italianate courtyard is a glorious place to linger in the summer—the fountain and deep, shady arcades keep it cool on even the hottest days—but many visitors never discover the restaurant overlooking the elegant spot. Stop by S The Courtyard Restaurant (700 Boylston St., 617/859-2282, www.thecateredaffair.com, 11:30am-3:30pm Mon.-Sat., afternoon tea $49 adults with champagne, $39 without, $19 children with hot chocolate, $15 without) for the elegant high tea, and nibble on tiered platters of savory sandwiches, sweet petit fours, and scones with cream . . . and a freshly brewed pot of tea.
Small markets abound in the city, but the most convenient is the Copley Square Boston Farmers Market (11am-6pm Tues. and Fri. early May-late Nov.), where farmers, bakers, and chefs set up right across the street from the Boston Public Library.
The treats at S Blackbird Doughnuts (492 Tremont St., 617/482-9000, www.blackbirddoughnuts.com, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm Sat.-Sun., $3-5) are displayed individually on cake pedestals, speared with little flags that make them look like tiny, recently discovered islands. Pillowy raised doughnuts come in flavors like salted toffee, passion fruit, and the oozing PB&J Bismarck, but the namesake sweet is a cake doughnut. The Blackbird signature flavor is a vanilla bean old-fashioned with vanilla bean glaze. Pick up treats to go, as this tiny shop has no seating.
A strong competitor for Boston’s best breakfasts, S Mike & Patty’s (12 Church St., 617/423-3447, www.mikeandpattys.com, 8am-2pm Mon.-Tues., 7:30am-2pm Wed.-Fri., 7:30am-2:30pm Sat.-Sun., $5-11) is a hole-in-the-wall corner café with just a handful of stools—which is why the sidewalk is filled with patrons on sunny days, enjoying egg sandwiches fresh from the griddle. Order it “classic” with American cheese and egg on an English muffin, or go “fancy” to get the works. Orders for pickup can be placed on the website.
An “indie diner” with a colorful, irreverent attitude, Myers + Chang (1145 Washington St., 617/542-5200, www.myersandchang.com, 11:30am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $15-20) has a generous menu that ranges from dim sum brunch (on weekends) to noodle soup, Asian-influenced mains, home-style Indonesian food, and anything else that appeals to the talented kitchen. This is an especially good choice on Monday and Tuesday’s “cheap date nights,” with $45 prix fixe menus for two.
Harvard Square is jam-packed with places to recover from hard-core learning (and sightseeing). For something that transcends the budget student joints, Alden & Harlow (40 Brattle St., 617/864-2100, www.aldenharlow.com, 5pm-1am Mon.-Wed., 5pm-2am Thurs.-Fri., 10:30am-2pm and 5pm-2am Sat., 10:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-1am Sun., $25-35) serves exquisite, ingredient-focused small plates like fried quail, bass crudo, and chicken liver pâté.
Nostalgic alumni are sure to stop by Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage (1246 Massachusetts Ave., 617/354-6559, www.mrbartley.com, 11am-9pm Tues.-Sat., $13-19) for burgers with jokey names and wonderfully crispy onion rings.
Sunny Crema Café (27 Brattle St., 617/876-2700, www.cremacambridge.com, 7am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-9pm Sat.-Sun., $3-6) has big communal tables that give the independent coffee shop a friendly, social feel; you’ll also find breakfast sandwiches and sweet treats.
Fill up on great bowls of ramen and snacks like takoyaki (octopus-filled battered balls) and gyoza (dumplings) at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (1 Bow St., 617/945-1460, www.santouka-usa.com, 11am-9:30pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10:30pm Fri.-Sat., 11am-9pm Sun., $12-20), a chic, modern outpost of a Japanese chain that’s popular with just about everybody.
Because Boston is so compact, all the following listings are good choices for accessing the city’s main sights and attractions. They won’t come cheap—Boston is among the most expensive cities in the United States for hotels and Airbnb. There are some wonderful options, however, and it’s worth booking well in advance to secure a spot.
A quaint bed-and-breakfast on the back of Beacon Hill, the S John Jeffries House (14 Mugar Way, 617/367-1866, www.johnjeffrieshouse.com, $200-335) has spartan but comfortable rooms that were originally quarters for nurses at the nearby Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. There are small kitchenettes in each room, a continental breakfast is served in the common space, and guests get a discounted rate at the Charles Street garage ($40 for 24 hrs.). Try for a room with a view of the Charles River.
The Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro (25 Charles St., 617/723-7575, www.beaconhillhotel.com, $249-449) is right in the heart of the action in this fashionable, historic neighborhood. The rooms are smallish, but charming and sweetly decorated. A full breakfast is served in the downstairs bistro, or can be brought to your room. The real star of this boutique hotel is the rooftop terrace, which offers perfect people-watching down toward Charles Street. It’s an ideal spot to bring a bottle of wine at the end of the day.
On the edge of downtown, with a great location between the theater district and Chinatown, S HI Boston Hostel (19 Stuart St., 617/536-9455, www.bostonhostel.org, dorms $55-80, private rooms $230) sets the standard for large, urban hostels, and it’s easily the best budget option in the city. Dormitory rooms range from eight-bed economy options to four-bed premium rooms, both gender-specific and coed, and the thoughtful design makes them comfortable spaces to sleep for all kinds of travelers. Beds have assigned lockers, small reading lights, and charging stations, and the shared hallway bathrooms are always immaculate; private rooms have en suite bathrooms and a spare, modern style. Self-serve breakfasts of toast, cereal, and fruit are offered in the large common dining room, where there are hot drinks all day and a big kitchen for guest use. Employees organize guided walks or group activities, from brewery tours to bar hops and movie nights, which makes this a great place to meet other visitors. There’s no parking on-site, but hostel staff directs guests to the Boston Common Parking Garage (0 Charles St., overnight $18-32), which is a 0.4-mile walk from the hostel.
One of the most unusual places to sleep on the waterfront is aboard one of the S Liberty Fleet tall ships (67 Long Wharf, 617/742-0333, www.libertyfleet.com, 2-person shared bunk room $60 pp, private $90 s, $120 d), which moor at a centrally located dock by the New England Aquarium. Accommodations are somewhat rustic, with shared bathrooms and showers and no wireless Internet—the experience is somewhere between floating hostel and tour of duty, but it’s completely charming to wake up to the sounds of the Boston waterfront and lapping waves. Guests spending their first night aboard must meet a crew member for a short evening orientation but on subsequent nights may come and go freely after the last sail of the day and first morning outing (typically between 8pm and 10am); guests also receive a 30 percent discount on a sailing trip. The closest parking is at the Harbor Garage (70 E. India Row, $38 for 24 hrs.).
Old-world elegance is faded but still enchanting at the Omni Parker House (60 School St., 617/227-8600, www.omnihotels.com/hotels/boston-parker-house, $182-717), one of downtown Boston’s most storied hotels. The waitstaff have included civil rights leader Malcom X and communist Vietnam’s ruler Ho Chi Minh, both of whom presumably ferried countless baskets of the Parker House Rolls that were invented here. The hotel regularly lands on the list of Boston’s most haunted places (paranormal activity is said to be particularly high on the 3rd floor). If you book Table 40 in the Parker Restaurant, you’ll dine where JFK proposed to the future Jackie Kennedy. In keeping with the historic building, rooms are rather small, and while they’re pleasantly furnished, they’re neither as historic nor as luxurious as the public spaces. Valet parking is available for $48 per person.
One of Boston’s top boutique hotels, The Godfrey (505 Washington St., 617/804-2000, www.godfreyhotelboston.com, $215-614) is chic and modern, and right in the thick of the Downtown Crossing shopping area. You’ll find all the luxe amenities—valet parking, spa services, fitness center—along with rooted-in-Boston flourishes such as local art and designs. Splash out for a corner room for wraparound views of the city below.
Just across the bridge in Charlestown, S Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast (1 13th St., Pier 8, 617/340-2608, www.greenturtlebb.com, $255-375) offers a novel solution to Boston’s perennial lack of space. Accommodations are in a two-bedroom houseboat or one of two motor yachts, pulling off an unusual blend of luxury and quirk. Rooms are very comfortable and well appointed, a full breakfast is delivered each morning by the friendly hosts, and the boats’ kitchenettes are stocked with snacks and drinks. The bed-and-breakfast is a 1-mile walk from North End sights and close to the public ferry dock on Pier 4. A taxi from Logan Airport costs approximately $32, and a water taxi is $12 per person (inquire at the airport).
Striking a pleasant balance between boutique style and corporate suave, The Boxer Boston (107 Merrimack St., 617/624-0202, www.theboxerboston.com, $184-574) is an appealing choice within easy walking distance of North End sights. In addition to more traditional king rooms, doubles, and suites, The Boxer has bunk rooms with a double bed on the bottom, and a twin-size bed on top—a good option for couples traveling with one child. The compact, comfortable, and modern rooms have flat-screen televisions and coffeemakers. Valet parking with in-and-out privileges is $47 per night.
The bare-bones Boston Fenway Inn (12 Hemenway St., 857/250-2785, www.bostonfenwayinn.com, dorms $28-50, private rooms $49-125) is a decent option for budget travelers if the more appealing HI Boston is fully booked. All rooms have shared baths, and a basic continental breakfast is provided. Some travelers have found that rooms aren’t cleaned as frequently as they’d like, and the inn tends to sell out months in advance.
With a quiet location, Oasis Guest House (22 Edgerly Rd., 617/267-2262, www.oasisguesthouse.com, shared bath $89-189, private bath $119-259, 3-person suite $139-279 with breakfast and 2-night minimum on weekends) is walking distance to Fenway Park and public transportation. The somewhat faded decor leans old-fashioned, but it’s a perfectly tidy, friendly place to land, whether you’re in the Oasis property itself or Adams Bed and Breakfast, a neighboring outpost with similar facilities and the same management. A small continental breakfast is served, limited parking is available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis for $25, and there’s a public garage nearby with 24-hour parking for $33.
Though technically in Kenmore Square, Abigayle’s Bed and Breakfast (72 Bay State Rd., 617/720-0522, $105-175) is easy walking distance to destinations in Fenway and Back Bay. Friendly hosts and a simple continental breakfast make this a comfortable place to stay. All rooms have private baths (though the single room, which starts at $105 nightly, has a detached private bath in the hallway). The four-story house does not have an elevator. One parking space is available for $20 per night.
Part of the charm of a Boston neighborhood is imagining the elegant homes behind the brownstones, but there aren’t many ways to get past the doorstep. With elegant furnishings and a wonderfully historical feel, the S College Club of Boston (44 Commonwealth Ave., 617/536-9510, www.thecollegeclubofboston.com, shared bath $129-209 s, private bath $199-329 d) is like an invitation into one of those houses. The 11 guest rooms are named for colleges and universities, and each is furnished with unique style and charm—you’ll find high ceilings and windows throughout the house, pretty secretary desks, and thoughtful touches. Shared bathrooms are pristine, and a generous continental breakfast is served in a downstairs dining room.
A trio of Back Bay town houses are linked up to make the Newbury Guest House (261 Newbury St., 617/670-6000, www.newburyguesthouse.com, $202-422). This bed-and-breakfast is walking distance from an appealing array of shops and cafés. Breakfast includes hot options like eggs and bacon along with croissants, fruit and yogurt, and hot drinks. Rooms are clean, light, and airy, and some have in-room fireplaces—welcome on blustery fall evenings. A few parking spaces are available on-site for $20 per night; call when booking to reserve.
The Gryphon House (9 Bay State Rd., 877/375-9003, www.innboston.com, $285-325) is a turn-of-the-20th-century Victorian brownstone that has been painstakingly preserved, with historical wallpaper and atmospheric paintings. The eight suites are spacious and well appointed, with gas fireplaces, flat-screen televisions with DVD players, wet bars, and refrigerators. The “extended continental” breakfast is an ample spread of yogurt, fruit, toast, hot and cold cereal, juice, and hot drinks, and parking is available on-site for $15 per night. Show your Red Sox ticket stub for $20 off and one day of free parking.
Achingly cool and Instagram-ready, S The Verb (1271 Boylston St., 617/566-4500, www.theverbhotel.com, $151-567) combines a colorful rock-and-roll aesthetic with high-end service and style. The poolside scene is fun and occasionally boisterous; the bar serves strong, creative cocktails; and you can browse the lobby’s vinyl library for something to spin on your in-room Crosley record player. Before a stem-to-stern overhaul, this was a Howard Johnson hotel, and The Verb raises a glass to that history at Hojoko (www.hojokoboston.com), its on-site Japanese tavern. Valet parking is $48 per night, and you’re a baseball-throw’s distance away from Fenway Park.
There’s still a roller-skating rink beneath the armchairs and coffee tables at 40 Berkeley (40 Berkeley St., 617/375-2524, www.40berkeley.com, $117-168), an enormous YWCA-turned hotel. Rooms are somewhat institutional, and shared baths are basic but recently renovated, but management has addressed one long-standing complaint by installing air-conditioning units in every room. While all rooms are private, the overall effect is hostel-like, with a room for movie nights, games, and convivial common spaces. This is a good choice for families, as triples and quads are available, with no additional charge for extra guests.
The bright units at Chandler Studios (54 Berkeley St., 617/482-3450, www.chandlerstudioboston.com, $195-524) are enlivened by grainy scenes from historic Boston, giving the modern decor a bit more personality. Studios have fully equipped kitchenettes, and the one-bedroom suite has a one-bedroom sitting room with a pullout couch. Hot drinks are available 24 hours a day in the lobby. Guests get a reduced rate at a nearby parking garage ($30 for 24 hrs.), and the location is within easy walking distance from public transport and Back Bay sights.
The hotels around Boston’s Logan Airport are corporate bland, but for early morning flights or avoiding city traffic, these can be a convenient option.
Eight miles north of the airport, Red Roof Plus Boston Logan (920 Broadway, Saugus, 937/328-1612, www.bostonlogan.redroof.com, $116-222) is a clean, easy-to-reach budget option, convenient for anyone who is flying into Boston and leaving the next morning. Taxi service from the airport is $25 and takes 15-30 minutes, while the MBTA station is an $18 taxi ride away. Free parking is available. While the neighborhood is not much of a destination, there are stores and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
The Hilton Boston Logan Airport (1 Hotel Dr., Logan International Airport, 617/568-6700, www.hilton.com, $175-469) is connected to the A and E terminals by a sky bridge and has 24-hour shuttle service to the airport, the MBTA Blue Line, and to water taxis, which makes it straightforward to get into downtown Boston. Hot breakfast is available, though not included with rates, and the hotel also has a fitness room and indoor pool. Parking is available for $42 (self) and $47 (valet).
A good place to get oriented is the Boston Common Visitor Information Center (139 Tremont St., 888/733-2678, www.bostonusa.com, 8:30am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm Sat.-Sun.), located in the park halfway between the Park Street and Boylston Street T stops. There you can pick up maps and guides, along with museum discount coupons and brochures for major attractions. It’s also the starting place for the Freedom Trail and several trolley tours around the city. The National Park Service (NPS) runs its own Faneuil Hall Visitor Center (1 Faneuil Hall, 617/242-5642, www.nps.gov/bost, 9am-6pm daily), which includes a good collection of books on Boston and Massachusetts. If you are planning ahead, you can contact the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (800/733-2678, www.bostonusa.com) for additional publications with the latest tourist information. The NPS also has a Boston-specific app with tours, maps, and info.
While many of Boston’s most appealing experiences are free (or just the cost of a cannoli), seeing the city’s museums and attractions can add up quickly. A couple of cards and passes bundle attractions under a single price, often with a dizzying array of variations: The All-Inclusive Go Boston Card (www.smartdestinations.com, $57-175 adults, $39-119 children) has passes in increments ranging from a single day to a week and includes admission to many of the city’s best sites, with no limits on the number you can visit each day. The three-, five- and seven-day options include one “premium attraction”—the aquarium’s whale-watching boat tour, tickets to a Red Sox game, or the “surf and turf-style” Boston Duck Tour. Verdict: If you’re a fast-moving sightseer and plan to see these sites anyway, this is a great deal. For those who like to take more time at museums and historic sites, though, it’s hard to get enough value for the cost.
If just a couple of specific places are on your list, it’s definitely worth purchasing tickets to them via the same company’s Build Your Own Go Boston Card, where you select your destinations and save 15-20 percent by purchasing in advance. Another option is the Boston City Pass (www.citypass.com/boston, $56 adults, $44 children), which includes the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Skywalk Observatory, and either the Museum of Fine Arts or a harbor cruise over a nine-day period. Who it works for: anyone already planning to visit two of the higher-dollar attractions on a more relaxed schedule.
For medical emergencies, call 911. Boston has many hospitals with 24-hour emergency rooms, including Massachusetts General Hospital (55 Fruit St., off Cambridge St., 617/726-2000, www.massgeneral.org) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (330 Brookline Ave. at Longwood Ave., 617/667-7000, www.bidmc.org).
All New England highways seem to lead to Boston, which is at the intersection of I-90, I-95, and I-93. The traffic is notoriously hairy moving through the city, and when possible, it’s worth planning to avoid the busy morning and afternoon commute hours. Given the possibility for traffic, all driving times are approximate and optimistic, including New York City (215 mi, 3 hrs., 30 min.), Newport (75 mi, 1 hr., 15 min.), Cape Cod (60 mi, 1 hr.), Portland (110 mi, 1 hr., 45 min.), and Stockbridge (135 mi, 2 hrs.).
Flights to Boston’s Logan International Airport (www.massport.com/logan-airport/) are available from almost all major cities. From Logan, ground transportation can be arranged from the information desk at baggage claim. The most efficient way to get into the city is via taxi, though expect to pay a minimum of $25 for downtown locations, or shared van service to downtown and Back Bay for $20-25 per person.
Far cheaper (and almost as quick) is the MBTA Silver Line bus (www.mbta.com); inbound rides on SL1 from Logan Airport to Boston’s South Station are free, and leave from stops directly in front of each terminal. Buses leave several times an hour 5am-1am, and reach South Station (Summer St. and Atlantic Ave.) in 15-25 minutes. If you’re continuing to downtown stops or Cambridge, request a free transfer for the MBTA Red Line subway route.
From most destinations, Amtrak (South Station, Summer St. and Atlantic Ave., 800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) runs service to both the South Station and Back Bay Station. (Amtrak trains from all destinations in Maine run to the North Station.) The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (617/222-5000, www.mbta.com) also runs commuter rail service from locations in Greater Boston for fares of up to $6.
Bus service arrives at the South Station. Most U.S. destinations are served by Greyhound (800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com). However, smaller bus companies also run from various locations around the region, such as the BoltBus (877/265-8287, www.boltbus.com), Megabus (www.megabus.com), and Peter Pan Bus (800/343-9999, www.peterpanbus.com).
Ask local drivers about Boston’s behind-the-wheel style, and they’ll describe their competitive, fast-moving traffic as part of the city’s Hobbesian soul and panache. Ask anyone else in New England, and they’ll explain how Bostonians earned their regional nickname: Massholes.
If you can get around without it, it’s far easier and cheaper to leave your car in a garage while in Boston. Check with your accommodations first, as many often have a deal with a nearby location.
It’s possible to find street parking in Boston, but regulations can be byzantine, with varied time limits and many resident-only zones. If you do find on-street parking, meters are active 8am-8pm Monday-Saturday, and most take both coins and credit cards, as well as payment through the Park Boston app.
In downtown, Boston Common Garage (0 Charles St., 617/954-2098, weekdays $28 for 3-10 hrs., $32 for 10-24 hrs.; weekends $14 for 1-3 hrs., $18 overnight) is large, convenient, and affordable. The North End Garage (600 Commercial St., 617/723-1488, $24 for 2-10 hrs., $34 for 10-24 hrs.) is close to TD Garden and North End sights. Prices fluctuate and some small lots offer good discounts: Parking app SpotHero (www.spothero.com) is an excellent way to search for nearby spots using custom time parameters, often at discounted prices—though some garages require you to print your pass. Most garages do not include in-and-out privileges.
One other option is to leave your car outside of the city entirely. Some MBTA stations have enclosed garages that are much cheaper than city parking: Alewife station (11 Cambridgepark W., Cambridge, www.lazparking.com, overnight parking $8) is convenient and big, with 2,733 spaces in an enclosed garage. Alewife is at the end of the Red Line, and frequent trains make the 20-minute trip to downtown Boston.
For peace of mind (and to save on parking costs), use public transport. The “T,” which is short for MBTA (617/222-5000, www.mbta.com) is cheap, safe, and easy to use. Subway fares are $2.75 with a ticket—or $2.25 with a reloadable Charlie Card you can pick up at major stations. More out-of-the-way locations require taking one of the MBTA buses, which are often slow but give good coverage across the city. Fares are currently $2, or $1.70 with a Charlie Card. Often overlooked as a means of transportation are the ferries that ply Boston Harbor. A trip from Charlestown Navy Yard to Long Wharf (perfect after completing the Freedom Trail) costs $3.50.
Keep in mind that the MBTA doesn’t run 12:30am-5:30am. The only option at that time is ride-sharing or a taxi, which isn’t cheap. Fares start at $2.60 for the first one-seventh mile and add $2.60 for each additional mile, with $28 for each hour of waiting time. Also note that trips to Logan are saddled with an additional $2.75 for tolls, while trips from Logan cost an extra $6.
Call a cab from the hybrid fleet of Boston Cab Dispatch (617/536-5010, www.bostoncab.us), which also has wheelchair-equipped cars, or try Boston Logan Taxi Service (617/499-7770, www.bostonairportexpresscar.com), whose website allows pre-booking for airport pickups. Uber (www.uber.com) and Lyft (www.lyft.com) services are also available in Boston.
Boston’s Harbor Islands have played an important role in the city’s history that, until recently, was largely forgotten. The gateway to a city that itself was once practically an island, the 34 islands that now comprise Boston Harbor Islands State and National Park were home to important military installations, resorts, lighthouses, Native American camps, fishing communities, and—less memorably—a garbage dump.
Today, the dump on Spectacle Island has been turned into a park that has fantastic views of the city from the top of the heap, and ferries carry more than a million people each year to eight islands for exploring historic forts, tanning on the beach, hiking and boating, or enjoying a traditional seaside New England clambake.
Eight of the Harbor Islands can be reached via public ferry, and an additional 19 are accessible by private boat. Three of the islands are closed to the public, and one—Thompson Island—is only publicly accessible on the weekends. The park is open year-round; however, ferries only operate seasonally, late spring-October.
Located on distant, surf-pounded Little Brewster Island, Boston Harbor Light (Little Brewster Island, 617/223-8666, www.bostonharborislands.org) is the oldest light station in the United States, first established in 1716. The current, 89-foot-tall lighthouse dates to 1783, is still maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, and is open for ranger-led tours—including climbing the 76 stairs and two ladders to get to the top. The two-acre island is one of the most distant of the Harbor Islands from downtown Boston, and tours via ferry take about 3.5 hours.
On George’s Island, Fort Warren (www.bostonharborislands.org) was built to protect Boston from attack by sea and housed Confederate prisoners during the U.S. Civil War. Constructed between 1833 and 1860, the star-shaped fortification was an active military base through World War II, and visitors can see examples of weapons spanning the fort’s 87 years of service. Take a docent-led tour or explore on your own; the views from the upper ramparts are extraordinary. A summer music festival called Rock the Fort brings live bands out to the island on Saturday afternoons.
Visitors to Lovell’s Island can wander among the overgrown fortifications that once comprised Fort Standish, a coastal defense installation built in 1907, as well as the foundations of some of the 60 buildings that once stood here. There’s more left of Fort Andrews on Peddocks Island, including brick barracks, former officers’ quarters, and a restored chapel.
The Harbor Islands are mostly small, flat, and deserted, making them perfect for a quiet nature walk. Spectacle Island is the only one of the islands with any significant elevation, and that’s only because it features a former garbage dump that rises 157 feet above sea level. A five-mile hike that departs from the visitors center includes a walk up and over the mound, which offers unobstructed 360-degree views from a gazebo at the top.
A highlight of the 5 miles of trails on Peddocks Island is walking the paved paths among the shuttered buildings of Fort Andrews. A 1-mile loop hike of Grape Island is blessed with shade, and the 2.5 miles of trails on Thompson Island include forested stretches as well as marshes, meadows, and beaches. Only open to the public on weekends, Thompson Island is home to an Outward Bound program and has two marked hiking trails—the 1-mile Northwest Trail and the 1.5-mile Southwest Trail.
The sandy beach on Spectacle Island is just 20 minutes from downtown Boston; it has a million-dollar view of the city skyline, calm waters, lifeguards (the only ones in the park), and easy access to the restrooms and snack bar at the island’s visitors center. What it lacks is shade, so be sure to bring a beach umbrella along if you don’t want to bake in the sun. The beach is just steps away from the ferry dock.
Spectacle Island’s trash has become treasure in the form of sea glass, which washes up regularly on the beaches of the onetime garbage dump. Some of the glass and pottery, milled smooth by waves and sand, is more than a century old. Visitors can gather and admire the glass, but taking it home is prohibited.
To escape the crowds on Spectacle Island, the ocean-facing beach on Lovell’s Island has soft and good swimming, though no lifeguards are on duty here. Even more remote are the slate and shell beaches at Bumpkin Island.
There are simple cafés on George’s Island and Spectacle Island, both run by Boston celebrity chef Barbara Lynch, but the menu of snacks, hot dogs, and fried fish comes with inflated prices and long waits. If you’re not bringing food from the mainland, stop by Salt Water Lobster Company (George’s Island, noon-4pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-5pm Sat.-Sun., $7-25) or Seaglass Café (Spectacle Island, noon-4pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-5pm Sat.-Sun., $7-25).
Harpoon Brewery also hosts a weekly Beer Garden on Spectacle Island, where you can snare one of the Adirondack chairs on the visitors center porch and soak in the gemütlichkeit with a lunch or dinner of German potato salad, pierogis, and bierwurst slid into a pretzel bun and topped with mustard and sauerkraut. Tickets are via Boston Harbor Cruises (www.bostonharborcruises.com, $55 adults, $50 children 3-12).
Another favorite event on these islands is the Thursday night clambake (www.bostonharborcruises.com, clambakes $99 adults, $70 children 3-12, includes ferry ticket, food, and drinks). The clambake now includes Lynch’s signature clam chowder along with a sugar snap pea salad, lobster, mussels, littleneck clams, Portuguese-style linguica sausage, potatoes, corn, corn bread, and chocolate mousse for dessert. After dinner, guests can enjoy a beach fire and lawn games as the sun sets over the harbor.
There are 33 campsites scattered across Bumpkin, Lovell’s, Grape, and Peddocks Islands (www.bostonharborislands.org, sites for residents $8, nonresidents $10). Campers need to bring all their own food, water, and gear, and pack out their rubbish when leaving, but the campgrounds are furnished with composting toilets, making for a remarkably rustic experience within view of the Boston skyline. Sites can be reserved online up to six months in advance and fill up quickly.
If you prefer sleeping off the ground, Peddocks Island also has six canvas-sided yurts (6-person yurts for residents $55, nonresidents $60) that, while not exactly luxurious, are spacious and clean and have electricity and access to drinking water. Each yurt sleeps six on bunk beds and has an indoor dining table.
Campsites can only be reached via boat, then campers must tote their gear by hand—Peddocks provides wheelbarrows to cart your gear from the dock to the campsites. The camping season runs late June-early September.
The park is open sunrise-sunset daily year-round, plus overnight for camping. Ferry service, however, is more limited, so “open” may mean using your own boat if you want to visit certain islands at certain times of the year. Visitors centers are located on Spectacle and George’s Islands; both islands have cafés, and the George’s Island Visitor Center also has a gift shop.
Daily ferry service is available from Boston Harbor Cruises (617/227-4321, www.bostonharborcruises.com, round-trip $17 adults, $12 seniors/military, $10 children 3-11, children under 3 free) from Long Wharf in downtown Boston to three of the harbor islands: George’s, Spectacle, and Peddocks. Direct service to George’s and Spectacle is available year-round; a separate ferry operates on a loop between all three islands during the summer only.
The closest parking for Long Wharf is at the Boston Harbor Garage on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Milk Street, and the nearest MBTA stop is Aquarium on the Blue Line.
A ferry operated by Outward Bound provides public service to Thompson Island on Saturday and Sunday during the summer from the EDIC pier in South Boston (617/328/3900, $17 adults, $10 children 3-12, children under 3 free, cash only). Take the SL2 bus on the MBTA’s Silver Line to the corner of Harbor Street and Drydock Avenue; there’s also a parking garage at 16 Drydock Avenue.
From Hingham and Hull, Massachusetts, you can take a ferry to some of the less visited Harbor Islands. The MBTA operates daily direct service between Hewitt’s Cove in Hingham and George’s Island spring-fall, departing from the Hingham Shipyard (30 Shipyard Dr., Hingham, 781/749-8009, round-trip $18.50 adults, $9.25 students and seniors). There’s free parking on-site, or take the MBTA Red Line to Quincey Center and connect to the #220 bus, which offers direct service to the shipyard.
In the summer, Boston Harbor Cruises operates loop service out of Hingham with stops at Grape, Hull, Peddocks, George’s, Lovell’s, and Bumpkin Islands before returning to Hingham (round-trip $17 adults, $12 seniors/military, $10 children 3-11, children under 3 free). The stops at Grape and Bumpkin Islands are made Wednesday-Sunday only. Passengers can board at Pembroke Point in Hull (180 Main St.) as well as in Hingham; there’s free public parking on-site, but overnight parking is not permitted.
Boat tours to Boston Harbor Light on Little Brewster Island are offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the summer, departing from the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center (191 W. Atlantic Ave., Boston, 617/223-8666, $41 for adults wishing to climb the light, $37 seniors and military, $32 children 8-12; non-climbers are $30 adults, $25 children).
Historians may debate where the famous “shot heard ’round the world” was actually fired, but there can be no doubt that the first armed combat of the Revolutionary War took place in the town of Lexington, 11 miles west of Boston. By all accounts, it was a tentative and slapdash affair, in stark contrast to the American victory at Concord Bridge that would take place a few hours later. Even so, it marks the first time that the rebellious colonists fired on their own country’s troops, outnumbered and outgunned though they were. For that reason, the town now stands as a monument to the patriots’ courage.
“I think I could write a poem to be called Concord,” wrote writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau. “For argument I should have the River, the Woods, the Ponds, the Hills, the Fields, the Swamps and Meadows, the Streets and Buildings, and the Villagers.”
In addition to its role in the Revolution, Concord played another significant part in history some 60 years later, when it became the home base for a 19th-century literary and religious movement known as transcendentalism. Its proponents, among them Thoreau, Emerson, and Bronson Alcott, believed in a new philosophy inspired by nature, replacing the formalistic theology they’d inherited from Europe. Their writings helped inspire the flowering of a truly American form of literature, as well as the modern environmental movement.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately . . .” As his famous words explain, Henry David Thoreau retired for two years to the shores of Walden Pond to seek a simpler mode of living, closer to nature. The book he wrote about the experience, Walden, has since inspired generations of philosophers, environmentalists, and other readers, who now come regularly to pay homage to the site of Thoreau’s cabin (915 Walden St., 978/369-3254, www.mass.gov). While the home itself is no longer there, the hearthstone from his chimney was uncovered years later. Nearby, a huge cairn of rocks grows yearly with the offerings of pilgrims. (If you’d like to add one, bring one with you, as the woods around the site have been picked clean.)
The park is open year-round, although operating hours vary by season. In summer, lifeguards man a small public beach. However, trips to Walden Pond in peak season should be planned carefully, as crowd control is strictly enforced. On summer weekends, entrance can close as early as 8:30am and only reopen periodically throughout the day (915 Walden St., 978/369-3254, parking $8 for MA vehicle, $15 out of state).
Spanning over 200 years of Lexington and Concord’s shared history, Minuteman National Historical Park (978/369-6993, www.nps.gov, grounds open sunrise-sunset seasonally) encompasses the key sites from the Battle of Lexington and Concord, as well as restored colonial homes. The sprawling park is best explored by car, with entrances at multiple locations in Concord or Lexington.
Near Concord center, visitors cluster the Old North Bridge to imagine the scene: This is where 500 minutemen defeated the British. The bridge is a wooden replica that was built in 1969, the nearby statue is of Captain Isaac Davis, head of the Acton militia, who was killed in the battle. Located by the bridge, the North Bridge Visitor Center (174 Liberty St., 978/369-6993, www.nps.gov/mima, 9am-5pm daily peak season, check website for seasonal schedule) is a good first stop, with an informative film and ranger talks.
A colonial home near to the Orchard House, The Wayside (455 Lexington Rd., 978/318-7863, schedule varies, call first, $7 adults, children free) is a Concord literary landmark. Previously known as the Hillside, it was home both to Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women) and Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter). It also served as a safe house as part of the Underground Railroad for slaves fleeing from the American South to Canada, prior to abolishment of slavery in 1865.
Toward Lexington, the park opens up into stonewall-lined paths that mark the famous battle trail. Along the way, highlights include the “bloody angle,” where 30 British soldiers were ambushed and killed by colonists; Hartwell Tavern (136 N. Great Rd., Lincoln), an authentic colonial public house that hosts military and domestic demonstrations daily; and the site of Paul Revere’s capture, the end of his famous ride from Boston to Concord to rouse minutemen to arms as the British approached. The Minuteman Visitor Center (3113 Marrett Rd., Lexington, 9am-5pm daily peak season, check website for seasonal schedule) shows The Road to Revolution, and battle reenactments are frequently scheduled along the path (check the website for reenactment schedules). Free parking is available in the Concord or Lexington entrances. The trail is known not only for its history but as a soothing setting to enjoy a quiet walk or jog on wooded paths.
Hartwell Tavern
While visiting the Old North Bridge, walk up the hill beyond the minuteman statue to the Old Manse (269 Monument St., 978/369-3909, noon-5pm Tues.-Sun., house admission $10 adults, $9 seniors and students, $5 children, $25 families), a historic colonial estate where both Emerson and Hawthorne lived (at different times). Emerson drafted his famous essay “Nature” here, and the Old Manse became a gathering place for transcendentalists and literary lights. The hedge gardens frame dramatic vistas of the battleground and the Concord River below, making a lovely picnic spot. The grounds are free to access, and open sunrise-sunset.
The town’s garden-like Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (34 Bedford St., 7am-7pm daily) was designed according to transcendentalist philosophies of harmony with nature, and in 1855, Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke at its dedication. The cemetery’s Melvin Memorial, commissioned to commemorate three brothers who died in the Civil War, was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, who created the North Bridge minuteman and President Abraham Lincoln’s statue at the Washington DC Lincoln Memorial. Nearby Authors’ Ridge marks the final resting spots of Thoreau, Emerson, Bronson and Louisa May Alcott, and Hawthorne. The Friends of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (www.friendsofsleepyhollow.org/index.html) produces a map that’s available for purchase in local stores.
In 1868, Louisa May Alcott wrote the classic American novel Little Women while living in the last of her family’s many Concord homes, the Orchard House (399 Lexington Rd., 978/369-4118, www.louisamayalcott.org, 10am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun., admission and guided tour $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $5 children 6-17, children under 6 free). Now a museum, the house retains the same structure and the majority of furnishings of the Alcott family.
Ride from Cambridge to Lexington on the Minuteman Bikeway (www.minutemanbikeway.com), a 10-mile paved and rail-trail bike route that begins at Alewife station, ending in Bedford. A series of off-shoots connects the bikeway to historic sites around Concord.
Rent a canoe or kayak at Southbridge Boat House (496 Main St., 978-369-9438, www.southbridgeboathouse.com, 10am-1 hour before dusk Mon.-Fri., 9am-1 hour before dusk weekends and holidays Apr. 1-Nov 1) to paddle the winding Sudbury River—it’s just 1.5 miles to the Old North Bridge, or you can follow Thoreau’s favorite route to enjoy a serene view of colonial houses, birds, and turtles. Parking is available in a small lot in front of the boathouse and across the street.
A prime destination for bird-watching, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (183 Monsen Rd., www.fws.gov/refuge/great_meadows, sunrise-sunset daily, parking $4) comprises 3,800 acres of wetlands that have been conserved to protect migratory birds, spanning 12 miles across seven towns. The best way to explore is on the 2.7-mile Dike Trail, which can be accessed in Concord on Monsen Road, off Route 62 toward Bedford. Bring your binoculars.
A local establishment for decades, hearty (but not heavy) Italian takes center stage at Mario’s (1733 Massachusetts Ave., 781/861-1182, www.marioslexington.com, 11am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $17-24), known most for its pastas, pizza, and casual, jovial atmosphere. Arrive early for lunch, as the dining room fills quickly.
Made-to-order fresh sandwiches, wraps, panini, salads, soups, and to-go meals are quick and satisfying at Neillio’s Gourmet Kitchen & Catering (53 Bedford St., 781/861-8466, www.neillioscatering.com, 8am-6:30pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-4pm Sat., $5-13). A short drive from Lexington Green, this is the perfect place to get picnic supplies or a packed lunch for the trail. No seating is available.
Leave room for dessert and head to Rancatore’s Ice Cream and Yogurt (1752 Massachusetts Ave., 781/862-5090, www.rancs.com, school year 10am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 10am-11pm Fri.-Sat., summer 10am-11pm daily) for homemade ice cream, sorbet, and frozen yogurt. Expand your palate with flavors like ginger or green tea ice cream, or cool off with mango sorbet. Traditional flavors won’t disappoint either—especially for chocolate lovers.
A short walk from Monument Square, Trails End Café (97 Lowell Rd., 978/610-6633, www.thetrailsendcafe.com, 7am-3pm Mon., 7am-3pm and 5pm-10pm Tues.-Sat., 8am-3pm and 5pm-9pm Sun., $8-26) is a welcoming eatery that serves wholesome meals using ingredients from local farms. With ample seating and a convivial atmosphere, the café is known for coffee, healthy salads, and sandwiches.
For local produce and homemade pies, stop into Verrill Farm (11 Wheeler Rd., 978/369-4494, www.verrillfarm.com, 9am-7pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-5pm Sun. Jan.-Feb., $3-11), across from Walden Pond. Century-old and family-owned, Verrill Farm has strawberry picking, hayrides, and a corn festival, as well as weekend breakfasts throughout the year. The deli makes fresh sandwiches and salads that are perfect to pack for a walk around Walden, but if you want a pie, better call ahead to reserve one.
Drive to the outskirts of “West Concord,” to enjoy homemade breads, quiche, deli sandwiches, and freshly baked desserts at Nashoba Brook Bakery (152 Commonwealth Ave., 978/318-1999, http://slowrise.com, 7am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-8pm Sun., sandwiches start at $7.50). Crowded at lunchtime, it’s worth the wait to sit outside by the brook, or relax on a couch with a cup of coffee.
Concord and Lexington are accessible from Boston via Route 95 to 2A (Lexington) or Route 2 (Concord). Driving from Boston, stop first in Lexington Center to visit the Green and historic houses, and then drive to Concord, stopping at the Minuteman Visitor Center (3113 Marrett Rd., Lexington) and Minuteman National Historical Park along the way.
Bus service from Cambridge is available from MBTA (www.mbta.com, Routes 76, 62, or 67 from Alewife station) to Lexington Center. There is currently no public transportation between Lexington and Concord. The MBTA commuter rail Fitchburg train line runs directly to Concord, easily picked up at North Station or Porter Square in Cambridge.
With a grim history of deadly witch trials, Salem’s tragedy has lingered through the centuries—a story of mass hysteria that’s only underscored by the city’s prim facade. Gothic Victorian homes stand watch at the edge of the Naumkeag River, and historic wharves still see bustling boat traffic.
Salem might still be “Witch City,” but there’s far more to explore here than creepy sites and modern-day magic shops. This is where Hawthorne depicted the confines of the Puritan world in his book The House of the Seven Gables, and Salem was long an important trading port, sending ships laden with salted codfish across the globe.
These days, Salem is a bedroom community of Boston, and clusters of shops, cafés, and historic streets make the city an appealing place to explore.
Convicted for practicing witchcraft and sorcery, 20 people were executed between February 1692 and spring of the following year, with more than 200 people accused. It was not an isolated incident—Salem’s witch problems came at the tail end of a centuries-long “witch craze” that had swept Europe. Just prior to the witch trials, King William’s War—a conflict between France and England that played out in the Colonies—displaced people from New York to Quebec and Nova Scotia, with many settling on the Massachusetts coast, straining resources and community bonds.
When two local girls started having “fits” in January 1692, accusations flew, with fingers pointing first toward some of the town’s most vulnerable people: The first three people to go on trial included Tituba, an enslaved woman; Sarah Good, a beggar; and the impoverished, elderly Sarah Osborne.
The paroxysm of witch trials has a complex historic context, but in 1976 a new theory was introduced. Now, some believe that the mass hysteria was the result of ergotism, the effect of eating a fungus that can contaminate rye and other grains, and is known to cause spasms and hallucinations.
Many sites around Salem explore the town’s dramatic history. The most affecting is the simple Salem Witch Trials Memorial (Liberty St., www.salemweb.com/memorial), which displays the names of the victims on stone benches next to the central burying ground. Nearby, the Witch House (310 Essex St., 978/744-8815, www.salemweb.com/witchhouse, 10am-5pm daily Mar. 15-Nov. 15, $10.25 adults, $8.25 seniors, $6.25 children 6-14, children under 6 free) is the former home of magistrate Jonathan Corwin, who sentenced the guilty to death. Tours detail the restored interior.
A trio of somewhat weird museums also explore this history: The most popular museum is the Salem Witch Museum (Washington Sq. N., 978/744-1692, www.salemwitchmuseum.com, 10am-5pm daily Sept.-June, 10am-7pm daily July-Aug., extended hours in Oct., $12 adults, $10.50 seniors, $9 children 6-14, free children under 6), whose basic displays lay the groundwork for the events of 1692-1693. Somewhat hokier, the Salem Wax Museum of Witches and Seafarers (288 Derby St., 978/298-2929, www.salemwaxmuseum.com, 10am-4pm daily Jan.-Mar., 10am-6pm daily Apr.-June, 10am-9pm daily July-Aug., 10am-6pm daily Sept., “extended hours” in Oct., 10am-5pm daily Nov.-Dec., $9 seniors, $7 children and students, children under 5 free) has extremely creepy wax statues posed in a series of dioramas. Strangest of all is the Witch Dungeon Museum (16 Lynde St., 978/741-3570, www.witchdungeon.com, 10am-5pm Apr.-Nov., extended hours in Oct., $10 adults, $9 seniors, $8 children 4-13), which stages dramatic reenactments in a downtown dungeon.
Salem Witch Museum
These days, witches are largely stripped of their power to terrify, and the tragic sites of the witch trials jostle side-by-side with more upbeat supernatural landmarks. These fall into two categories, broadly speaking: Cutesy cartoon witches astride brooms decorate everything from souvenirs to the local high school, while a series of magic shops and psychics serves New England’s latter-day witches, Pagans, and the curious.
Of the cute variety is the Bewitched Statue (235 Essex St.), an image of the nose-wiggling witch from the vintage television show. Warlocks and witches can pick up the necessary candles, crystals, and poppets at Hex Old World Witchery (246 Essex St., 978/666-0765, www.hexwitch.com, 11am-7pm daily), which also offers psychic readings that range from tarot cards to spirit mediumship. A variety of witch-related classes are available throughout the city.
Comprising some of the most important historic landmarks along the waterfront, the Salem Maritime National Historical Park (160 Derby St., 978/740-1650, www.nps.gov, 10am-5pm daily, prices for tours vary) includes several authentic old sea captains’ homes, historic wharves, and the Custom House featured in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. The park offers a series of downloadable self-guided walking tours with topics ranging from Nathaniel Hawthorne to the city’s African American heritage.
With a fabulous collection of Asian art, some of it from the homes of Salem’s historic sea captains, the Peabody Essex Museum (East India Sq., 978/745-9500 or 866/745-1876, www.pem.org, 10am-5pm Tues.-Sun., $20 adults, $18 seniors, $12 students, children 16 and under free) is among the top art museums in New England. Exhibits include priceless antiques from Asia and Polynesia, antique American furniture, and works by early American artists, as well as a 19th-century post-and-beam house that was disassembled and brought from China.
Count the roofs at the House of the Seven Gables (115 Derby St., 978/744-0991, www.7gables.org, 10am-5pm Fri.-Tues. mid-Jan.-mid-Feb., 10am-5pm daily mid-Feb.-May, 10am-5pm Sun.-Thurs., 10am-7pm Fri.-Sat. June, 10am-7pm daily July-Oct., 10am-5pm daily Nov.-Dec., $14 adults, $13 seniors and students, $11 youth $13-18, $9 children 5-12, free children under 5)—they’re all there. The 17th-century mansion is the stage set for Hawthorne’s Puritan novel, and costumed interpreters take guests through three centuries of Salem history.
Every October, Haunted Happenings (877/725-3662, www.hauntedhappenings.org) takes over the whole city, with a month of spooktastic events. All the historic sites get into the act with extended hours and special programs (such as the “Spirit of the Gables,” when the Hawthorne house is open for tours by candlelight). The event culminates in a huge costume party on the Common that draws some 50,000 revelers from around the region to dance the monster mash until the wee hours.
With witch-trail landmarks spread across the city, a tour is a good way to get the whole story. Among the best are those from The Salem Witch Walk (798/666-0884, www.witchwalk.com, tours most days, $16), which blends historic facts from Salem’s witch trials with bits and pieces about modern-day witches.
A 10-minute walk from downtown Salem, Deacon Giles Distillery (75 Canal St., 978/306-6675, www.deacongiles.com, 5pm-9pm Thurs., noon-10pm Fri.-Sat., noon-7pm Sun.) is worth a stop for craft cocktails made using locally distilled gin, rum, and vodka. The “Speakeasy Lab,” which is open to children, also has a solid collection of board games for visitors to use.
With an expansive menu and the friendly feel of a local diner, Red’s Sandwich Shop (15 Central St., 978/745-3527, www.redssandwichshop.com, 5am-3pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-1pm Sun., $7-12) is an unpretentious place for lunch that’s close to the main sites downtown. Big egg breakfasts are the staple here, as well as lots of sandwiches and pasta, but the seafood chowder gets raves from regulars.
The Neapolitan pizzas from Bambolina (288 Derby St., 978/594-8709, www.bambolinarestaurant.com, 11:30am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $11-17) emerge from the wood-fired oven blackened and bubbling, decked out with super-fresh toppings that are (mostly) true to the old country. These are the best pies in town, in a bright, brick-lined space that can accommodate larger groups.
Top-notch classic French pastries, macarons, and lusciously flaky croissants are piled high at S Caramel French Patisserie (281 Essex St., 978/594-0244, www.caramelpatisserie.com, 8am-7pm Tues.-Fri., 9am-7pm Sat., 9am-6pm Sun., $3-7), a bright and beautiful spot that’s ideal for a sightseeing break.
With a perch above Salem Harbor, Sea Level Oyster Bar (94 Wharf St., 978/741-0444, www.sealeveloysterbar.com, 11:30am-midnight daily, $12-25) strikes a perfect balance between the kid-friendly fryer joints and more upscale seafood—and the meals are great. The baked seafood pie is a perennial favorite, with a luscious sherry cream to offset the lobster, scallops, and shrimp, while clam chowder is an excellent standby. If you haven’t tried chowder fries, a sloppy dish of french fries and chowder that’s like New England’s answer to Quebecois poutine, this is a good place to start.
Sweetly old-fashioned decor makes S Morning Glory Bed and Breakfast (22 Hardy St., 978/741-1703, www.morningglorybb.com, $190-230) right at home in historic Salem, and you can watch ships come and go from the rooftop deck. The friendly innkeepers serve a hearty hot breakfast in the morning, and offer complimentary pickup and drop-off at the Salem ferry and train station.
Pet-friendly and laid-back, the Stepping Stone Inn (19 Washington St. N., 978/741-8900, www.thesteppingstoneinn.com, $145-250, Oct. rates to $350) is a great choice for travelers with kids (above 5 years old). Brightly painted rooms have simple decor, parking spots are available on-site, and the location is excellent, walking distance from everything. A continental breakfast of cereal, yogurt, fruits, and breads is served in a cheerful dining room.
The Salem Visitor Center (2 New Liberty St., 978/740-1650, www.nps.gov/sama, 9am-5pm daily) is a great resource for maps, tour information, and brochures.
Salem is located roughly 15 miles up the coast from Boston, though traffic can make this an hour-long drive. For those staying in Boston, public transit is a great option: Trains on the Newbury/Rockport line leave for Salem from North Station (www.mbta.com, 35 min., $7.50), while the ferry from Boston Harbor Cruises (617/227-4321, www.bostonharborcruises.com, 1 hr., 30 min., round-trip/one-way $45/25 adults, $41/23 seniors, $35/20 children) doubles as a tour of Boston Harbor, with narration pointing out key landmarks along the way.
Even as the Pilgrims landed in the “New World” they looked back toward the old one, naming their first settlement for the English port they left behind. A rock inscribed with the year 1620 stakes a claim as the first landing point of the Pilgrims, but that’s a story that didn’t arrive until the mid-18th-century (just as the word “Pilgrims” was rarely used before the 19th century).
Accuracy aside, Plymouth Rock has become a symbol: For some, it represents the dreams of the independent Puritans who risked everything for a new life, while others see a memorial to an era that brought tragedy to Native Americans and enslaved Africans. As Malcolm X said in 1964, “We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock. The rock was landed on us.”
These days, the rock itself rests out of the weather under a stone canopy that resembles the Parthenon, set near Cole’s Hill, the first cemetery used by the Mayflower Pilgrims. For a more vivid glimpse of the Pilgrims’ daily lives, and at the lives of the Wampanoag people who helped them survive the harsh coastal winter, head to Plimoth Plantation, a working replica of a Wampanoag village and their settlement.
costumed interpreter at Plimoth Plantation
A living history museum, the Plimoth Plantation (137 Warren Ave., 508/746-1622, www.plimoth.org, 9am-5pm daily, $28 adults, $26 seniors, $16 children 5-12, children under 5 free) offers a full immersion in 17th-century life, of both Wampanoag people and Pilgrims. It’s a hands-on experience, with real gardens, livestock, and craftspeople in period costumes.
The centerpiece of the site is the 1627 Village, where actors use the names of real Pilgrims, playing out their stories amid thatched houses and weathered wood. To really take advantage of the experience, waylay an actor with questions—they can wax eloquent on everything from child-rearing to religion and cooking.
While the “Pilgrims” in the 1627 Village are playing a role, the people you’ll meet at the Wampanoag Homesite are authentic Native Americans, whether Wampanoag or from another tribe. The structures here range from a Wampanoag wetu, or house, covered in mats, to a longhouse and a cooking shelter. The interpreters are deeply knowledgeable and share stories, traditions, and insight into what life was like in a 17th-century Native American settlement (ask for a lesson in playing hubbub, a game that was popular across early America).
The Plimoth Plantation also owns a wonderful replica of the Mayflower—it’s dubbed Mayflower II—which began a multiyear restoration in 2016 at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, and is expected back in 2020 for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival.
A glacial erratic boulder that’s inscribed simply “1620,” Plymouth Rock (79 Water St.) was only nominated as the Pilgrims’ landing point in 1741, when the 94-year-old Thomas Faunce recalled his deceased father’s assertion that the rock marked the spot. It’s shrunken in size as souvenir hunters have chipped off mementos, but the rock is still enormous, with four tons visible and six tons buried beneath the sand.
Home to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, the Mayflower Society House and Library (4 Winslow St., 508/746-3188, www.themayflowersociety.org, tours 11am-4pm daily mid-May-Oct., $7 adults, $5 youth 13-18, children under 13 free) is a gorgeous mansion built by Edward Winslow, himself a Mayflower passenger. The society’s small museum is filled with fascinating artifacts from the time, but the house alone is worth a stop, complete with period furnishings and artwork.
Plymouth is located just off Highway 3, making it a straight hour-long shot from Boston, and a convenient stop on the way to Cape Cod. Buses from Boston’s Logan Airport and South Station are available from the Plymouth-Brockton Bus Line (508/746-0378, www.p-b.com, 70 mins., $22 adults, $11 children). To travel to Plymouth by bus, take the Kingston/Plymouth Line from Boston’s South Station (www.mbta.com, 1.5 hrs., $11.50) to Plymouth Station, which is a 10-minute drive from Plimoth Plantation. Taxi service is available from South Shore Taxi (508/406-8908) and Mayflower Taxi (508/746-8294).