Things to do while you visit Boston!
Boston is such a great city to explore, as it is culturally and historically rich. The hotel is situated in a great
location for ease of getting around the city, seeing the sites and
doing some of our favorite activities.
Here are some of our recommendations:
- The Boston Freedom Trail - If you would rather walk the city, follow the Freedom Trail: a painted or brick red line through the city that passes 16
historical sights. This is a great way to learn about revolutionary Boston. It is 2.5 miles long and begins at the Old State House, the place of the Boston Massacre, and ends at the Old North Church, where two lanterns were hung to warn of the British coming by sea. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/visitor/visitor.html
- Faneuil Hall - Constructed in 1740
as a public meeting space and market, the Sons of Liberty gathered here
to express their objections to British rule. The additional buildings
in the back are known as Quincy Market, which currently house fun shops and
great restaurants. Be sure to try some Clam Chowder, a local favorite. http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/
- Boston Common and the Public Gardens - Nearby to Quincy Market you can stroll through this beautiful green space with a lagoon. Ride the Swan Boats and continue a tradition that has been around since 1877. Along the cobbled path you can visit the bronze statue of Ducks, which stands as a tribute to Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, a popular children's book about a family of ducks living in the Public Gardens.
- The Museum of Fine Arts - Sara used to work here and recommends it for any art lovers. www.mfa.org
- The Museum of Science - Has fun exhibitions and hands on activities. A great place for the entire family. www.mos.org
- The Aquarium - It sits right next to the hotel and is loaded with fish, sharks, penguins and IMAX movies. www.neaq.org
- Boston Children's Museum - As the name suggests, this is a great place to bring kids. It has numerous hands on activities that guarantee fun and learning for both young and old. http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org
- Fenway Park - Home of the Red Sox, this is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in use. Unfortunately the Sox will be out of town the weekend of our wedding, but you can take a tour and pick up some Red Sox gear to take home. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
- Harvard Square - If you feel like venturing out of Boston proper, hop on the T and see the famous Harvard University. It is also a great area for shops and restaurants. You can stroll along the Charles River Esplanade in front of the pretty brick University buildings.
New England
Boston is situated within beautiful New England. If you are extending your stay beyond our wedding weekend, here are some places that are within easy reach of Boston.
- Venturing away from Boston and heading North, Gloucester and
the Cape Ann area are beautiful places to explore. Good Harbor and Wingaersheek Beaches are popular. The latter
being the public beach. Rockport is also a great coastal
town on Cape Ann as we discovered a couple of years ago.
- Williamstown,
Massachusetts is a small town in the Berkshire Mountains (where Sara
went to college!). In the summer there is a theater festival with
some
famous actors usually participating, three art museums near by and
the
Boston Symphony spends the summer in a near by town playing at an
outdoor theater. For art lovers, this is a fantastic getaway!
- Going farther north and entering Maine, York Beach tends to be a
favorite. Ogunquit, which is very family friendly, and
Perkins Cove are also great places to visit. Maine is known for their lobsters, so be sure to eat some while you're there. Can't mention Maine without mentioning the outlet town of
Freeport where you will find great shopping for less!
- Heading South from Boston, Cape Cod is a must - beaches, lighthouses, boats and cute towns
- Entering Rhode Island there is Newport, a harbor town with historic mansions you can tour, a cliff walk and nice beaches. It is also where Sara's parents met! Also in RI is Narragansett which has 4 beaches within two miles
of each other, Scarborough and Roger Wheeler Beaches have been recommended. The
Pier in Narragansett is a good place for taking in a movie, has good
restaurants, and shopping all within walking distance. A good day trip
from Narragansett is to take the ferry to Block Island.