Even though I’ve lived in Boston about half a year now, I sometimes still feel like a tourist, since I spend so much time in classes. When we first moved here in the summer, we had more free time and did a lot of exploring around, especially when my family came to visit. Here are a few suggestions I would offer to anyone planning a visit to Boston. I am mainly listing the “popular” stuff. I will put a (*) to mark things that are more off-the-beaten-track. This is not a comprehensive list, of course.
Downtown Area
- Quincy Market/ Faneuil Hall
- Aquarium/ Long Wharf
- Italian restaurants in the North End
- Freedom Trail
- Bunker Hill
- USS Constitution
- Boston Public Gardens
- Community Sailing*
- Barking Crab restaurant- good seafood, less expensive than Quincy Market area.
- Science Center
Back Bay/ Fenway
- Trinity Church- taking a guided tour is recommended.
- Duck Tours
- Boston Public Library
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Fenway Park
- Isabella Steward Gardener Museum*
Cambridge
- Harvard Square
- MIT Campus
- Mt. Auburn Cemetery*- has a cool monument tower you can climb for an excellent view of the city. Also many famous people are buried here.
- Minuteman Bike Trail*- an old railroad grade extends from Alewife all the way out to Lexington/ Concord
Other Places
- Pleasure Bay*- it’s fun to watch the tide come in and out, and to see the windsurfers.
- Arnold Arboretum*- Jamaica Plain neighborhood
- South End neighborhood*- many interesting townhouses and shady streets
- Larz Anderson Park*- South Brookline. Has a unique automobile museum and excellent sledding/ kite flying hills.