Boston Attractions Guide: Freedom Trail, Boston Common, North End, Faneuil Hall, Back Bay, Fenway Park, Cambridge, Harvard

Spotlight

Boston

Attractions

Though Boston is the largest city in New England and the capital of Massachusetts, the city center is remarkably compact and best explored on foot – a good pair of walking shoes and basic navigation skills are all you need to get around. You'll spend the majority of your time in the neighborhoods of Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, South End, and Faneuil Hall in the financial district. If you think of Boston Common as the center, Back Bay lies to the west, Beacon Hill to the north, the North End to the northeast, and the South End to the southeast. Faneuil Hall and the financial district are to the east, and Cambridge (home of Harvard) lies on the opposite side of the Charles River to the west, beyond Back Bay.

Boston's subway is called the "T" and has five lines: Red, Orange, Blue, Green, and Silver (www.mbta.com). It is reliable, clean, and efficient – but if you plan on using it, be sure you know which "T" stop you want to exit at for your attraction – the maps on the trains don't use a city map as a background so there's no point of reference. While stops are often named for significant points nearby, you'll be surprised when you exit at the Back Bay station and realize you are nowhere near the Back Bay attractions you came to see. You won't likely need to utilize the city's bus system, though it is an option for exploring points north, as is the commuter rail. You should avoid driving in Boston at all costs – the streets are often one-way and not easily navigable, parking is a nightmare as the vast majority of spots are designated for residents, and as nice as Bostonians are, they're known for being more than a little impatient behind the wheel.

A guided tour of the city is a great way to see the sites. Both the Old Town Trolley Tours (daily 9am-4pm, 5pm May-Oct; $26; www.oldtowntrolley.com) and Beantown Trolley Tours (daily 9.30am-4.30pm; $29; www.beantowntrolley.com) run on a hop-on/hop-off model and hit many points of interest on their loops. You can pick up tickets for both tours at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Boston Duck Tours (Tickets available at Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St.; 617/267-3825; $27; www.bostonducktours.com) are led by drivers in character. After taking you on a tour of the streets, these so-called "con-duck-tors" drive right into the Charles River – a thrill for the kids who often are allowed to "drive" the WWII amphibious landing vehicle in the river. The educational tour is most interesting because of the offbeat facts the drivers divulge (i.e., the stairs that wind around the city's psychiatric ward don't actually go anywhere, and though the Great Molasses Flood may sound funny, the thirty-foot wave actually killed 21 people back in 1919). If you're interested in exploring Boston's waterfront, several boat tours are available – we like Boston Harbor Cruises (One Long Wharf; 617/227-4321; $14-$55; www.bostonharborcruises.com) for the variety of options, ranging from sightseeing to whale watching to lighthouse cruises.

The Go Boston Card ($49+; www.gobostoncard.com) is available for 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days and offers general admission to over 60 attractions. This is a good value if you plan on doing a lot if sightseeing and tour taking. Visit the tourism bureau's website (www.bostonusa.com) for travel guides, maps, and information on events taking place during your visit.

Following the 2.5-mile long Freedom Trail (www.thefreedomtrail.org) is a popular way to see 16 of the most important historical sites in the city (museums, meeting houses, parks, and cemeteries). This ideal overview takes you through several of the aforementioned neighborhoods, but since there are many points of interest located off the Freedom Trail, we've outlined attractions by neighborhood in detail below (and noted when attractions are located on the trail). Tip The Freedom trail is not a loop, so it's best to pick it up at one end – start your walk in the Boston Common or at the Charlestown Navy Yard. You can either pick up a map for a self-guided tour or take one of the guided 90-minute Walk into History tours – led by guides in 18th-century costume – that depart from Boston Common and Faneuil Hall in warmer months (April-Oct.; $12+; www.thefreedomtrail.org).

Boston Common, the Public Garden, and Beacon Hill
Start your visit in the Boston Common, the country's oldest public park, once the site of public hangings and cattle grazing. Used today for picnics, sunbathing, and protests, it also serves as the anchor of the Emerald Necklace, a series of connected parks that dot Boston's neighborhoods and was expanded by the Big Dig, which moved much of the highway that ran through the city underground. At 44 acres the park is a lovely sprawl of green grass in an otherwise crowded city, but its beauty is put to shame by the adjacent Public Garden, the first public botanical garden in the US. A spring or summer stroll is an absolute delight when the flower beds and trees are in full bloom and the ducks waddle out of the pond and along the paths. Warmer months also signal the arrival of one of the city's most-beloved traditions: a ride on the swan boats. For over 120 years, the swan boats have been paddled around the Public Garden Lagoon (Public Garden; mid Apr-mid Sept; 617-522-1966; $2.75; www.swanboats.com).

Just north of the Common is Beacon Hill, the quintessential Boston neighborhood. This National Historic District boasts narrow streets, brick sidewalks, gas lamps, ancient elm trees, and window boxes adorning spectacular townhouses. And if you recognize Acorn Street, it isn't déjà vu. This tiny cobblestone passageway, said to be the most photographed street in America, is every bit as charming in person.

There are several points of interest in Beacon Hill, but the one you're likely to notice first is the State House (Freedom Trail, Beacon St. at Park St.; Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; free tours available; www.mass.gov) – if not for its size (two city blocks long), then for its gleaming 23-karat gold dome. Also on Beacon Street, across from the Public Garden, is one of Boston's most recognizable attractions: Cheers (84 Beacon St.; 617/227-9605; www.cheersboston.com), founded in 1969 and until recently called the Bull and Finch Pub, is the bar that served as the inspiration for the popular television series and whose exterior was shown in the opening scenes.

Those charmed by Beacon Hill's magnificent townhouses and quaint streets will want to make a stop at the Nichols House Museum (55 Mount Vernon St.; May-Oct Tues-Sat 12pm-4pm, Nov-April Thurs-Sat 12pm-4pm; 617/227-6993; $7; www.nicholshousemuseum.org), a 19th-century townhouse that was home to women's rights pioneer Rose Standish Nichols until 1960. The preserved home is a glimpse into 19th-and 20th-century Bostonian domestic life; tours are given every half-hour.

Even if you've a limited interest in shopping, perusing Charles Street (See Where to Shop) is a nice way to soak up more of Beacon Hill's charm. Home to a few upscale clothing shops and several antique dealers, art galleries, and restaurants, the street runs along the "the flat" (the base) of Beacon Hill, so a walk around here isn't an uphill battle.

The North End and Waterfront
Boston's North End is the city's Italian enclave, home to nearly one hundred restaurants where you can find cuisine from every corner of Italy – from red-sauce favorites to the refined dishes from the country's northern regions. Italian is spoken as frequently as English and the many cafés and bakeries that line the streets are typically filled with older men sipping espresso and talking about Italian politics and, of course, football. But as Italian as the neighborhood is, several sites of importance in early American history are also located here. The main streets are Hanover and Salem, which run parallel to each other; other streets are predominately residential.

The Old North Church (Freedom Trail, 193 Salem St.; 617/523-6676; www.oldnorth.com) is the site of a pivotal point in history. The tallest building in Boston at the time of Paul Revere's famous ride, it's where the church's sexton held lanterns in the steeple to warn the colonists in nearby Charlestown how the British were approaching – one if by land, two if by sea. More history is on tap at the Paul Revere House (Freedom Trail, 19 North Sq.; mid April-Oct 9.30am-5:15pm, Nov-mid April 9.30am-4.15pm, closed Mon Jan-March; 617/523-2338; $3; www.paulreverehouse.org), where the patriot lived at the time of his midnight ride on April 18, 1775. The wooden house is a National Historic Landmark and the oldest building in downtown Boston.

Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park (Atlantic Ave. at Commercial Wharf; dawn-dusk) is a small green space worth a walk-through on your way from the North End to nearby Faneuil Hall or the financial district. There are plenty of benches to rest on while looking out to the harbor, and in spring the trellis-covered walkway blooms with flowers. Appropriately, the New England Aquarium (Central Wharf; Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-6pm; 617/973-5200; $18; www.neaq.org) is also situated along Boston's waterfront. With jellyfish, seal, and penguin exhibits, it's a great place to bring the kids. Its IMAX theatre rotates educational movies about marine and animal life on a 65-foot-tall screen ($10), but if you want the real thing, the aquarium also offers whale-watching tours (April-Oct, times vary; 617/973-5281; $37; www.neaq.org) that take participants 30 miles off Boston's coast to a whale-feeding area. Another kid-friendly attraction along the harbor (and a great back-up plan when bad-weather strikes) is the Boston Children's Museum (300 Congress St.; Sat-Thu 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-9pm; 617/426-8855; www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org), chock-full of hands-on educational exhibits for kids ages toddler to pre-teen.

The Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Ave.; Tues-Wed & Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, Thurs-Fri 10am-9pm; 617/478-3100; $12; www.icaboston.org) is a recent and welcome addition to South Boston's waterfront – and a testament to the neighborhood's transformation from Irish enclave to yuppie haven. Housed in a 65,000-square-foot building designed by award-winning architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the ICA is the first museum in the US dedicated completely to contemporary art in all forms: dance, music, literature, and visual arts.

Faneuil Hall
Within short walking distance from the North End is Faneuil Hall, one of Boston's biggest attractions. This shopping and dining complex has a rich history – built in 1742 with a marketplace on the ground floor, it was a popular gathering place for town meetings. While Faneuil Hall is actually one building in a larger complex called Faneuil Hall Marketplace (www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com), people typically refer to the entire complex by the abbreviated name. The other large building in the area is Quincy Market (See Where to Eat), a wholesale food distributor until the 1960s and today a massive food court with everything from clam chowder in a bread bowl and fresh-shucked oysters to pizza and gourmet sandwiches. Quincy Market is flanked by the North and South Markets, where you'll find sit-down restaurants, retail shops, and craft carts. This is a great place to pick up anything from a dress at Ann Taylor to a lobster lollipop souvenir. In warmer months, street performers and musicians frequent the area.

Blackstone Block, just north of Faneuil Hall, is a narrow cobblestone street lined with 17th-century buildings. Here you'll find Boston's oldest continuously operating restaurant, the Union Oyster House (See Where to Eat). A few steps away on Union Street is the Bell-in-Hand Tavern (45-55 Union St.; 11.30am-2am; 617/227-2098; www.bellinhand.com), the oldest continuously operating bar in the country; and just around the corner on Marshall Street is the Green Dragon Tavern (11 Marshall St.; 11am-2am; 617/367-0055; www.celticweb.com/greendragon), a favorite meeting place of Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty in the days leading up to the American Revolution.

In stark contrast to the Blackstone Block is the very modern New England Holocaust Memorial (www.nehm.org) across the way – six glass towers (for the six main Nazi death camps) with six million numbers etched into the glass, a reference to the six million people who died in the holocaust.

Back Bay
The streets of Back Bay are constantly bustling with locals and out-of-towners alike. Newbury Street, Copley Square, the Boston Public Library, and several other attractions draw visitors every day of the week, but weekday crowds are a bit thinner. Whenever you decide to go, you'll be impressed by the establishments along Newbury and Boylston Streets (the main roads in this neighborhood), as well as the spacious, gracious residential streets nearby – Marlborough Street, in particular, is worth a stroll.

Back Bay is the city's premier shopping destination, with Newbury Street and the Copley Mall (See Where to Shop) leading the way. From big-name chains to small boutiques, you'll find it in Back Bay. If you consider shopping more of a chore than a pleasure, not to worry, this neighborhood has plenty to offer history buffs and culture-vultures as well. Start your visit in Copley Square and visit the Boston Public Library (700 Boylston St.; Mon-Thu 9am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm, Oct-May Sun only1pm-5pm; www.bpl.org), which boasts one of the largest collections of prints in the country, with works by Goya, Rembrandt, and Toulouse-Lautrec, among others.

Also in Copley Square is Trinity Church (206 Clarendon St.; 617/536-0944; www.trinityboston.org), an example of "Richardsonian Romanesque" architecture built in 1877. But this landmark of American design is not just for architecture buffs; it's worth a stop for everyone just to peek at the stunning stained-glass windows. Guided tours are free every Sunday following the 11.15am service; phone to arrange a guided tour on other days. Self-guided tours (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; $5 includes map) are also available.

Trinity Church makes an encore appearance in the reflective glass panels of the John Hancock Tower (200 Clarendon St.), the tallest building in New England. But don't worry about vertigo – its interior and observatory have been closed since 9/11. A short walk down Boylston Street will bring you to the Prudential Center (800 Boylston St.; Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm; www.prudentialcenter.com), the other building that dominates the Boston skyline. Its biggest draw is the 75 shops (See Where to Shop) and restaurants inside.

South End
A little more than a decade ago most tourists skipped the once-dodgy South End, but today it's one of the city's most popular and diverse residential neighborhoods, with families, a large gay and lesbian community, immigrants, and artists all calling it home. The neighborhood boasts nearly 30 parks and is an important part of Boston's culinary explosion, with many excellent and innovative restaurants, particularly along Tremont and Washington Streets.

Fans of Victorian architecture take note: the South End features the largest Victorian brick row house district in the US; it's on the National Register of Historic Places and all 500 acres are designated as a Boston Landmark District.

Kenmore/The Fenway
In case you weren't confused enough by Boston's tiny one-way streets and various squares, not to mention the sometimes barely-intelligible accents of the locals, here's one more curveball: "The Fenway" is a neighborhood, but it is not where you'll find Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. You'll find the ballpark in the nearby Kenmore neighborhood, near the Kenmore Square "T" stop.

A trip to Boston without seeing Fenway Park is like traveling to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Yes, it is that big of a deal. "The Sawx" are such a part of the fabric of the city that even ambivalence is blasphemous. Of course, the best way to see the park is during a game from the stands, but if you can't score tix, tours of the park (4 Yawkey Way; Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 12pm-4pm; 617/226-6666; http://boston.redsox.mlb.com) are available. That said, try to catch a game – the ballpark's small size and zealous fans ensure there's really no bad seat in the house. Tip: Single-game tickets typically go on sale in late January (check www.mlb.com); advance planning is your best bet, otherwise you can almost always buy tickets from a scalper outside the ballpark on the day of the game. How much you pay will depend on who the Sox are playing.

Art lovers adore The Fenway because it's home to two of the cities most important museums: The Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave.; Mon-Tues & Sat-Sun 10am-4.45pm, Wed-Fri 10am-9.45pm; 617/267-9300; $15; www.mfa.org) and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (280 The Fenway; Tues-Sun 11am-5pm; 617/566-1401; $12; www.gardnermuseum.org). The MFA is Boston's one-stop-shop for important artworks – one of the largest Monet collections outside of Paris is located here and its European collection alone has 22,000 pieces from the seventh to late 20th centuries. In addition to Asian, African, and ancient art, you'll also find a sizeable collection of American art from painters like Cassatt and Sargent.

In the late 19th century, Isabella Stewart Gardner began to amass a private collection of art – rare books and manuscripts, paintings, textiles, furniture, and more – that was opened to the public in 1903. Today her collection (more than 2,500 pieces) is one of the most important in the country; visitors to the museum are most often struck by the setting – galleries on three floors surrounding a lush garden courtyard. Even if you know nothing about art, the museum is an exquisite place to spend a few afternoon hours.

Cambridge
It's a whole separate city, but eclectic and open-minded Cambridge is just across the river and a short "T" (Red Line) ride away. Home to two of the finest bastions of higher education in the U.S. (MIT and Harvard), it, like Boston, is teeming with young people – but here they seem bent on individuality, while back across the Charles the kids are more concerned with blending in with the group.

The microcosm of Harvard Square (Red line to Harvard Sq. stop) is the best place to experience Cambridge. The boutique shopping, sidewalk cafes, and many bookstores make it an easy place to while away the afternoon. On all but the very worst weather days, there are street performers galore to entertain you, that is, if you can pull your eyes away from the people watching. Stroll the grounds of the Harvard campus on your own – it may be your only chance to get inside those brick walls – or join one of the several free tours (Harvard University; Feb 5-May 4 and Sept 25-Dec 18, Mon-Fri 10am and 2pm, June 25-Aug 17 Mon-Sat 10am, 11.15am, 2pm, 3.15pm; 617/495-1573; www.harvard.edu). There are several museums on campus – a botanical museum, a natural history museum, an anatomical museum – but the one that stands out is the Fogg Art Museum (32 Quincy St.; Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; 617/495-9400; $9; www.artmuseums.hardvard.edu), Harvard's oldest, which houses one of the country's most important collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art.