I’ve had several requests for a little more information about Boston, so here goes with my top recommendations if you are a first-time visitor to this great city. First, you’ll definitely want to walk the Freedom Trail. The 2.5-mile trail winds past Paul Revere’s home, the Old North Church (“One if by land, two if by sea”) and a dozen other historic sites. It’s truly a walk through American history and not to be missed. You can walk it on your own, following the red-brick path on the sidewalk, or join a group led by a guide in colonial garb. (freedomtrail.org)
Next, spend some time in the Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. If you’re in town between mid-April and late September, be sure to take a ride on the Swan Boats in the Boston Public Garden lagoon. Check out these websites for information: cityofboston.gov/FreedomTrail/bostoncommon.asp; cityofboston.gov/parks/emerald/Public_Garden.asp; and swanboats.com.
Boston has some fabulous museums including the Museum of Fine Arts (mfa.org); the Museum of Science (mos.org); the Institute of Contemporary Art (icaboston.org); and the funky Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (gardnermuseum.org).
Boston’s Italian district, known as the North End, is always bustling with festivals and fun, to say nothing of fabulous food.
And finally, no visit to this great sports town would be complete without a trip to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play — if you can manage to snag tickets. If you can’t make it to a game, a tour of the park is a great alternative, especially this year when Fenway, the oldest major league baseball stadium, celebrates its 100th anniversary. boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp. (Yankees baseball caps are best left in your luggage….)
More next time on where to stay and dine in Boston.