If You're Traveling Into Boston...

Boston is known as "The Hub" in New England, and it's not difficult to see why. Boston is an exciting city, packed with cosmopolitan Northeastern verve and culinary prowess, yet oozing all the charm that a city as old as this surely should. There are myriad Boston attraction to choose from, and it is difficult to know where to begin! The Freedom Trail is a famous Boston landmark, conceived by the editorial writer William Schofield in a 1951 newspaper column. Schofield's intent was to preserve and maintain the countless historical sites located throughout Boston, and this desire has been admirably achieved, as the the Freedom Trail stands today as a major Boston tourist goal and one which you mustn't miss if you are to truly relive the glorious past of Boston. The Freedom Trail has been a great success, as the 16 sites along its crazed and distinguished trajectory tell a fascinating tale of Boston's history to its four million annual visitors. Among the major points on the Freedom Trail are important American Revolutionary locations. Paul Revere's famous ride warning of the Redcoat arrival remains one of America's most dramatic memories of its emergence as an entity in its own right. Freedom Trail visitors can see Revere's house, which is presently kept by a nonprofit museum. The Freedom Trail walk is also fun, running straight through some of Boston's extensive shopping and dining sections, including the excellent Faneuil Hall and the Italian cafes of the North End. Other Freedom Walk targets include Boston Common, the New State House with its splendid golden dome, the Old Corner Bookstore, and the Boston Massacre Site, where in 1770 five colonists were killed by the British.

For those wishing to jump off the Trail and simply have fun in Boston, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are places you shouldn't miss. Located in the very center of Boston, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, essentially Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market, are abuzz with activity at all times, proving this Boston attraction is simply alive with history and mad abandon. The bustling area is thronged with diners and bargain hunters, attracting millions of visitors a year. The cobblestone walkways about which the whole thing is based, is always packed with good old fashioned Boston entertainment, such as jugglers and magicians, mimes and all kinds of musical bands, providing non-stop things to do in Boston around the clock.

Boston boasts a huge selection of cultural and culinary attractions, many of which languish in the hallowed walkways and squares of the Harvard Square area. There are numerous bookstores and cafe-restaurants to choose from at this hub of Boston tourism, where the interested traveler can spend hours. The nearby architecture of Harvard University serves to remind the Boston visitor of the city's rich history, but there are other Boston points of interest in the intellectual college town. There are 25 bookstores within walking distance of the Harvard campus, and Harvard Square enjoys a great reputation as a center for literary, political, and intellectual thinkers. The area boasts a fabulous range of quaint shops selling wild and interesting literature covering everything from superstring theory to Hindu mysticism to the green economy.

For those who cherish sporting history, Boston sporting attractions are simply irresistible. Fenway Park is one of the oldest baseball parks in the United States, and the "Green Monster" is a sight to behold. The nostalgic, intimate feel of Fenway is said to conjure heartfelt attachments to the spirit of baseball in those satisfied Boston tourists who make the pilgrimage to the old field, and a tour of Fenway is surely one of Boston's most treasured attractions. The intimate scale of the ballpark makes people feel like they are literally "in the game", and to watch the sunset beyond Fenway is a gratifying experience indeed.

The list of bookstores found in Harvard Square (see below) can be quite overwhelming; we recommend that you select a few at random unless, of course, you have a specific interest in a certain type of writing. Although the specialized nature of some booksellers may not suit the average reader's tastes, consider your visit to some of the smaller shops a cultural experience.

Some helpful information from the Wikipedia:

Because of the Boston's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground. Along the Freedom Trail is Boston Common, or "The Common" as it is locally referred to, is the oldest public park in the Western Hemisphere. Along with the adjacent Boston Public Garden, it is part of the Emerald Necklace, a string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted to encircle the Boston. In the winter, the Frog Pond at Boston Common doubles as an ice-skating rink. Another major park is the Esplanade located along the banks of the Charles River. A major recreation site for many Bostonians, it is also the site of the Hatch Shell. Other parks are scattered throughout the Boston, with the major parks and beaches located near Castle Island, in Charlestown and along the Dorchester, South Boston, and East Boston shorelines. The largest parks in the Boston are Franklin Park and the adjacent Arnold Arboretum (both part of the Emerald Necklace), and Stony Brook State Reservation.

The Back Bay district includes many prominent landmarks such as the Christian Science Center, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, and Newbury Street. Back Bay is also the home of two of New England's tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center. Near the John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent weather forecast beacon. Other notable districts/neighborhoods include Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, North End, and South Boston.

Boston is home to several world-renowned museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John F. Kennedy Library. The New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston Athenaeum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), and the Boston Children's Museum are located within the Boston.

Along with the Freedom Trail, there are two other self-guided walking tours: Harbor Walk, which is designed to follow the entire shore of Boston Harbor, and the Black Heritage Trail. A popular guided tour is the Boston Duck Tour, which uses World War II-era duck boats. The outer suburbs of Boston, which tend to be forested, have vibrantly colored foliage every autumn that attracts many tourists.

Boston is home to the Bull & Finch Pub, whose building is known from the television show Cheers. Exterior shots of the building were used in the show.