Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is an interesting and entertaining city to visit in the summer. It is a historic city with many universities, good museums, a wide variety of places to eat and shop, and the best baseball park in MLB. It can be expensive, but you can still have a lot of fun in the city without breaking the budget. Here are a few of my favorites:
The North End is the italian neighborhood where you will find the best Italian food and bakeries. Polcari’s, sometimes called Polcan’s, is a landmark and one of the most popular restaurants. The neighborhood has nearly one hundred establishments and a variety of tourist attractions.There are many little places to get an authentic cappuccino and a pastry.
The New England Aquarium is near the North End on the waterfront, and is home to numerous sea creatures from little blue penguins to the delicate leafy seadragon to the lumbering green sea turtle and spry northern fur seals. Compared to other major aquariums in the U.S, it’s on the smaller side, but a great place to spend the afternoon with family, friends or a date!
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is not far from the aquarium and is one of the main tourist attractions in Boston. There are many talented street performers, beautiful kiosks with upscale local artwork, gifts and souvenirs for all ages. There are also many of the popular retail chains such as Ann Taylor, Urban Outfitters, The Black Dog, etc. And you must go hungry because there are so many different types of food to buy and try. These indoor food kiosks offer from Asian to Indian to local clam chowder. There are also several sit-down cafes and restaurants. Here in Faneuil Hall you will also find the famous Ghirardelli’s where you will find the famous and scrumptious hot fudge sundae. They also have shakes, floats, malts and other delicious fountain creations. They also have an assortment of chocolates and beautiful wrapped gifts.
The Boston Common and Public Garden, which is actually one big park divided by a street, is just 15 minutes’ walk inland from the marketplace. It’s a beautiful place with trees benches and flower gardens. You can also find street musicians and fresh squeezed lemonade, and from parts of the park you can see the gold dome of the state house.
The Museum of Science and the Museum of Fine Arts are two of the most popular museums. One is of course dedicated to science. Here you can experience the sights, sounds and even the smells on board the International Space Station. The other museum, dedicated to the fine arts. is the fifth largest museum in the United States. The Museum of Fine Arts contains more than 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas.
Copley Square is in the heart of Back Bay and surrounded by shopping. The shops of the Prudential Square are to one side and the boutiques of Newbury Street on the other. Newbury Street is a trendy shopping district for young people that probably began in the 1970s. They have boutiques and Stores such as Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Valentino, rag & bone, Jack Wills, Woolrich, Steven Alan, Uniqlo, Zara, Urban Outfitters, Lady M’s, and Muji that compose the diverse retail landscape.
Since 1912, Fenway Park has been home to the Boston Red Sox, the city’s American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. The park has the best hot dogs (Fenway Franks), and the most enthusiastic fans in the MLB. If the Soxs are playing in Boston you should try to catch a game. It will be an experience in Boston sports culture.