Boston General Tips by Paul2001

Favorite Thing: For Americans probably the most patriotic thing to do while in Boston is to tour the Freedom Trail. These are a collection of sites on a 2.5 mile trail that leads through historic Boston. Although many of the attractions on this trail have played a prominent role in the American Revolution some, like the U.S.S. Constitution do not. What you do have here is a great insight into the historical development of the magnificent city. Perhaps one of the odd things about the trail is that none of the attractions that you visit is outstanding in themselves. The sum here is greater than the parts. The atmosphere behind your visit is superb and a truely rewarding experience.
Usually your walk along the Freedom Trail will begin at Boston Common, America's first public park and then wind its way through to the historical centre of the city. You will complete your journey at the monument on Bunker Hill (actually Breed's Hill). How long you take to see all these attractions is up to you. I am pretty thorough in my site seeing so it took me about 5.5 hours including a stop for lunch.

Fondest Memory: I was really impressed by the U.S.S. Constitution.

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Favorite Thing: Hanover Street is the main strip of the North End and Boston's "Little Italy". The street seems to be lined from end to end with Italian restaurants, many quite expensive. I came across to me as Boston's version of New York's Mulburry Street except that there are still Italians living here.
The North End is also the location of a couple of Boston's most important historical monuments. Paul Revere's House is just off of Hanover Steet while the Old North Street Church is just around the north end of the Hanover Street itself.
Historically, prior to the revolution, the residents here used to be predominately Tory but they emigrated to Nova Scotia after the war. The neigbhorhood then became popular with free blacks until the end of the 19th century when Italians immigrated here. Other immigrant groups also settled here but the Italians always dominated and the neighborhood evolved into Little Italy.


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Favorite Thing: Harvard University is the oldest and possibly the most prestigious college in the United States. The college was founded in 1636 by a collection of well-educated Puritans. This is the original Ivy League school. It's graduates include no less than six US presidents (George W. Bush got his MBA here) and dozens of Nobel prize laureates. This has always been the place where American, in particular Eastern, aristocratic families have sent their children. This may not mean the best and brightest have always graduated from here. A highly regarded (and controversial) professor of mine who both graduated from and taught at Harvard spoke very disparagingly of Harvard for the fact that the graduates from here are considerably uneven in quality if downright mediocre. Harvard can be more a social club for the rich rather then a institution for higher learning. Anyway that was his opinion and not necessarily mine.
A walk through the campus or Harvard Yard still is an atmospheric experience. There are free tours that take you to many of the schools fine buildings. Still the main reason I visited Harvard was to see some of the schools outstanding museums. There are two art museums, the Fogg Art Museum and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. I visited the first of these because it hosts one of the best collections of French impressionistic paintings in America. There is also the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peobody Museum of Archaeology and Entology. Of these I visited the latter. I recommend that you make the effort to visit at least one or two of these museums as they are highly regarded in each of their fields.


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Favorite Thing: Boston's Waterfront district is a shining example of urban renewal. The part of the city was at onetime cut off from the rest of the city by way of a major highway. A casuality of America's love affair with the car. The highway has since been buried in a project called the Big Dig but at great cost, over $15 billion so far. In turn the once gruesome waterfront has been restored and there has been much new development. Probably the highlight attraction is the outstanding New England Aquarium however there have been other drawing cards too. There are quite a few good restauarants here and some very fine hotels. Needless to say there are also an influx of condominiums that usually saturate such projects.
I found that the waterfront was a good place for stroll but beyond the Aquarium the district really did not do that much for me. I thought that it was a worthy project but there are a lack of green spots and focal points.


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