"Welcome to Boston" a Boston Travel Page by where2next

I visited Boston back as a kid and in college, and since moving here have found that there is so much more to Boston than the main sites. As a tourist to Boston, there are all of the historic sites, though beyond these are some great parks and places to just hangout. Here is a picture taken along the Charles River near Harvard. When the weather is nice, folks will hangout along the shores - not to mention the Ducks who also like to hang out here!

Another thing perhaps to keep in mind when visiting Boston are events or festivals that may be taking place. Like many cities, there are several different types of events ranging from food, music, as well as more unique ones such as the annual marathon in April, and regatta in the fall. This link has festivals specific to Boston and New England.

Boston is sometimes referred to as the "most European" city in the U.S. There are several cultural differences, however one interesting similarity are the city layouts - Boston has rows of apartments that are 4-5 stories and sidewalks on most streets - it is a walking city. With so many folks in one area, there are mom and pop stores, restaurants with outdoors cafe seating, and the like. Cities like Paris, Budapest and Vienna (among others) are similar in this regard.

Most folks who visit Boston will see this in that the Freedom Trail goes through the North End, and also because Newbury Street and Beacon Hill are popular areas to shop. Interestingly, the housing styles endure mainly because of historical societies and neighborhood zoning groups that review new developments and often have these follow guidelines within the existing architectural style.