Boston Things to Do Tips by Callavetta

... Or at least to get a quick and dirty overview of where everything is. We were so disappointed when we discovered that the Duck Tours started for the season the day we left! But then we discovered the Old Town Trolley Tours and dried our eyes and bought tickets. At $29 per ticket, this isn't the cheapest way to see Boston, but it might be the easiest. The complete route takes about an hour and a half and takes visitors past, or nearly past, most of the important sites in Boston, Charleston and Cambridge. The trolley drivers have a running commentary on where you are and what you are looking at. I suspect that your tour can be very different depending on your driver. We had two and the first seemed to be a comedian, telling us stories I suspect were more joke than fact. The second was far more serious and punctuated his commentary with recordings by Rich Little as various personalities.

If you're not up for the 2 and 1/2 mile Freedom Trail by foot, this is a reasonable substitute. It's important to know, however, that there are many sites that you really only get 2 or 3 blocks close to. At those trolley stops the driver will direct you to "walk two blocks to the right and then turn left". Some of the important sites, like Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church, are on small streets that the trolleys don't go on.

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Address: There are many trolley stops in the City
Directions: Get a map from your hotel desk.

Visit the oldest ship still in commission. One of the most popular stops on the Old Town Trolley Tour, and along the "red brick road" (Freedom Trail) is the Charleston Shipping Yard where the USS Constitution is docked. It's a great place to stretch your legs and take a look at this beautiful old 3 masted ship. Visits are free. There is a museum and gift shop close by. There's also an informal restaurant close by.

This is a great place to take photos of the Boston skyline across the Charles River. It's easy to see the Old North Church steeple and the Faneule Hall clock tower amid the modern buildings. From the Ship Yard, you can also see the monument that stands above Bunker Hill.

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Even before Spring has Sprung, Boston Common is alive with residents on the weekend. This particular weekend, there was an Anti-War protest happening and the Common's long history of Freedom of Speach was alive and well.

The lagoon was still drained, but in a couple of weeks it will be filled and the famous "swan boats" will be sailing around the lagoon with visitors onboard. Children were riding the bronze ducks. Boys played on the one remaining snow ball left from the previous week's big blizzard.

Boston is home to 900,000 people; 300,000 of them students.

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Directions: Bound by Tremont, Beacon, Charles and Boylston Streets.
Website: http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/bostoncom