Boston Things to Do Tips by Jefie

USS Constitution USS Constitution - Charlestown Navy Yard Review

I must admit that visiting the USS Constitution wasn't on my priority list but my friends wanted to go so I followed along and again, I'm really glad I did! The USS Constitution is the oldest American warship afloat. Built in 1794-97, this beautiful ship, nicknamed "Old Ironside" because enemy fire seemed to bounce off her during battle, won her first great victory in 1812 against the British and our tour guide - who was amazing by the way - did a great job of reminding us how big an event it was for the then newly-born US Marine. Oh, the irony!

Address: 1 Constitution Rd, Charlestown

A Parisian boulevard in Boston Commonwealth Avenue Review

The entire Back Bay area of Boston was the result of an enormous landfill project that took place between 1857 and 1890, which almost doubled the size of the entire downtown Boston area. When Commonwealth Avenue was built at the end of the 19th century, the idea was to provide the city's ever growing upper-class population with a new address since the houses on Beacon Hill were deemed by some to be a bit too small to accomodate modern tastes and comforts. Boston's architects and designers therefore turned to the great Parisian boulevards for inspiration, and the avenue was designed as a 200-ft wide parkway, divided at the center by a wide pedestrian mall. Walking along "Comm Ave", as the locals call it, offers a nice, quiet alternative to nearby Newbury Street. In total, there are nine statues and memorials spread throughout the mall, starting with the statue of Alexander Hamilton near the Boston Public Garden.

Directions: Back Bay area

Shopping and dining on Newbury Street Newbury Street Review

Throughout the years, Newbury Street has evolved from an upper-class residential area to an upscale shopping district. The street's beautiful brownstone buildings are now home to hundreds of boutiques and restaurants, which have earned it the nickname of "Rodeo Drive of the East". The most expensive boutiques (Chanel, Armani, Donna Karan, Cartier, Gucci, Valentino, Yves Saint-Laurent, Hermès, Versace, Prada, Marc Jacobs...) are located at the beginning of the street, near the Boston Public Garden. As you walk down the street, however, shopping and dining both become much more affordable. In fact, we found it hard to resist the sunny patios on Newbury Street and were therefore quite happy to find more than one restaurant where we could eat lunch at a very decent price and in a great atmosphere. Loved it!

Directions: Back Bay area

Website: http://www.newbury-st.com

Boston Athenaeum Freedom Trail Review

The Boston Athenaeum is perhaps one of the lesser known spots on the Freedom Trail, but I think it's worth a visit. Founded in 1807, it is one of America's largest membership libraries. Past members have included the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Daniel Webster and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Today the library holds about 600,000 volumes, and the core of its collection focuses on local history, literature, biographies and fine arts. Members drop by to read, do research or to socialize at the Athenaeum's Wednesday afternoon teas. Visitors are also welcome to drop by and look around the first floor of the building, which generally includes temporary exhibits (don't worry, the staff is very friendly!). Guided tours are offered on Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 pm, but they must be booked in advance. The Boston Athenaeum is open on weekdays from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.

Address: 10 ½ Beacon Street

Directions: Just off the Freedom Trail

Phone: 617-227-0270

Website: http://www.bostonathenaeum.org

"A beacon of memory and hope" Holocaust Memorial Review

The New England Holocaust Memorial came to life thanks to a group of concentration camps survivors who now live in the Boston area. The Memorial is comprised of six glass towers, each 54 feet high, from which smoke rises day and night. The towers of course recall the six main death camps and, thanks to the six million numbers etched in the glass, it also commemorates the tragic destiny of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust.

The Memorial is located just a short walk away from Faneuil Hall, between Congress and Union St. It is truly worth taking a few minutes to walk through the towers and read the inscriptions on the walls. A very moving experience...

Address: Carmen Park

Directions: Just off the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall

Phone: 617-457-8755

Website: http://nehm.org

Irish Famine Memorial Freedom Trail Review

I honestly don't remember being so moved by an urban piece of art. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine, Boston's Irish community unveiled a memorial park in 1998, featuring a wonderful sculpture by artist Robert Shure. It consists of two life-size sculptures, one depicting a family leaving Ireland's shores, impoverished and desperate, and another depicting a family arriving in Boston, filled with hope and determination. You will come upon the Memorial if you follow the Freedom Trail.

Old Town Trolley Tours Trolley Tours Review

On our first visit to Boston, we decided to go on a trolley tour as we thought this would help us discover what there was to see and do in the city and get our bearings at the same time. Our first trolley driver was both hilarious and very informative and totally made it worth our while (and money, tickets are pretty expensive: $34). However, as you can hop on and off, we ended up with a different driver/guide and quite frankly, I couldn't wait to get off. So I guess these tours can be really great or really awful, depending on who picks you up - best of luck!

Directions: You can buy your tickets in the Quincy Market area

Phone: 617-269-7010

Website: http://www.trolleytours.com

King's Chapel & Burying Ground King's Chapel Review

Adjacent to King's Chapel, this burying ground is the oldest in the city and as such it is an important part of Boston's history. A little map at the entrance of the cemetery will help you locate some of its most famous "residents", such as Elizabeth Pain, the woman who is thought to have been the inspiration for the character of Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter". Also of interest are the Puritan headstones depicting death in a rather gruesome way...

For a small donation, it is also possible to go on a self-guided tour of King's Chapel (Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm). King's Chapel was completed in 1754, and the pews are still the church's original pews. Also, the wooden pulpit at the front of the church was built in 1717 for an earlier chapel that stood on the same site, which makes it the oldest pulpit in the US still in use on its original site.

Directions: Corner of School and Tremont Streets

Phone: 617-523-1749

Website: http://www.kings-chapel.org

Old Granary Burying Ground Granary Burying Ground Review

Dating back to 1660, the Granary Burying Ground is a very popular stop along the Freedom Trail. Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin's parents, Peter Faneuil and the victims of the Boston Massacre are all buried there. Among the cemetery's weird stories is the grave robbing that took place in 1793, when John Hancock was buried - that very same night, grave robbers cut off his hand with which he had signed the Declaration of Independence!

Directions: Tremont Street

Phone: 617-635-7389

Discover Boston's dark side

A city so full of history usually also is full of ghost stories and with its downtown burial grounds and sometimes shady past, Boston is a great city for haunted walks. Several different companies offer ghost tours: the one we went on, the Boston spirits walking tour ($15.00, approx. 90 min), started at the old City Hall and finished in a rather dark area of Boston Common - spooky!! One of the highlights of the tour was when our guide unlocked the gates to the King's Chapel burying ground and led us in to hear one of her frightful accounts of early life in Boston. What a fun way to learn more about a city's history!

Phone: 781-235-7149

Website: http://www.newenglandghosttours.com