Things To Do
Harvard Square
The campus of Harvard University is worth a walk and its museums are worth a visit. Harvard square, with its food and drinks, will be your refueling station. Follow the college kids and they'll lead you to good places. Whether you reminisce your youth or regret those nights partying till the AM - that's on you! Yunwen and I walk around here too often (almost everyday) and pretend to be young and hip. We can be found at Russell House Tavern, Tasty Burger, Felipe's Taqueria, Santouka or LA Burdick. Make sure you burn those calories by walking over to the Charles River.
Freedom Trail
This is a scenic walk along the most historic sections of Boston and is a great way to get to know the city. It is around 2.5 miles long and can take a couple of hours if you are really interested in learning about the history of the city and the country. There are free guides and re-enactments of events to watch along the way.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The courtyard is the most instagramed part of the whole museum, even though the rest of the building does house some really famous pieces of art. The courtyard is very relaxing on the eyes and the mind. We found it quite fascinating to walk and gawk at someone's (once) private art collection. And yes, we did take a picture of ourselves in the courtyard, as one must do!
Boston Commons and Public Garden
The first public park and the first botanical garden in the country. Summer is the best time to walk around the Boston Public Garden and Boston Common. Located between downtown Boston and Back Bay, this is a great place to take a break before marching on to Newbury Street or Prudential Center for some shopping or Chinatown/Back Bay for some food!
North End
If you are in the mood for Italian food, then there is endless variety in the North End. Our favorites here are Neptune Oyster and Daily Catch. Depending on the time, the wait to get in can be long so the strategy is to put your name down and stroll around, maybe enjoy a pre-dinner dessert at Modern Pastry shop!
Boston Public Market
Local food from local folks! We try to stop by every time we are in the area. Lots of options to eat. Our favorites are Red's Best Seafood, Inna's Kitchen and Union Square donuts. We highly recommend this place for price and quality over the food next door at Quincy Market (a tourist trap).
Museum of Fine Arts
For those art and history lovers, this is a must-visit. This museum is huge and can easily take a whole day to cover in its entirety. People usually cover the sections they are most interested in. Be prepared to walk (a lot)!
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
It's in the city and not in the city at the same time. This is the oldest arboretum in North America. This is a huge place and will take 2 to 3 hours to cover but is a must visit if you enjoy some peace and quiet amongst the trees. Parking is hard to find so try to use public transport.
Harpoon Brewery
Harpoon is a local favorite and offer tours and tastings. Just tell your partner that you want to visit the Seaport area and act surprised when you see this place. Its worth the white-lie! Then head over to Trillium Brewing for some good food and more beer.
Trillium Brewing Company
Since you already made it to the Seaport area, why not go to one of the hot and fancy breweries? There is good food and novel concoctions - you can't go wrong!
Samuel Adams Boston Brewery
The biggest craft brewer of them all. Find out why they are so big and so famous! The tour is free and folks are very knowledgeable. You get free beer at the end. Win-win!