Asset
Library

“Quack quack!” your way through the city on the famous Boston Duck Tours in Back Bay, where an amphibious bus-boat drives you through Boston streets and waterways. Or take a stroll through Boston Common along the Freedom Trail to see first-hand how “Massachusetts invented America.” In spring the Public Garden is in full bloom, adding to the romance of the legendary Swan Boats in the park’s lagoon. Stop by Cheers, where the burgers are hot and “everybody knows your name.” Learn the riveting story of Massachusetts’ 1783 ban on slavery as told along the Black Heritage Trail.

Use the Charlie Card on the MBTA (the U.S.’s first subway system) to get around while you’re here. Faneuil Hall comes alive in the summer. Festive street performers wow you with magic, acrobatics, and feats of balloon-twisting among lots of other entertainment. All the incredible shopping at the adjacent Faneuil Hall Marketplace will certainly work up an appetite, although you’ll have a hard time choosing just one place to eat, as the marketplace has an unrivalled number of delicious restaurants and cuisines from which to choose.

Try some freshly shucked shellfish at the Union Oyster House, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the country. Believe it or not, the Chart House on the harbor once served as the office of John Hancock. In the adjacent North End, Boston’s Little Italy, grab a cappuccino, gelato, or pastry along Hanover Street.

How about spending the day on one of the Boston Harbor Islands? Escape the city any day of the week via a scenic ferry ride to either Spectacle or Georges Islands. Outdoor enthusiasts can pack a picnic, relax on a sandy beach and enjoy hikes through the Boston Harbor Islands’ myriad of trails. Daily ferry service will commence at 9:30am each morning, bringing visitors to and from the islands via seven different departures throughout the day. The last return trip of the day will arrive at Long Wharf in downtown Boston at 5:55pm.

Across the Charles River is Cambridge, home of academic havens Harvard University and MIT. Stroll through real Boston-ivy-covered Harvard Yard and see the famous “Statue of Three Lies.” Nearby is the Longfellow National Historical Site, which served as George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War. Visit the Mount Auburn Cemetery, where Bernard Malamud, Winslow Homer, and Oliver Wendell Holmes lie in rest.

Along Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge comes alive in “squares.” Central Square is home to delicious diverse food offerings – Indian, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Mediterranean, to name a few. Harvard Square is home to Harvard University’s comprehensive Fogg Art Museum, shopping, and famous street performers. Porter Square, Inman Square, and Davis Square all further illustrate Cantabrigians’ diverse culture as “Mass Ave.” approaches Somerville.