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If Boston had a resume, it would say something along the lines of: Home of the Celtics and Red Sox. American Revolutionists. Cobblestone sidewalks. Lobster everywhere. My trip to Boston was jam packed with sights to see. The variety in what the city has to offer has me dying for a visit back. The food and drinks with New England flare is something you must try! There is no shortage of selection in where to stay and what to do.
When I was planning my trip, I became overwhelmed with everything there was to do. This list includes my favorite sights and experiences as well as the best restaurants and hotels I tried.
What to Do:
Explore the Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile stretch of history. With sixteen recognized landmarks, there are additional nuggets of history sprinkled in between. Some of the most notable landmarks include the Old South Meeting House, pictured below, where the Boston Tea Party was planned by American Revolutionists. One of my favorite sights on the Freedom Trail is the Old State House. The Old State House overlooks the Site of the Boston Massacre and housed many heated meetings as we fought against British reign.
You will also have many opportunities to honor Paul Revere by visiting his house, statue, and resting place. You can also visit the Old North Church, where lanterns were hung to signal the British invading.
In addition to meeting houses and churches, there are multiple burying grounds worth seeing on the Freedom Trail. The most famous if probably Granary Burying Ground where John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams are buried (pictured).
Seeing the decaying headstones is a stark reminder of our nation’s eighteenth century history.
Check out a complete guide to the Freedom Trail in Boston.
Take A Boat Ride On The Boston Harbor
Boston is very much a historic city with old, preserved buildings. The skyline, however, is a testament to its’ modern edge. On our boat tour, we were able to experience the Boston Harbor and take in the buildings that tower over it.
In addition to seeing the city, our tour traveled around a few of the surrounding islands.
See America’s Oldest Ballpark At Fenway Park
On the flight to Boston, I watched Fever Pitch with Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. It was the perfect way to get excited about our tour of Fenway Park.
We visited Boston the week after the Red Sox won the World Series. As Dodger fans, we were bitter, but as baseball fans, we could not miss an opportunity to see the historic stadium.
The green monster has watched over a century of baseball. Because it was no longer baseball season, we were unable to watch a game. The tour was the next best thing and we were taken all around the stadium and in the broadcasting booth. We learned fun facts about the stadium and seats.
One of the downsides to not seeing a game at Fenway was experiencing the excitements on the streets on game day. I would have loved to see the streets filled with fans. There are surrounding pubs and sports bars that host fans that are worth checking out.
The Fever Pitch fangirl in me loved every moment of being at Fenway Park.
Tour The Prestigious Halls Of Harvard University
How do you get excited for your tour of Harvard University? For me, it was watching Legally Blonde on the flight. I could not wait to embrace my inner Elle Woods and walk the historic halls that have seen some of the world’s most famous alumni’s.
My tour was led by a student at the school. There a million reasons why I loved the student led tour. First of all, she was so excited and proud to share her school with this group of tourists. Not to mention, students have all that secret knowledge that you do not hear about.
I was able to see the Harvard Lampoon and Harvard Crimson headquarters. Those are the competing humor magazine and school newspaper, respectfully. Many notable names the entertainment industry got their start in those very buildings.
We then walked through the gates of Harvard under the famous VE RI TAS shield. The expansive halls and buildings surrounded us including The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, donated by the namesake’s mother after he died on the Titanic.
Lehman Hall (pictured) was one of my favorite buildings due to the elaborate door and walkway. The red brick buildings never got old to look at and made me wish I enrolled back in college.
Want to know more? Read 3 reasons to tour the famous Harvard University.
Where to Eat:
Visiting Boston gave me a first glance into New England cuisine. One thing that I took advantage of and missed when I got home: there is lobster everywhere. We ate good, we drank good, and we went home with some new favorite dishes.
The Union Oyster House
Boston is home of many “America’s Oldest” designations. This one is no different. America’s oldest restaurant (or so they claim) is the Union Oyster House. Located just shy of the North End, the surrounding area is eighteenth century architecture.
You will get a glimpse into New England cuisine and can choose anything oyster, lobster or steak related.
Summer Shack
This restaurant transported you from downtown Boston into a tropical oasis. Summer Shack was located across the street from our hotel, the Sheraton Boston Hotel. The restaurant and bar reminded me of somewhere much more tropical than metropolitan Boston.
We went to this restaurant and bar four times on our trip. Each time, we ordered fruity cocktails and the Lobster pot stickers because we could not get enough of them.
Check out all 5 amazing restaurants in Boston you must try.
Where to Drink:
Cheers
I am the biggest Frasier geek. Visiting Cheers was an obvious must-see on my Boston trip. I was worried about visiting Cheers because I thought it might be disappointing if it looked different than on the show. I was not disappointed at all!
The staircase down to the bar looked identical to the show. The bar downstairs is fairly basic and was full when we visited. There is also the recreated bar from the show which was full when we visited. There is also a small giftshop with different mementos from the show. Even though I wanted to have a beer in Norm’s spot at the bar, I was glad I was able to see the bar from the outside. Not to mention the bar is right around the corner from Boston Common and the Massachusetts State House, both of which are part of the Freedom Trail.
Green Dragon Tavern
You walk into the Green Dragon Tavern and you walk into the eighteenth century. Paul Revere is belly up at the bar and John Hancock is in the corner sipping from an ale. No really, those are two claimed customers.
Visit Green Dragon Tavern’s website HERE.
Check out the Green Dragon Tavern on YELP!
Check out all 5 unique bars in Boston to drink at.
Where to Stay:
In Boston there is no shortage of places to stay. I made a list of the three hotels I interacted with during my stay in Boston to help with your search.
Omni Parker House
The Parker House, when pronounced by true Bostonians, is “The Pawkuh House”. Surrounded by landmarks on the Freedom Trail, the Parker House is located within walking distance to Granary Burying Grounds, King’s Chapel and Burying Ground, Boston Common, and so much more.
The Parker House, now managed by Omni Hotels, has a history as rich as its city. John F Kennedy spent time at this hotel, as did Bill Clinton. Rumor has it John Wilkes Booth Stayed here, too!
The Omni Parker House has an ideal location if you are in town and wanting to tour the Freedom Trail.
Check out the Omni Parker House on YELP and book your stay now!
Sheraton Boston Hotel
The Sheraton Boston Hotel is where we stayed in Boston. It was a unique experience because there were several hotels in the city that were on strike. Because most of the staff was on strike, we got to watch them picket outside of the valet. They were respectful about it and our stay was unimpacted by it.
We spent several of our afternoons at the hotel bar and became familiar with the bartenders. They took care of us and managed the crowd for the convention in town.
One of the coolest parts of this hotel is its connection to Prudential Center. This made it easy to go shopping, pick up coffee, and even cut across town.
Book your stay at Sheraton Boston Hotel today!
Boston Marriott Copley Place
Boston Marriott Copley Place was another host hotel for our conference in Boston. This expansive hotel is impressive for its Sky Bridge tunnel to Prudential Center. Centrally located downtown, you are minutes away from sightseeing.
Check out the Boston Marriott Copley Place on YELP and book your stay today!
Book Your Stay Now
Whether you are planning a trip to Boston or are just looking for inspiration for your next vacation, I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite places. The only thing better than visiting these spots and enjoying them is getting to share them with friends and family. Please comment if you have visited Boston and tell me how you liked it.
I am always open to recommendations. If you have any favorite spots in Boston please share them below!
Cheers!
