Boston
The Hub of the Universe
General Information
Other Name: The Walking City, District: Massachusetts, State: New England, United States of America
Area: 232.1 km²
Languages Spoken: English
Long Distance Code: -
Importance: -
Best Time to Visit: - to - and -
International Access: -Description
Boston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the entire region.Bostonian''s love their city and are happy to show off their history to visitors from all over the world. It is also a city of architectural treasures with many fine examples of Federalist, Georgian, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival and Victorian designs.The Freedom Trail, the Black Heritage Trail, and the Women’s Heritage Trail put visitors in the midst of the action and breathe new life into history-book names like Revere, Hancock, and Longfellow. Prefer wandering through peaceful parks and manicured gardens? Don’t miss Boston Common, the country’s oldest public park, or the Public Garden – eight bucolic blocks of trees, flowers, swans and ducklings, a lagoon, statues, and memorials.Location
City is located in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, in the northeastern United StatesClimate
Continental climate
There are other boat companies offering whale watches departing from Boston Harbor, but this one by the New England Aquarium is the only one run by an organization dedicated to preserving whales and the waters where they live. Trips last three to five hours. If no whales are sighted on your trip, you receive a voucher for a return free trip.
Boston Common is America''s oldest park in the heart of Boston, offering recreation opportunities and a glimpse into history through numerous monuments to the past. Designated as public space in 1640, British soldiers later camped here during the Revolutionary War. Part of the Freedom Trail , the park adjoins the Massachusetts State House and Beacon Hill . A favorite spot is the Frog Pond, which doubles as an ice skating rink. The park is the beginning of the "Emerald Necklace," a seven-mile string of local parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
A fleet of Ducks, brightly colored, vintage World War II amphibious vehicles provide narrated, half-land, half-water tours of Boston. Do not be alarmed when your Duck abandons its wheels and lowers itself onto the Charles River! Tours cover many of Boston''s downtown tourist attractions famous spots like the State House and the Prudential Tower.
Get a feel for Boston with a stroll along 17 miles of riverside paths and parks. Watch sailboats and racing college crews on the Charles River Esplanade. On summer evenings, there is free music at the Hatch Memorial Shell, and there are always hundreds of walkers, joggers, bikers, dog-walkers and sunbathers enjoying the view. The best way to reach the river is via the Arthur Fiedler footbridge, which is close to the intersection of Beacon and Arlington Streets in the Back Bay.
There are more than 100 places to eat, shop and drink at Faneuil Hall Marketplace also known as Quincy Market. French merchant Peter Faneuil gave the hall that precedes the marketplace to his adopted home of Boston in 1742. It has been called the "Cradle of Liberty" because of the number of revolutionaries and abolitionists who delivered important speeches here. The hall is now a tourist center, but public meeting facilities are still available.
Admission is free every Wednesday night at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts . The summer emphasis is on families with a number of educational and entertaining events planned. Self-guided or staff-guided activities in the galleries include sketching, puzzles and games. Visiting artists demonstrate paper making, textile arts, oil painting and sculpture and actors rove through the galleries acting out artworks through improvisation. Stories, dance, puppet, mime and musical performances are all a part of this event.
Frog Pond Skating Rink is a concrete formation and a water pool in summer, but in winter it turns into a 16,000-feet outdoor skating rink. On crisp Boston nights, there may be nothing better than a twirl on the ice beneath the trees of the Boston Common and the lights of downtown skyscrapers. You may even have an audience—crowds often gathered on the rail around the pond to watch the skaters glide.
Freedom Trail is a three-mile ribbon of red paint that links 16 historical sites. Most visitors start the trail at the Boston Common . The National Park Service offers 90-minute guided tours starting at the Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center.
Within Museum of Science are a planetarium, an IMAX movie theater and a two-story Van de Graaf generator, capable of producing 2.5 million volts of electricity. These and the hundreds of other exhibits make this museum one of Boston''s top attractions. Hatching chickens, a comparative brain exhibit and a math and statistics room are educating and entertaining.
This old neighborhood is the site of the Old North Church and the Paul Revere House . Located along the Boston waterfront, it was the first stop for several waves of immigrants. Italians made it their home in the 1870s. Italian restaurants and pastry shops are crammed into narrow streets, where the smell of garlic and sounds of happy diners fill the air. Hanover and Salem are the two main streets and are often packed with tourists and locals who flock there to chill and relax and most importantly shop.
Any shopper will enjoy a stroll down this street, which features eight blocks of upscale boutiques, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. On warm weekends, the sidewalks are teeming with window shoppers, street performers and overflowing outdoor cafes. Located in the historic Back Bay , much of the brownstone architecture is influenced by the Art Nouveau style of the 1920s. There are upscale clothiers like Max Mara . In addition, chic galleries and restaurants, such as Stephanie''s of Newbury and Sonsie , attract a well-dressed, monied crowd.
Just across Charles Street from the Boston Common , Public Garden is elegantly landscaped with flower beds, lagoons, walking paths and statues, including a notable monument of George Washington on a horse.
For a breathtaking view of the city and surrounding area, take a trip to this Skywalk observatory. The windows here present a vista of Boston in all directions. On a clear day, visitors can see the mountains of New Hampshire. Museum-like displays offer detailed information on the history of Boston''s geography.