Boston Area

Some might argue that Boston is one of the most historically interesting cities in the United States. As the birthplace of the Revolutionary War, Boston is packed full of interesting sites which may now be visited along the famous "Freedom Trail" that runs through downtown. Since the downtown area is relatively small, Boston is very easy to navigate, and has been said to maintain some of the best-preserved historic buildings and neighborhoods in the country. As the home to over 100 colleges and universities, Boston also has a youthful feel, which, mixed with its deep historical roots, make it a unique and fun place to visit.

Highlights of Boston

• Hike the Freedom Trail and visit sites such as the Paul Revere House and the Old South Meeting House along the way.
• Visit the beautiful Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, if not for the art, at least for the Venetian-style palazzo where it is located.
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Fenway Park
• Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum

Historical Sites

The Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail consists of a variety of historical sites within Boston that may be walked to by following a painted red line. There are a variety of guided tours along the Freedom Trail, or visitors can simply walk it on their own. Below is a list of what you can see on the Freedom Trail:

Boston Common
The Boston Common is actually a park, but is known to be one of the oldest in the country. It is also the starting point for the Freedom Trail. Used for public hangings until the early 1800's, the park was also used as a campground for British troops preparing to quash the colonial resistance at Lexington and Concord in April, 1775.

Massachusetts State House
Just across from the Boston Common is the State House for Massachusetts. It was built in 1798 and has a dome covered in 23-karat gold that used to be made of wood shingles. Make sure you look for the wooden codfish in the House of Representatives, which was placed there to show the importance of the fishing industry in the area.

Park Street Church and the Granary Burying ground
This is the site of what used to be the old town granary. Grain was kept here before the Revolution and the Church dates back to 1809. One of the notable "firsts" that took place here was the singing of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" by the children's church choir. It is also a burial ground and three signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here among various Governors, Clergymen and Mayors.

King's Chapel Burying Ground
This is known as Boston's oldest burial ground. There is an Anglican church here, which was built by King James II of England to insure a presence of the Church of England in America. Since the colonists were not willing to sell land that would be suitable for building the church, the King ordered that some of the land from the burial ground be seized to build his church. Some of the first colonists are buried here.

First Public School and Ben Franklin Statue
In 1635, the Puritans opened the first public school in this spot. Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock were all students here at one time, in fact, Franklin's birthplace is only a block away from this spot (across from the Old South Meeting House).

Former site of Old Corner Bookstore
The Scarlet Letter, Walden, and the Atlantic Monthly Magazine were all published at what was once the Old Corner Bookstore. Built in 1712, it started as an apothecary shop and is said to be one of Boston's oldest surviving structures. Today, the building is occupied by The Boston Globe Store.

The Old South Meeting House
Originally built as a Puritan house of worship in 1729, The Old South Meeting house is best known for being the site where more than 5000 colonists gathered to protest the tax on tea which led to the events of the Boston Tea Party. Today visitors can watch reenactments of the tea party debates.

The Old State House
Formerly the center of all political life in colonial Boston, The Old State House is the site where the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time in Massachusetts and dates back to 1713.

Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a historic landmark located in the heart of downtown Boston. Faneuil Hall features more than 100 fine shops and 43 unique pushcarts featuring items made by New England artisans. ISE Cardholders will receive a Faneuil Hall Marketplace passport for shopping and dining discounts. The Passport may be picked-up inside the information booth in the Quincy Market Building.

The Boston Massacre Site
The Boston Massacre Site is marked by a circle of cobblestones in front of the Old State House. On March 5th, 1770, there was a minor dispute between a wigmaker's apprentice and a British sentry that turned into a riot in which British soldiers who came to assist were met by a group of angry colonists who threw rocks and snowballs at them. Five colonists were killed when the British soldiers fired into the crowd and Samuel Adams later referred to the event as a "massacre".

Paul Revere House
Not only did the famous Paul Revere live here with his family from 1770-1800, but this is also known as the oldest building in downtown Boston. ISE Cardholders will receive a discounted rate of $2.00 here.

Old North Church
In addition to being Boston's oldest Church Building, the Old North Church is famous for being the location at which Robert Newman signaled the approach of the British by holding up lanterns from the steeple. At 191 feet tall, the steeple of the church is the tallest in Boston and the church also contains the first set of bells ever brought to America.

Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Another of Boston's burial grounds, Copp's Hill got its name because a shoemaker, William Copp, owned the land at one time. Robert Newman is buried here, along with a variety of other residents, predominantly artisans and other craftspeople. It is Boston's second oldest burial ground.

The USS Constitution and Charleston Navy Yard
The USS Constitution is the name of what is now the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. George Washington ordered its construction and it was first launched in 1797. In the war of 1812, The USS Constitution was able to defeat four British frigates and from then on was known as "Old Ironsides," due to the cannon balls that glanced off of her thick hull.

Bunker Hill Monument
This Monument was erected to commemorate the bravery of the colonists who fought in the first major battle of the American Revolution. Although this battle was lost by the colonists, it was the beginning of America's eventual independence from Britain.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Isabella Stewart Gardner, the former owner of this Venetian-style palazzo, stipulated in her will that her collection of almost 2000 priceless works of art not be moved or changed from their present locations when she died, or the whole collection would be put up for auction. Upon her death in 1924, her home became a museum and is well worth a visit. Unfortunately, some pieces of art were robbed in the 1990's, but the museum still houses an impressive collection of artifacts. Additional information may be found at: http://www.gardnermuseum.org

Activities

Fenway Park
For anyone who enjoys Baseball history, Fenway Park is a great stop. Built in 1912, it has a real grass field and oak seats, which is a rarity in the US these days. Boston is very proud of it's baseball history and if you can catch a Boston Red Sox game, there's no better way to soak in the local culture. Information about Fenway park can be found at the following website: www.redsox.com/fenway.

Museum of Fine Arts Boston
For art lovers, the Museum of Fine Arts is one of the best in the country. There is an extensive collection of American paintings, decorative arts, as well as Asian treasures, and European paintings. Since the museum is so large, it might be worth visiting over a couple of days. Hours: Mon-Tue, Sat-Sun 10:00am-4:45pm, Wed-Fri 10:00am-9:45pm Additional information may be found at: www.mfa.org.

Boston Ballet
Boston is not only a beautiful city, but it also has a wide variety of events for those interested in the arts. For those interested in Ballet, the Boston Ballet offers a variety of performances. More information may be found at the website: www.boston.com. ISE Cardholders will be eligible for the "student rush" discounted rate.

Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum
Recently renovated due to fire damage, the Boston Tea Party and Ship Museum takes visitors on a tour of a replica of the tea ships that were raided by a group of Patriots on December 16, 1773. The group disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and after gaining access to the ships, they proceeded to destroy 342 crates of British tea by dumping it overboard. This event was later referred to as the Boston Tea Party and marked an important change in attitudes that led to the Revolutionary War. ISE Cardholders will receive $1.00 off the admission price.

Places to Stay

Hostels
There are a wide variety of places to stay in Boston. To search for hostels online with full descriptions, photos and availability features, please click here. The $2 reservation fee will be waived when booking through this site.

Places to Eat

Quincy Market
This is a great place to grab some take-out from a variety of food shops. The clam chowder and oysters are favorites with the locals.

Durgin Park
For those on a budget who want a hearty meal, Durgin Park is the place to go. It's located downtown and has been around since 1827, so be prepared for other tourists! For more information call: 617 227 2038

Baja Betty's
Another economical place to eat is Baja Betty's. A good choice if you're in the mood for Mexican. The phone number there is: 617 277 8900

Getting Around

Biking
Boston is a great city for biking as there are quite a few city parks that are all linked together (usually referred to as the "Emerald Necklace"). The distances aren't prohibitive and there are a variety of routes to choose from. The tourist office should have more information about what options are available.

Walking
Boston is an ideal city for walking. The Freedom trail consists of 16 historic sites in downtown Boston, all linked together by a red line painted on the pavement. The total distance of this walk is only about 2.5 miles (4 km). There are also some nice walks along the "Emerald Necklace" through the city's parks as well as along the Harbor. For those interested in a guided tour, they are widely available.

Car
Since Boston's traffic can be quite congested, it's probably best to avoid driving if possible. The city has an excellent transportation system, so a car should not be necessary.

Metro
Boston has a very efficient Metro system. From Logan International, the Metro is probably the easiest way to get downtown.

Bus
Greyhound, Trailways and various other bus lines service the Boston area. The bus station is conveniently located just south of the Financial district, adjacent to the South Street Train station.

Train
Amtrak services Boston and has stops at North Station, Back Bay Station, and South Station.

Taxi
Taxi's are abundant in Boston, but be prepared to pay the price.

Air
Boston's main airport is Logan International. Since most major domestic and international carriers fly through Boston, getting a flight to Boston should not be a problem. Logan International is located in East Boston, about 6 miles from downtown.

Moving On

Bus
Greyhound has services from Boston to destinations throughout the US.

Train
Amtrak also has a wide selection of services to other US cities. There is even a three-hour express train to NYC.

Air
All domestic and international flights out of Boston will probably be from Logan International Airport. Most major carriers service the Boston area.