Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
magnet for students, sightseers, and
well-heeled shoppers. It's an easy walk
along Mass. Ave. southeast to
Central
Square,
a gentrifying area dotted with
ethnic restaurants and clubs; a short
walk away is boho
Inman Square,
a
stronghold of independent businesses.
North along shop-lined Mass. Ave.
from Harvard Square is
Porter Square,
a mostly residential neighborhood
with quirky retail outlets of the sort
that once characterized Harvard
Square. Around
Kendall Square
you'll
find MIT and many technology-ori-
ented businesses.
2 The Best of Boston in 1 Day
A single day affords the opportunity to sample some experiences unique to Boston.
You won't have time for full immersion, but you can touch on several singular attrac-
tions and destinations. Your focus will be the downtown area, home to the city's
oldest and most historic neighborhoods.
Start:
Boston Common (Red or Green Line to
Park Street), 15 State St. (Green or Blue Line to State), or Faneuil Hall (Green or Blue
Line to Government Center).
1
The Freedom Trail
Boston's signature attraction is a 2
1
⁄
2
-mile
line of red paint or brick laid out at the
suggestion of a local journalist in 1958.
Following the whole Freedom Trail
(p. 148) can consume the better part of a
day, but several options that concentrate
on the downtown part of the walk take
2 hours or so. Your goal is to cover—at
whatever pace suits you, as carefully or as
casually as you like—the first two-thirds
of the trail, from
Boston Common
through
Faneuil Hall.
Start at the Boston
Common Visitor Information Center
with a pamphlet describing the self-
guided tour or with the audio tour avail-
able for rental from the Freedom Trail
Foundation. If you prefer a guided tour,
check the schedule of tours with
National
Park Service rangers, Boston By Foot,
and the
Freedom Trail Foundation.
2
Retail Therapy
The legendary Filene's Basement will
likely be closed during your visit (for
building construction not slated to end
until 2009), but
Downtown Crossing
is
still worth checking out; see chapter 9 for
pointers.Your next stop,
Faneuil Hall
Marketplace,
options. You can give your wallet a work-
out before, after, or even (this can be our
little secret) during your sightseeing.
3
FANEUIL HALL MARKETPLACE
Giving new meaning to the term “one-stop
shopping,” Faneuil Hall Marketplace (
&
617/
523-1300
), bordered by North, Congress,
and State streets and Atlantic Avenue,
encompasses a Freedom Trail stop (the
original Faneuil Hall; p. 154), retail outlets
galore, numerous restaurants and bars, and
tons of picnic possibilities. The main level of
Quincy Market is a gigantic food court. You
can eat at the marketplace, but I suggest
crossing Atlantic Avenue and enjoying
your snack or lunch with a glorious view.
Stake out a seat overlooking the marina
next to
Christopher Columbus Waterfront
Park
(next to the Marriott, on the side
opposite the New England Aquarium). If
you'd rather eat indoors, head to
Durgin-
Park
, 340 Faneuil Hall Marketplace
(
&
617/227-2038;
p. 115), or across the
street to
Ye Olde Union Oyster House
,
41 Union St. (
&
617/227-2750;
p. 115).
4
Paul Revere House
My favorite Freedom Trail stop is a little
17th-century home overlooking a pictur-
esque cobblestone square. See p. 155.
offers more shopping
