My Favorite Places to Visit in Boston, MA

This is a follow-up post to my last post titled, Must See Places When Visiting Boston, MA. Having visited many times I have tried to venture out and see new places with every visit. Over the course of five years, these are some of my favorite things to do and places to eat.

Things to Do:

Tour Harpoon Brewery – Great tour and I love the story of how this brewery came to be. The tour ends in a great hall reminiscent of Germany’s great beer halls. Craft beer and homemade pretzels – need I say more?

Stroll a cemetery with a visit to Mount Auburn Cemetery – OK, so I like visiting cemeteries, but with over 200,000 annual visitors to Mount Auburn I am not the only one. Filled with ponds, trails, and trees it is a beautiful park to wander through. And you can see the final resting place of many historical and famous men and women.

Check out the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – A very eclectic collection of Isabella’s world travels. A small museum – actually it was Isabella’s home that she filled with world treasures and fine art. At one point it was a working museum and her private home at the same time.

Bike to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaican Plain from The Fens (near Fenway Park). Pick up a bike at any hubway stop and follow the emerald necklace pathway. Bike along the river, past Jamaican Pond, and end up at the arboretum. This seven mile long path is mostly flat. Be sure to check out the map at Emerald Necklace Conservancy. Hubway bikes have a time limit. I have used them to get all around Boston. Just look for stops so you know where you can check them in and out.

Get lost in Boston Public Central Library – This is an amazing building to walk through. I loved getting lost in this architectural gem. Yes, I eventually found my way out. I walked in from the Dartmouth Street entrance, wandered hallways, climbed staircases, discovered rare books, and eventually found my way to the newer side and exited on Boylston Street. A wonderful building to get lost in.

Marvel at Trinity Church – This is another architectural masterpiece and is right across the square from the library. It is open for touring (small donation). This building is beautiful inside and out.

If you are traveling with children, the Boston Children’s Museum is a fun place to visit. I spent a very snowy day there. Some fun hands-on exhibits, but mostly for children.

Looking at the river from inside the Boston Children’s Museum

And most definitely if you are a runner or walker be sure to check out the trail along the Charles River. It is a beautiful trail complete with fitness stations. I love watching the boats and crew teams working out as I travel the trial. There are a few bridges – Harvard Bridge (Misnamed as it connects Boston University’s Campus to MIT’s Campus) being one – that lets you criss-cross the river with trails along both sides.

Places to Eat:

Life Alive in Cambridge – Bike over to Cambridge, have a healthy and organic lunch at Life Alive and you will feel good for the rest of the day. They have delicious salads, wraps, snacks, and juices that really will leave you feeling energized and satisfied.

You cannot beat the North End for Italian food! Every restaurant I have dined at in this neighborhood has been excellent. But I will mention two – the first is Strega. What makes this place unique is the decor and it’s wall of screens playing well known mafia movies. While the sound is off, my husband an aficionado of all mob movies, was in heaven as he watched the silent movies while enjoying a great meal. My daughter and I (not so versed in mob movies) enjoyed our conversation and food 🙂 The second restaurant to note is Tattoria II Panino on Parmenter Street. I note this restaurant because it is my daughter and her roommates’ favorite.

Moving to the South End – I love The Beehive. The decor – bohemian and funky combined with great food and live music makes this a great restaurant to check out. Plan on making it a night with drinks, food, and live jazz.

For Jazz music fans – check out Wally’s Cafe Jazz Club with 365 days of live jazz music. I had the pleasure of listening to a family friend, then a student of Berklee College of Music, and his jazz band play there. This club prides themselves on being the training ground for aspiring musicians. With so many talented students in and around Boston, you will not be disappointed.

A few more recommendations:

The Fireplace on Beacon Street
Henrietta’s Table in Cambridge
Hungry Mother in Cambridge
Ten Tables in Jamaican Plain

And I would be remised if I did not mention the food truck my daughter has worked on, managed, and drove – Bon Me. I love, love, love their sandwiches! People line up in all kinds of weather for their food. They can be found at different locations and different times – check out their web page. They got their start after winning the Boston Food Truck Contest.