Boston
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Boston, Massachusetts is a historic Northeastern city, and home to prestigious universities including Harvard and MIT in Cambridge. Cape Cod is a popular summer sailing destination as are the islands off the coast, including Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Here is our travel guide to Boston.
STAY
THE NEWBURY A Boston landmark, located on fashionable Newbury Street, just a short scenic walk from the Financial and Theatre districts. Amenities include an upscale Italian restaurant with a glass-enclosed rooftop dining room, plus a sophisticated bar, a cozy library and a tearoom. 1 Newbury St, Boston; thenewburyboston.com
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL The recently renovated Four Seasons in Boston’s Back Bay is the perfect setting for morning or afternoon strolls around the Boston Public Garden. The hotel's restaurant, the Bristol, excels at traditional New England fare served in an elegant, wood-paneled dining room. Order the king crab tortellini. 200 Boylston St, Boston; fourseasons.com/boston
BATTERY WHARF HOTEL A beacon of tranquility in Boston’s historic waterfront, Battery Wharf Hotel includes a jewel-box Maritime Museum, and guestrooms that look out onto the neighboring U.S. Coast Guard Base. 3 Battery Wharf; batterywharfhotelboston.com
XV BEACON The XV Beacon is set in a stunning, 18th-century Beaux-Arts mansion originally owned by a wealthy merchant. Since 1999, the XV Beacon has been working as a 63-room boutique hotel that puts a premium on cozy with fireplaces and soft cashmere throws and Frette sheets in the guestrooms. 15 Beacon St; xvbeacon.com
THE RITZ-CARLTON Rooms overlook the Boston Common, America’s oldest public park. The hotel is attached to an Equinox gym, and guests are welcome to use the facilities as well as the spa. Steps away from the boutiques of Newbury Street and the charming cobblestoned roads of Beacon Hill, home to many of the city's best restaurants. 10 Avery St; ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/bosrt-the-ritz-carlton-boston
HOTEL AKA BOSTON Rooms are outfitted with classic-meets-industrial American décor, including authentic Eames lounge chairs, tufted leather headboards, brass lighting, and Beat literature art. Bikes are available to rent, which is fitting as the Boston Common is just across the street. 90 Tremont St; stayaka.com/hotel-aka-boston
THE REVOLUTION A South End hotel in a midcentury building, which was once home to the local YWCA. The interiors have been completely transformed into a bright, artistic space, and the lobby features a colossal spray-painted mural by a local street artist. 40 Berkeley St; therevolutionhotel.com
THE LIBERTY HOTEL Originally built as a jail in 1851, the Liberty Hotel is one of Boston’s architectural landmarks, thanks to the fact that the dramatic space was reimagined by a team of designers and architects who collaborated closely with both historians and conservationists. The center of the hotel is a soaring ninety-foot atrium, light spills into all the interiors, and the hotel affords stunning city and Charles River views. 215 Charles St; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/boslc-the-liberty-a-luxury-collection-hotel-boston
SEAPORT HOTEL A harbor hotel with great views, and a sustainability mission. Guest rooms are light-filled and contemporary with nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. 1 Seaport Ln; seaportboston.com
BOSTON HARBOR HOTEL Located right on the water in scenic Rowes Wharf, this hotel manages to give a subtle nod to Boston’s colonial past by way of décor—heavy, dark wood, a billowing American flag in the lobby, and windows overlooking the harbor. Summer is the season to visit, as the location is right by the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a lush green space with flower gardens. 70 Rowes Wharf; bostonharborhotel.com
ELLIOT HOTEL The Elliot feels like a luxurious bed and breakfast— the drapes, bed skirts, and decorative pillowcases all share the same pattern, the lighting is soft, and the coffee tables are piled high with art books. The hotel's restaurant, Uni—run by James Beard Award winner Ken Oringer—specializes in sushi, favoring fish from both the New England waters and Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market. 370 Commonwealth Ave; eliothotel.com
OMNI PARKER HOUSE The hotel’s Parker restaurant created Boston’s famous Parker House Rolls as well as the iconic Boston Cream Pie. 60 School St; omnihotels.com/hotels/boston-parker-house
DINE | DRINK
FLOUR BAKERY Chef and owner Joanne Chang graduated from Harvard with a degree in math, but her passion was in pastry. Her bustling bakeries with locations in the South End, Fort Point, Central Square, Cambridge, and Back Bay, are known for ginger molasses cookies, fruit tarts, and the sticky buns made famous in Bobby Flay’s Throwdown. flourbakery.com
O YA One of the best restaurants in Boston— Japanese small plates by Chef Tim Cushman, a music graduate turned chef who spent years in Europe and Asia. The menu includes traditional sushi and sashimi as well as nigiri with truffles and eggs. For a full experience, order the seventeen-course omakase menu, but make sure it includes the legs and eggs (lobster legs dotted with white sturgeon caviar) and the tea-brined pork ribs caramelized with hot sesame oil and sweet honey. 9 E St; o-ya.restaurant
TOSCANINI'S ICE CREAM The New York Times called it the world’s best ice cream, followed closely by Bi-Rite in San Francisco and Jeni’s in Columbus, Ohio. The Central Square ice cream shop has been churning out burnt caramel, chocolate black pepper, and kulfi (a cardamom-scented take on Indian ice cream) for years. 159 First St, Cambridge; tosci.com
BANYAN BAR + REFUGE Dim sum, avocado bao, spicy salmon poke, chicken tikka masala, dragon noodles, and kimchi fried rice are the highlights at this Asian-influenced restaurant. 553 Tremont St; banyanboston.com
BARCELONA WINE BAR A wine and tapas bar in South End serving saffron paella, garlic gambas al ajillo, boquerones with oil, and jamón. barcelonawinebar.com
JULIET A French-American bistro with omelettes or a Bostonian version of a Salade Niçoise (marinated mussels instead of tuna). 263 Washington St; julietsomerville.com
MAMALEH Mamaleh is a Yiddish term of endearment for a child. This family run bistro serves up heart-warming deli classics like pastrami, bagels, and blintzes. mamalehs.com
LITTLE DONKEY James Beard Award winners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonette created a menu of dishes that they like to eat at home when they are off the clock. Entrees include charred avocado with yogurt and pomegranate, manti (Turkish ravioli), and biryani, as well as American comfort food like fried chicken. 505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge; littledonkeycambridge.com
MYERS + CHANG Owned and operated by a husband-and-wife duo is a South Asian diner serving authentic street food. Order the chicken wings and pork belly buns, miso-glazed carrots, or any of the noodle dishes. 1145 Washington St; myersandchang.com
NEPTUNE OYSTER The servers shuck fresh oysters behind the bar to guests with mignonette and a crisp glass of sparkling wine. Order the johnnycake to start00 an airy cornmeal pancake soaked in sweet honey butter and topped with sturgeon caviar. 63 Salem St # 1; neptuneoyster.com
OLEANA Inspired by a trip to Turkey, Chef Ana Sortum, opened Oleana bringing Middle Eastern recipes to Boston. Most of the produce is grown on Sortun’s farm by her farmer husband (Chris)— a true farm to table restaurant. 134 Hampshire St, Cambridge; oleanarestaurant.com
SALTIE GIRL Owner Kathy Sidell spent her childhood sailing, and her restaurant is famous for its large tinned seafood collection including Siberian Osetra caviar, Pacific salmon roe, tinned Spanish anchovies, and Portuguese sardines. 279 Dartmouth St; saltiegirl.com
SARMA The Turkish word "sarma" translates to something wrapped, rolled, or a bite-sized morsel. Chef Cassie Piuma has modeled her dishes (many of which are enveloped in pastry or grape leaves). Order the parsnip fritters with crushed nuts and the Meze platter. 249 Pearl St, Somerville; sarmarestaurant.com
THE TORO Toro serves Barcelona-style tapas by Boston chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette. Sustainability is key, and the restaurant composts all biodegradable waste, and serves organic, biodynamic wines and spirits. 1704 Washington St; toro-restaurant.com
ROW 34 A Fort Point spot known for seafood and bar bites including oysterss, hot fried chicken, burgers, clam chowders, Old Bay–spiced onion rings, buttery lobster rolls, with a full sampling of craft beer. 383 Congress St; row34.com
SOFRA BAKERY & CAFE A popular brunch spot in Cambridge, serving Middle Eastern classics including shakshuka, Turkish-style breakfast, and sides of cardamom and orange blossom buns. 1 Belmont St, Cambridge; sofrabakery.com
SPOKE WINE BAR A biodynamic bar by Chef Felisha “Flea” Foster. Order fried oysters with parsnip mayo. 89 Holland St, Somerville; spokewinebar.com
FRENCHIE WINE BAR As the name implies, Frenchie’s serves French bistro food and French wines. Start with a cheese and charcuterie board, escargot toast, or an omelette and cold glass of Pouilly-Fuissé. In winter, theFrench onion soup and a full-bodied Bordeaux can’t be beat. Brunch classics include the croque madames and a café au lait. 560 Tremont St, Boston; frenchieboston.com
THE BEEHIVE A New Orleans style spot for live jazz and cocktails. 541 Tremont St, Boston; beehiveboston.com
YVONNE'S A supper club and whiskey bar with opulent decor including dark mahogany and jewel-toned wallpaper. The menu has a Mediterranean bent with giant bean hummus, chicken & quinoa meatballs, and crispy tuna. 2 Winter Pl; yvonnesboston.com
UNION OYSTER HOUSE A historic eatery serving chowder & other New England seafood standards since 1826. 41 Union St, Boston; unionoysterhouse.com
MIKE'S PASTRY A popular Italian pastry shop, famous for their lines and their large cannolis. mikespastry.com
L.A. BURDICK Our favorite cafe and chocolate shop in Cambridge near Harvard Square. Order the famous hot chocolate and the chocolate mice for holiday gifts. 220 Clarendon St; burdickchocolate.com
ARTS | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM The Isabella Stewart Gardner is modeled after a Venetian Palazzo by nineteenth-century socialite and philanthropist Isabella Gardner, and located near the Boston Commons. Although she was a Boston resident, Gardner spent most of her time exploring Europe and the Far East with her husband, accruing a collection of paintings, books, sculptures, and textiles—nearly 16,000 items in all. Sketches by Manet, Michelangelo, and John Singer Sargent, gothic tapestries, paintings by Velázquez and Titian, as well as an extensive furniture and rare books collection fill the galleries. Wander through the rooms of the palazzo and wind up in the courtyard, a cloistered space filled with sculptures, trees, tiles, and a proper Roman-style pond, all of which adds up to the most serene spot in Boston no matter the season. The museum was also scene of one of the largest art heists in history. In 1990, thirteen works, including a rare Vermeer and Rembrandt valued at $500 million, were stolen by thieves posing as police. They’ve never been recovered, and the empty frames still hang in their original spots in memory of the lost works. 25 Evans Way; gardnermuseum.org
HARVARD ART MUSEUM The Harvard Art Museums, designed by architect Renzo Piano, are comprised of three museums including the Archaeological Exploration of Sardis, the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. The collections include approximately 250,000 objects in all media, ranging in date from antiquity to the present and originating in Europe, North America, North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. 32 Quincy St; harvardartmuseums.org
ICA Originally an incubator for MoMA, the establishment officially became the Institute of Contemporary Art in 1948. It’s dedicated to identifying new artists and showing contemporary works in all mediums, including performance, film, and literature. 25 Harbor Shore Dr; icaboston.org
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS The Museum of Fine Arts has one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas, housed in a striking neoclassical building abutting the Back Bay Fens park. 465 Huntington Ave; mfa.org
FREEDOM TRAIL In 1951, the citizens of Boston preserved and dedicated the historic Freedom Trail, a two-and-a-half-mile walk through the city that passes sixteen historically significant sites, starting with Boston Common and ending with the USS Constitution. Don’t miss the Old State House (where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston in 1776), Paul Revere’s House, and Old North Church (where Robert Newman famously hung two lanterns in the belfry, alerting Revere that the British were coming over the Charles River). thefreedomtrail.org
BOSTON COMMON Boston’s largest park occupies land that was once a community cow pasture right in the middle of town. It’s a great jumping-off point for exploring Beacon Hill or Newbury Street or the starting point for the Freedom Trail. Enjoy a romantic (albeit touristy) ride on the swan boats in the small lake in the Boston Public Garden. In the winter, the frog pond on the northern edge of the Common hosts ice-skating. The original Cheers bar is also located across the street. boston.gov/parks/boston-common
FENWAY PARK The home of the Boston Red Sox, originally built in 1912, arguably the most historic stadium in the MLB. 4 Jersey St; mlb.com/redsox/ballpark
BOSTON BALLET The Boston Ballet is an American professional classical ballet company founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams and Sydney Leonard— the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. 19 Clarendon St; bostonballet.org
CITIZENS BANK OPERA HOUSE The Boston Opera House, also known as the Citizens Bank Opera House, is a performing arts venue originally built as the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre, a movie palace in the Keith-Albee chain. 539 Washington St; citizensoperahouse.com
FANEUIL HALL MARKETPLACE Faneuil Hall is a marketplace and meeting hall located near the waterfront. Opened in 1743, it was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams encouraging independence from Great Britain. It is now part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. The nearby Quincy Market food hall sells produce and includes various restaurants and shops. faneuilhallmarketplace.com
JFK PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM The presidential library and museum of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. Designed by the architect I. M. Pei, the building is the official repository for original papers and correspondence of the Kennedy Administration, as well as special bodies of published and unpublished materials, such as books and papers by and about Ernest Hemingway. The library and museum is part of the Presidential Library System, which is administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, a part of the National Archives and Records Administration. The library and Museum were dedicated in 1979 by 39th President Jimmy Carter and members of the Kennedy family. Columbia Point; jfklibrary.org
BOSTON ATHENAEUM The Boston Athenaeum is one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States. The institution was founded in 1807 by the Anthology Club of Boston, and includes a large circulating book collection; a public gallery; a rare books collection of over 100,000 volumes; an art collection of 100,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts; research collections including one of the world's most important collections of primary materials on the American Civil War; and a public forum offering lectures, readings, concerts, and other events. 10-1/2 Beacon St; bostonathenaeum.org
SHOP
DRESS Located on Charles Street in Beacon Hill, Dress sells clothing, shoes, accessories, fragrance, and jewelry from Clare V, Nili Lotan, and Janessa Leone. 70 Charles St; dressboston.com
CREDO Natural makeup and organic skincare. 65 Charles St; credobeauty.com
DECEMBER THIEVES Owner Lara Barakat was born in Lebanon and raised in Jordan. Her international taste includes Japanese-style clothing and unusual bags and shoes, which sets her Charles street boutique apart. 122 Charles St; decemberthieves.com
BRATTLE BROOK STORE An independent book store with three floors flowing with new and used books, including antiquarian and first editions. The current proprietor, Kenneth Gloss, is a past president of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association and sits on the Boston Public Library’s board. 9 West St; brattlebookshop.com
BOSTON GENERAL STORE Owner April Gabriel spent her childhood summers in the Berkshires, including visiting general stores in the area. Nestled into Boston’s Coolidge Corner, Gabriel’s shop is just like those of her youth, redone in a modern way. Tightly wrapped bunches of sage and sticks of palo santo, natural-wax candles, Mast Brothers chocolate, homemade jams, and hand-pressed cards are all for sale. bostongeneralstore.com
ALAN BILZERIAN Alan Bilzerian sells flamboyant clothes, specifically Japanese and European fashion like thick, chunky knits from Irish designer Lainey Keogh, floaty Isabel Marant blouses, and voluminous Issey Miyake silk pants. 34 Newbury St; alanbilzerian.com
PATCH NYC Inspired by vintage flea-market finds and a simple desire for good old craftsmanship, Patch NY is the place to buy scarves, bags, fashion items, and home décor. 46 Waltham St; patchnyc.com
SAULT NEW ENGLAND This South End store romanticizes New England prep and sells nautical itemsand all-American brands including Save Khaki and Raleigh Denim. 577 Tremont St; saultne.com
OLFACTORY NYC Store where customers can create and have custom fragrances bottled on site. 133 Newbury St; olfactorynyc.com
DAY & WEEKEND TRIPS
CAPE COD A popular summertime destination filled with quaint villages, seafood shacks, lighthouses, ponds and bay and ocean beaches. In the large town of Hyannis, the John F. Kennedy Museum is the first stop on the Kennedy Legacy Trail through downtown, where ferries depart to the resort islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Falmouth is nestled on the southwestern part of Cape Cod, lined with great beaches and boutiques. Have breakfast or lunch at The Pickle Jar or Bear in Boots Burger Bar.
Provincetown is located at the farthest end of the cape, and an artsy LGBT destination filled with colorful galleries and restaurants lining Commercial Street. The famous Lobster Pot is the place for classic lobster rolls and fresh seafood. Climb the 252-foot granite Pilgrim Monument for dramatic harbor views at sunset.
PLYMOUTH Plymouth is south of Boston, and the site of the first Pilgrim settlement, founded in 1620. Plymouth Rock, a boulder in Pilgrim Memorial State Park, marks th e place where settlers are thought to have landed on shore. The Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the ship that carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic, is usually anchored at the park. Pilgrim Hall is the oldest continuously operating public museum in the country and the nearby Plimoth Plantation replicates the original Pilgrim village. Visit Mayflower Brewery and Independent Fermentations Brewery or Plymouth Bay Winery. Book a stay and some spa time at Mirbeau Inn & Spa, and enjoy dinner at the bistro overlooking the gardens
SALEM Salem is forever linked to 1692 Witch Trials. Today, guests can visit The Witch House or the Peabody Peabody Essex Museum, which houses a wonderful art collection. Salem is also the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and you can tour the house he may have been writing about in the House of Seven Gables, the 350-year-old Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. Eat like a local at Ledger or Bambolina.