Tens of thousands of people will run through Boston this April in the world's oldest annual marathon, a grueling race featuring four hills in the last 11 miles and more than a million fans cheering from the sidelines. Two years after a bombing threw the marathon's finish line into chaos, the city remains resilient. “It'll always be a part of our history,” says Thomas Grilk, the Boston Athletic Association's executive director. “But it won't define us.” Celebrate the city's rich history, free science exhibits, great art, and (finally) snowless sidewalks. You can enjoy it all without being a Sox fan. Probably.
See
Visit the MIT Museum to check out the latest robotics, holograms, and innovative photography from scientists and technologists at the university. On the Freedom Trail, zip through Paul Revere's House and other historic spots, but stop to ogle the city's more recent brutalist masterworks, like City Hall—a contender for the nation's ugliest building. Exercise your artistic ears (and eyes) at the Sonic Arboretum, a sound-sculpture installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Or head instead to the ever-popular Museum of Bad Art exhibit, dedicated to portraits, still lifes, and landscapes that are “too bad to be ignored.”
Eat
Wander through the North End before grabbing a family-style Italian dinner at the Daily Catch. Seafood lovers, get the lobster fra diavolo to share. Then indulge in cookies, cannoli, and crème brûlée at the Modern Pastry Shop. Drink like a Bostonian: Take a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery for a free tasting and signature glass, and peek behind the scenes at this craft-brewing pioneer. Or grab a pretzel and a flight at the Harpoon Brewery and Beer Hall across town.
Do
Pay tribute at the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street. Sick of walking (or running)? Kayak down the Charles River, where you can paddle past history without the crowds. Or check out the Mapparium in the Mary Baker Eddy Library, a three-story stained-glass globe that showcases the world in 1935 with words, music, and LEDs to illustrate global change. Catch a game at Fenway Park, one of the most well-known sports venues in the US.
37K seating capacity at Fenway Park, the oldest MLB stadium still in use.
“There's nothing better than watching the fish come right off the boats at the Boston Fish Pier. The greatest pizza in Boston is at Picco. The best sandwiches are at Sam LaGrassa's.” —Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods and Massachusetts native
Dan Matutina
