48 Hours in Boston: Best Things to See, Eat, and Do

One of the nation’s oldest cities, Boston’s colonial architecture and storied past means that there’s a tale to be told about every street corner. But it isn’t all cobblestones and tricorner hats—the city is also a thriving intellectual hub, with dozens of colleges and universities breathing life and learning into the crooked streets. Add a booming biotech industry and you’ve got a venue that plays home to a lot of very smart people who need to eat, drink, and blow off steam, which is why Boston is such a great city for foodies. Whether you want a gritty Irish pub or a farm-to-table dining experience, Boston features a big-city restaurant scene in an area small enough to walk across. Take advantage of that small footprint and use this handy guide to start exploring.

Best Things to Do in Boston

Boston is brimming with so much history that a few hours on a tour will help give context to the rest of your wanderings. Take in the whole city from Fenway to Faneuil Hall on a Duck Tour, where you’ll ride aboard a decommissioned amphibious military vehicle (Duck Boat) that will wheel you around town then float down the Charles River with a great view of the city’s skyline. If you’re in the mood for a little art, try the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, an old Victorian castle with a hidden atrium sprouting at its center, then grab a glass of wine at Nathalie, a natural wine bar focused on women winemakers. Kids will love the Museum of Science, and adults should go there for a movie in the Omni Theater, a five-story dome screen that makes you feel like you’re inside the movie. For something a little different, try a Ghost Tour, a ghoulish trip into the city’s macabre past. You may never look at the pretty Boston Commons again once you find out how many bodies are buried there. End your night at J.M. Curley, a late-night industry dive with a tiny hidden steakhouse in the back.

Explore the City’s Top Institutions

You won’t need to show your academic résumé to roam among the stately bricks and ivy of Harvard University. Take the Red Line to Harvard Square in Cambridge, a vibrant, bustling neighborhood lined with quirky shops and great restaurants. Grab tacos and cocktails on the hidden roof deck at Felipe’s Taqueria, then wander through campus to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. With its creaky floors and staggering collection of preserved animals (including a trio of enormous whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling), it feels less like visiting a museum than exploring the halls of a fascinating and slightly creepy old mansion. Finish the day with an old movie at the charming Brattle Theater (they serve beer), then order a cocktail and the secret burger at Alden and Harlow.

Stroll the South End

One of Boston’s most beautiful—and least touristy—neighborhoods, the South End’s wide European boulevards are crisscrossed with cozy crooked lanes are lined with gorgeous brownstone row houses, local shops, and tons of great local dining. Start your morning with brunch at The Gallows, where they’ve got a breakfast sandwich on a homemade donut. If you’re visiting on a Sunday in the summer, walk over to SoWa, a weekly marketplace featuring local artisans, a farmer’s market, food trucks, and a beer garden. If it’s cold out, have dinner at Toro, a cozy, convivial tapas joint from a James Beard Award-winning chef where it’s always crowded and you’ll have to queue up for a seat at the bar. Drink some sherry, and get the paella; you won’t be disappointed.

Enjoy the Best Live Music in Town

Boston’s live music venues are hidden gems, and they’re a great way to see a side of the city that isn’t in the brochure. The Plough and Stars in Cambridge is a cozy Irish pub with nightly live music at 10pm (come early and grab a burger and a beer before the show if you want a seat). The Beehive on Tremont Street is a subterranean speakeasy that will transport you back to Prohibition with its moody velvet vibes and crooning live jazz, and just up the road is Wally’s, a dive jazz club that’s been around since 1947 where some of the greats used to play, and you can hear the music from the street.

Eat Your Heart Out at the North End

Hungry for fun, delicious baked goods, or a night out on the town? Also be sure to stop by the North End, home to countless cultural landmarks and Italian restaurants or bakeries, as well as swings, a park, and an endlessly buzzy stream of tourists happy to shoot the breeze. Must-visits include Mike’s Pastry, Modern Pastry, and Bova’s Bakery for cannoli, cookies, cakes, and more; Mare, Giacomo’s, La Famiglia Giorgio’s, Regina Pizzeria, Mamma Maria, Antico Forno, Carmelina’s for pasta and seafood; and the Paul Revere House, New England Holocaust Memorial, St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Old North Church, Copps Hill Burying Ground and Skinny House for photo-taking opportunities. A visit to Hanover Street (the area’s main drag) can instantly brighten up any evening.

CHEAT SHEET

Want even more on the best things to do while you’re in Boston? Click here:

·        Time Out – 46 Best Things to Do in Boston

·        Thrillist – Things to Do in Boston, MA

·        Travel Channel – Tour Boston’s Top 5 Attractions