Welcome to Boston! We hope that you will enjoy your stay here.
CR Christina has put together a list of recommendations for things to do around the Boston area if you have some extra time. Please note some of her recommendations come solely from popular Boston-filmed movies — for more, ask her at the conference!
Things to do/see:
Harvard Yard – take a picture with the John Harvard statue- Beacon Hill – historical Boston neighborhood with gas lamps & brick sidewalks
- Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market – shops mixed with indoor markets & food around the world – this is a great spot to get Boston-themed omiyage
- New England Holocaust Memorial – near Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market
- Top of the Hub or Skywalk observatory – for the best views of the city
- Freedom Trail (outside)
- Boston Public Library – they do tours & have a cafe
- Trinity Church – near Boston Public Library
- Visit the finish line of the Boston Marathon
- Get a Boston Strong T-shirt at Marathon Sports – 26.2% of it goes to the One Fund – they are my favorite running store in Boston & their employees helped treat victims on the scene
- North End – visit Boston’s “Little Italy”
- Boston Common (outside)
- Ice skating on Boston Common Frog Pond
- Ice skating at the Charles Hotel
- Boston Public Garden (outside)
- Chinatown – for your dim sum, pho, bubble tea needs
- Fenway Park – if you’re a Red Sox fan
- Sledding in Arnold Arboretum
- Tour the Massachusetts State House
- USS Constitution – free tours of this majestic ship
- John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum – commemorated in 2013 the 50th year anniversary of JFK’s assassination
- South End – that beautiful brownstone apartment & area that Mila Kunis’s character from the movie “Ted” lived? that was here
Places to eat/drink:
Legal Sea Foods – “If it isn’t fresh, it isn’t Legal!” (there is one in Harvard Square)- Atlantic Fish – another great seafood spot – get the New England clam chowder
- L.A. Burdick Chocolates & Cafe – delicious hot chocolate (in Harvard Square)
- Cambridge Brewing Company – great local beer, they make a beer/sake hybrid in the summer
Cheers – “Where everybody knows your name”
- Boston Food Trucks – Boston has a strong food truck scene, some even come to Havard Square so check out this schedule.
- Bon Chon – Korean-style fried chicken wings
- Neptune Oyster – best lobster roll, no longer my secret spot as there is always a line out the door!
- Flour Bakery & Cafe – delicious pastries & sandwiches by a Harvard Math/Econ grad
- Union Oyster House – established in 1826
- Les Zygomates – French bistro, jazz, brunch, where they filmed a scene from “Bridesmaids”
- Drink – where there is no menu & the bartender makes you something based on what you like/want
- Sunset Grill & Tap – one of the largest beer selections in Boston
- Meadhall – upscale spot w/ many beers on tap
- Thirsty Scholar Pub – where they filmed the opening scene of “The Social Network”
- Mike’s Pastry or Modern Pastry – for a cannoli from the North End
- for some true local/townie flavor you can also check out this list
Japanese Food:
- Shiki – authentic cuisine
- O Sushi Boston
- O Ya – upscale
- Snappy Ramen
- Snappy Sushi
- Cafe Sushi (in Harvard Square)
- Japanese food in Porter Exchange – Cafe Mami, Sapporo Ramen, Blue Fin, Japonaise bakery
- Yume Wo Katare Ramen – another place w/ a long line out the door
- Izakaya Ittoku – maybe the only Japanese izakaya in Boston
- Pikaichi Ramen
- Oga Sushi – a bit of a hike out to Natick
Museums:
Museum of Fine Arts – one of the largest collections of Japanese art, also has a Japanese garden- New England Aquarium – come see Myrtle, the 80-year-old turtle & this 4-month old fur seal pup
- Museum of Bad Art – “Art too bad to be ignored”
- Institute of Contemporary Art – also boasts a beautiful view of Boston harbor on one of the top floors
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – famous for the 1990 art heist & they opened a new wing in 2012
- Museum of Science – check out their IMAX films
- Children’s Museum – they received a 100 year old Japanese house from Kyoto as part of the sister city relationship between Kyoto/Boston. This is where we host our pre-departure JET Orientation each year!
Shopping:
Copley Place – upscale shops- Prudential Center – another shopping center, connected to Copley Place
- Newbury Street/Back Bay– outdoors but a trendy place to walk around and window shop
Entertainment:
- Boston Symphony Orchestra – home of the Boston Pops & Tanglewood
- Paradise Rock Club – where U2 performed one of their very first US shows
Brighton Music Hall – another popular spot for live music concerts - Blue Man Group – at the Charles Playhouse
- Improv show at Improv Asylum or Improv Boston
- Check out the CITI Performing Arts Center for more shows & events
- Beehive in South End – often have live music and jazz
