Perhaps no other city in America holds as much history of the colonial and Revolutionary War era as Boston. It's not surprising then that its main sites have become a pilgrimage trail for Americans and for others who hope to get a sense of that history. But more than that, the Freedom Trail is a good introduction to today's city, connecting or passing close to some of its best loved tourist attractions. Boston is easy to navigate on foot, as its major sights are relatively close, and America's first subway system, the T, connects its important neighborhoods. Across the Charles River, a watery summer recreation area whose Boston shore is reserved as the Esplanade Park, is Cambridge. Although a separate and independent city, for tourist purposes, Cambridge is part of Boston and connected by the same transit system. Here, you'll find two of America's most prestigious and important universities, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). These and the many other universities and colleges in the area help keep Boston a youthful and vibrant place to be, with a lively cultural scene. With all the music, theater, and entertainment options, plus its abundance of restaurants, you'll never be at a loss for things to do in Boston at night.
The Greater Boston area is full of attractions for all ages. From the Boston Tea Party to the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and far, far beyond, Boston and environs provide a kaleidoscope of attractions giving a patriotic perspective on yesterday, today and tomorrow. As New England's largest, most important city, Boston is far older than the republic. But it's also a contemporary center of high finance and higher technology, not to mention home of the very pub that inspired television's long-running Cheers. Some of its citizenry regard it as not only the hub of the region but the universe as well. High on the social pecking order is Back Bay, a neighborhood comparable to an address on New York's Park Avenue or San Francisco's Nob Hill. Most lovely among Boston's neighborhoods is Beacon Hill, bounded by Cambridge and Beacon streets, the Charles River and the Esplanade. Across the Charles lies Cambridge, "Boston's Left Bank" according to tourism promoters fond of depicting it as funkier, spunkier, and spicier than staid old Boston.
