As the trees change and the weather gets cooler, many people migrate to New England for warm soups, colorful trees and to begin the school year at a variety of competitive universities. But when it comes to New England, there’s no better place in to visit than Boston, Massachussetts! Over the course of half of a year, I spent nearly half of my weekends treking Boston, and I must say that my absolute favorite time of year in this northern gem was the Fall. And for many reasons! The food was great, the weather was enjoyably crisp, the trees were gorgeous and Boston loves football probably just as much as Philadelphia does. Boston became a home away from home!
It’s no wonder that people come from around the world to visit Boston, many of which come to the city for their many colleges and the welcoming English Courses in Boston. The city is also surrounded by a myriad of quaint harbor towns and historic villages like Salem, home of the infamous witch trials, and Plymouth, where the pilgrims on the Mayflower landed. Here’s just a few of the wonderful things to do when you visit Boston!
The Boston Commons
Founded in 1634, the Boston Commons is America’s oldest public park. It’s 50 acres of college “dude-bros” playing frisbee, old people walking, kids playing soccer, and fat squirrels begging for roasted nuts. Any moment Jan and I had a sunny afternoon, we spent it sitting by the lake at the Boston Commons, enjoying panhandling guitarists on the bridge and the view of tourists on swan paddle boats. Landscapers keep the park looking pristine by keeping the grass lush and planting unique flowers and trees. Due to it’s beauty, the Boston Commons is a very popular place to get wedding photos done. The only reason I know this is that at any given time there were at least 5 bridal parties swarming the park.
Quincy Market
The Quincy Market in downtown Boston offers locals and tourists authentic New England cuisine. Everything from lobster rolls to clam chowder served in bread bowls are sold here. It reminds me a lot of the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, only clean with less yelling and more civil order. This market was a really neat place because it promotes community. I say that it promotes community mainly because it gets so crowded, you’re standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers, and the seating/standing arrangements make it hard to avoid sitting next to people you might not know. The Quincy Market is in the middle of the North and South Markets, which are primarily retail shopping.
Harvard’s Campus and Bookstore
Also known as The COOP, the Harvard Campus Bookstore is a cooperative for Harvard and MIT students and has been serving the community since 1882. As a lover of bookstores, one of my favorite Boston moments was exploring three floors of awesome books and literature. On a budget? Another place Jan and I would frequent was the Raven Used Bookstore also located on Harvard’s campus. Because why would I pay $20 for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classics when I can buy the same book in good condition for $10!
Freedom Trail
This was one of the coolest concepts, and I wish more cities adopted this idea. The Freedom Trail is Boston’s self guided tour through Boston’s incredible history. Rather than tourists getting lost and having to read complicated maps, the city has painted a red line through the city that tourists can follow. Along the red line tourists pass great monuments such as Bunker Hill, the USS Constitution, the Paul Revere House, and the infamous Old North Church (one if by land, two if by sea)!
