Boston, Massachusetts Highlights
Blending old and new, Boston reveres its role in the Revolutionary War as much as it does I.M. Pei's 62-story Hancock Tower and tomorrow's breakthroughs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
On the three-mile-long Freedom Trail, history buffs travel past 16 historic sites that include Bunker Hill and Paul Revere's house. Other Boston, Massachusetts walkways include the Black Heritage Trail and Harborwalk, which illuminates the area's maritime history. A five-mile stretch of linked parkland, the Emerald Necklace ends at the Esplanade, the Charles River at its side. Those who stroll Beacon Hill, the older part of town, may overhear echos of long-ago salons where literary passions once flared.
In this all-American city, the Boston Pops celebrates America's independence every Fourth of July with a booming concert at the open-air Hatch Shell. And in Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox play ball all summer long.
Along Newbury Street, stylish townhouses show new designs and antique treasures. Shoppers also flock to Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Copley Place, Harvard Square, and Filene's Basement.
The city's Museum of Fine Arts is the proud conservator of outstanding Asian, European, and American collections. Inside a Massachusetts palazzo, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum contains works by Rembrandt, Titian, and Raphael that surround a verdant courtyard. The JFK Library & Museum houses presidential memorabilia. The world-renowned Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University contains 80,000 works of art, and just about every period and country is represented. The University's Arthur M. Sackler Museum displays the work of ancient, Oriental, Islamic, and modern masters.
A Taste of Boston, Massachusetts
All this walking and shopping and touring makes visitors hungry. Boston is fanatic about its seafood, and Legal Sea Foods is where locals choose from the city's broadest selection of fresh fish. Legendary Durgin Park continues to serve outsize portions of beef to hungry diners, as it has since the 1830's. And Quincy Market's vast array of foods and flavors can satisfy any craving.
Massachusetts by the Sea
Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket have long been summer sanctuaries. Long, uncrowded windswept beaches with endless ocean vistas; charming saltbox architecture; and fresh seafood galore make towns like Chathamhttp://honeymoons.about.com/od/massachusetts/ss/provincetown.htm and Provincetown magnets for couples who want to get away from it all.
The Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts
Music and art fill the Berkshires' crisp mountain air. Tanglewood is summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and pop performers also entertain picnicking crowds on the great lawn. The Berkshire Opera Company makes the rafters ring in Lenox. At Jacob's Pillow in Becket, the music accompanies world-renowned dance troupes. Drama unfolds at the Berkshire Theater, and Shakespeare is performed at The Mount, Edith Wharton's lovingly preserved former estate.
During the day, the Berkshires are the setting for quiet pursuits. Woods and shady lanes, waterfalls and public gardens, all inspire reflection. Antiques shops along Route 7 yield treasures of all eras. Those who enjoy biking, hiking, and canoe outings will find much worth exploring.
Historic Massachusetts
Plimouth Plantation recreates the first pilgrim settlement of 1627. Actors who've assume the roles of villagers living in the site's 17 houses make the past real again. Tourists who board the Mayflower II get a look at the settlers' quarters at sea before colonizing America.
Hancock Shaker Village (1781-1960) preserves the heirlooms of this defunct religious community. Shaker furniture, beautiful in its simplicity, are its enduring relics. On 200 acres, Old Sturbridge Village shows New England life, circa 1830.
Was it racism, sexism, or genuine possession that led to 17th-century Salem's hysteria over witchcraft? Today this Massachusetts town revels in its extraordinary history. At the Witch Museum there's a show in the round every half hour depicting the feverish beliefs that gripped the town and the trials that ensued.
