Travel

What are the five best things to see and do in Boston?

Boston may be a small city, but it is filled with endless sites and activities. Whether you re here to taken in historical sights or feast your way through the wide variety of cuisines and restaurants you ll find here, the list of things to see and do in Boston is long. Here are five of our favorites:

1. Take a stroll. Boston is one of America s most walkable cities (and you might miss something if you re traveling by car) so ditch your wheels and hit the pavement. Begin with a cruise down Newbury Street for some of the best shopping around. The shops closest to the Public Garden tend toward luxury fashion and jewelry (think Chanel and Cartier), while those at the Massachusetts Avenue are decidedly more entry level (including independent music store Newbury Comics and Urban Outfitters). In between is a mix of mass market fashion (Banana Republic, True Religion, American Apparel) and independent boutiques.

2. The Esplanade. One of Boston s most delightful sights is actually free. The Esplanade is a swath of green space that skirts the Charles River for miles offering jogging paths, ball fields and picnic spots.

3. The Freedom Trail. Boston s famed features 16 official sites spread along a 2.5-mile trail marked by red bricks embedded in the sidewalks. If you stick to the trail, this attraction is also free (though entering some of the historic buildings will cost you a buck or two).

4. Fenway Park. This legendary spot is more than a baseball stadium, it s a temple to America s favorite game. Even if you re in town when the Red Sox are off-season, you can take a tour of this grand old ballpark, built in 1912 and lovingly restored. (Though you ll have to wait until the Boys of Summer are in residence to sample a famous Fenway Frank.)

5. Faneuil Hall Marketplace. One of the city s top draws, Faneuil Hall is filled with restaurants, shops and kiosks (if you re looking to pick up a souvenir, this is the place to go). But this historic site is more than just a place to buy a keychain: The hall is remembered as the site of town meetings that produced the policy of no taxation without representation.