Here is a list of things to do in the Boston area. compiled by John Faricelli, Technical Chair, SISPAD '97. Most of these are personal favorites. I've also added some things that I thought would appeal to tourists.

Key to restaurant costs (approximate!)

$ Entree < $10
$$ Entree $10-15
$$$ Entree $15-25
$$$$ Entree >$25

Outdoor Activities

  • Get overview from top floor of Hancock Tower (fee) or Prudential Tower (fee)
  • Walk the Freedom Trail
  • USS Constitution (tall ship) 200th anniversary, Charlestown
  • Visit Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market shops/food court
  • Harbor cruises, visit harbor islands (for dinner cruises, see: Spirit of Boston , Odyssey )
  • Whale watch cruise
  • Visit the "North End" (Italian section), small shops/restaurants
  • "Duck" tours: tour Boston in a WWII amphibious craft!
  • Run/bike/inline skate along Charles River
  • Rent sailboats/kayaks at Community Boating , Charles River (2-day visitor membership avilable)
  • Day trip to Provincetown (Cape Cod) via boat

    • Museums

  • Children's Museum. Great indoor fun for children
  • Computer Museum Interactive exhibits, giant "walk through" computer
  • MIT Museum .
  • Museum of Fine Arts Picasso "Early Years" exhibit starts Sep 10.
  • Museum of Science
  • New England Aquarium . (Conference dinner site)

    • Professional sports

    Red Sox baseball at Fenway Park

    Sep 9 Milwaukee 7:05
    Sep 10 Milwaukee 7:05
    Sep 11 Milwaukee 7:05
    Sep 13 Chicago 7:05
    Sep 14 Chicago 1:05

    Shopping

  • Downtown Crossing Pedestrian mall, Filenes, Macy's
  • Faneuil Hall Marketplace Variety of shops, diverse food court

    • Parks/Reservations

  • Boston Common/Public Garden "Swan boat" rides for children
  • Arnold Arboretum Arboreum run by Harvard University
  • World's End Trustees of Reservations preserve, Hingham (~1/2 hour from Boston). Nice view of Boston across the water. Have dinner at Saporito's ($$$, 11 Rockland Circle, Hull, MA 925-3023).

    • Favorite restaurants (Cambridge)

  • Blue Room $$$ One Kendall Square 494-9034
    Eclectic
  • Rialto $$$$ 1 Bennett St, Charles Hotel 661-5050
    Eclectic
  • Salamander $$$$ First and Athenaeum streets 225-2121
    Eclectic
  • Mary Chung restaurant $ 464 Mass. Ave. 864-1991
    Chinese. MIT hacker's hangout, cheap/good. Try "Suan La Chow Show" (spicy!). Cash only.Stop at Toscanni's Ice Cream afterwards.
  • La Groceria $$/$$$ 853 Main St 876-4162
  • Legal Seafood $$$ 5 Cambridge Ctr, 864-3400

    • Favorite restaurants (Boston)

  • Hamersley's Bistro $$$$ 553 Tremont Street, 423-2700
  • Legal Seafood $$$ 27 Columbus Ave, 426-5566
    Copley Place, 266-7775
  • Trattoria Il Panino $$/$$$ 11 Parmenter Street, 720-1336
    Italian bistro. Good value for dinner. Cash only.
  • Il Panino Express $$ Across the street, good lunch spot. Try the Panino sandwich (procuitto, fresh mozarella, tomatoes, basil)
  • Il Panino $$ Faneil Hall Marketplace (new outlet)

    • Restaurants (Others)

  • Olives $$$/$$$$ 67 Main St, Charlestown, MA (617) 242-2229 Note: no reservations taken

    • Ice Cream

  • Toscanni's 899 Main St, Cambridge. Don't miss!
  • Herrell's 15 Dunster Street, Cambridge 497-2179

    • Brew Pubs

  • Brew Moon 115 Stuart Street, Boston 523-6467
  • Back Bay Brewing Company 755 Boylston Street, Boston 424-8300
  • John Harvard's Brew House 33 Dunster Street, Cambridge 868-3585
  • Cambridge Brewing Company 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge 494-1994
  • The Commonwealth Brewing Co. 138 Portland Street, Boston 523-8383
  • Brew pub tour

    • Tourist sites outside Boston (day trips)

  • Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, MA) Recreation of 17th century colony life
  • Cape Cod. Beaches, seafood, shopping
  • Martha's Vineyard Ferry to island, good biking/dining. Would be a long day trip, but doable. Check the island ferry for times and availability.
  • North Shore ( Gloucester , Rockport, MA ) Nice bike loop around Cape Ann.
  • Newport, Rhode Island Millionaire mansions open to the public. "Cliff Walk" along ocean.