Massachusetts - THE GREATER BOSTON AREA: Cradle
of the Revolution
THE CITY OF BOSTON
Comprising the major metropolis of Boston, the college
town of Cambridge and the North Shore (the fishing, historic,
beach and bedroom communites dotting the coastline up to
the New Hampshire border), one can experience just about
everything in terms of adventure, history, entertainment
and culture which this country has to offer.
Known as "The Cradle of the Revolution" because
it was the scene of such important early events in our
history as the Boston Tea Party, the battle of Bunker Hill
and the ride of Paul Revere, Boston offers "The Freedom
Trail" for those interested in experiencing the rich
history behind this beautiful city. This three mile walk
takes you past 16 historic locations in the city tracing
the steps of our forefathers, winding down the narrow cobblestone
streets of yesteryear, past the old State House and the
North Church where Paul Revere hung his lanterns. One stop
is Faneuil Hall, an indoor mall with dozens of restaurants
and stores in the location of the first meeting hall of
our country's founders. The U.S.S. Constitution - "Old
Ironsides" - the oldest commissioned warship in the
world is open to the public for tours and sometimes sails.
And you're right next to Bunker Hill, where if one climbs
the historic monument, you are afforded the greatest panoramic
view of the area available. The Boston Common and the Public
Garden offer a quiet, green retreat from the hectic city
life and are a lively addition to the town much the same
way Central Park serves that role in New York City.
History, science and the arts abound: The Museum of Science,
Museum for the Fine Arts, the Hayden Planetarium, the historic
Boston Public Library, the Institute of Contemporary Art,
the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the JFK Library, Science
Park (on a man-made island in the middle of the historic
Charles River), the New England Aquarium, the Franklin
Park Zoo and the world-famous Computer Museum. All this
in one place! Need we say more?
Downtown architecture is world-class and world-famous
from the Prudential Tower to the Hancock buildings - new
and old, to the stately mansions on Beacon Hill and the
Victorian Townhouses on Commonwealth Ave.
All this plus the Boston Red Sox, the New England Patriots,
the BSO and the Pops!
CAMBRIDGE
Just across the Charles River from Boston lies the City
of Cambridge, the intellectual center of the modern age.
Home to MIT (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
and Harvard University, Cambridge is also an arts colony
with some of the most exciting galleries and performance
spaces in the country. Just in Harvard Square, for instance,
lie the two oldest continuously running coffeehouses in
the the country: Passim (the old Club 47) and the No-Name
Coffeehouse, the birthplace of the modern folk music era
and home to the earliest performances of such giants as
Joan Baez, Tim Hardin, Bob Dylan, Eric Andersen and Joni
Mitchell. And due to the large student and blue-collar
populations and ethnic diversity of the area, Cambridge
is a smorgasbord of great restaurants at truly affordable
prices encompassing cuisines from all over the planet with
a bent on the great local produce and fresh seafood brought
into the harbor. Plan a day or two just to visit this great
town across the river.
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