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Old 04-13-2012, 09:26 AM
 
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Hi all! Having lived here in Brookline for three years as a "young professional," I recently decided to move to Chicago in August to start school again While I feel that I've done most of the mainstream "touristy" stuff around Boston that one can think of, I am wondering if anyone can recommend any hidden gems, must-check-out places, or anything fun to do in the city! It can be anything from awesome (affordable) restaurants, cute stores, attractions, romantic things to do as a young couple, other special events... Something you've enjoyed while living here! While I really love Boston, I am not sure when I will be back... Thanks!
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Old 04-13-2012, 09:41 AM
 
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Go to Neptune Oyster, maybe order the Triton plateau.

Check out the Black Rose for some Irish Music.

Try some Portuguese food at Atasca, Casa Portugal, or Portugalia, there are few Portuguese restaurants outside of MA, RI, NJ and CA.

Go to Cafe Bello in Everett and have some Brazilian BBQ. Way better and more affordable than the mid west grill.

This may seem touristy and obvious, but have you ever actually been into Fanieul hall? The doors are in the back of the building and you can walk right up.
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Old 04-15-2012, 08:00 PM
 
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It would help to know what you like to do, but this is my list of stuff I consider don't-miss:

* Cheer on the runners tomorrow at the Boston Marathon. It's going to be a hot day--bring water.

* Check out the Boston Independent Film Festival (4/25-5/2). The short docs are my favorites, but definitely check out the feature-length films too. Often, major stars come and introduce their films before the showings.

* On the subject of movies, plan a date to the Somerville Theatre (Davis Square). Choose the showing in the main theatre, get beers and popcorn, then climb up to the balcony to watch the show like Siskel & Ebert. Before or after the show (depending on timing), go to the basement to see the Museum of Bad Art. It's free with a movie ticket. Sometimes, they have an unnamed painting you can submit funny titles for. Stop at J.P. Licks for ice cream afterward.

* Go see live music at the Paradise (bring earplugs--this place is loud), House of Blues, or the Middle East. Low covers for lots of great bands.

* If you're into it, go see a free lecture or two. Harvard is hosting a series of free lectures at neighborhood libraries: John Harvard Book Celebration | Harvard 375

* Take a picnic and a frisbee (and maybe bikes or rollerblades) to the Esplanade at least once.

* For that matter, don't miss the Fourth of July celebration. (In case you aren't early enough to get close to the Hatch Shell on the Boston side, the music is piped in on the Cambridge side too, and the view is just as nice.) The evening before, you can hear the Pops play on the Esplanade for free.

* Get fancy beers and mac and cheese at The Publick House in Brookline. The wait is long, so earlier in the evening works best.

* Have breakfast on a Saturday at Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe in the Back Bay. It looks (and feels) unassuming, doesn't cost much, but the food is stellar. (The kitchen has won culinary awards including a James Beard.)

* Go to the Paris Creperie in Brookline for lunch and get a crepe and a frozen Nutella hot chocolate.

* Catch one last Sox game. If you can, treat yourself to good seats -- the field box seats near the third base line put you right on the field. To find them, check ebay and craigslist. People with box seats often try to unload them last minute if they can't make it to a particular game. (But forget about Sox v. Yankees.)

* If you have a favorite (living) author, check the author reading schedules at Brookline Booksmith, Harvard Bookstore, and the Harvard Coop. Lots of great authors do readings of their new work for free/minimal cost. You can usually get your old or new books signed, too.

* For a fun summer date, bring folding chairs to Shakespeare in the Park. You can hit up Lambert's deli for sandwiches beforehand or just pick from the on-site vendors. You'll be close to the original Cheers bar on Beacon Street. One expensive, watered-down brew should be enough to say you did it.

* I'd recommend driving out to one of the metrowest drive-in theatres, but I think Chicago has one too: www.drive-ins.com/theaters/ma

* If you've never done these things, they're worth it: Duck Tour, Swan Boat ride (and a walk in the Public Garden), walking the Freedom Trail and stopping in to see the sights, noodling through the shops of Beacon Hill, grabbing Italian food and cannoli in the North End.

* I have to second Morris's reco to head to the Black Rose for Irish music/food. If you learn an Irish song or two beforehand, you can sing along.
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Old 04-16-2012, 09:41 AM
 
Location: Bike to Surf!
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Nice list! Is there anything to do on the North Shore or points north (or south) now that the weather is turning nicer (scenic beaches, places to go for a picnic outside of immediate Boston)?
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Old 04-16-2012, 10:45 AM
 
Location: a bar
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On the North Shore: Plum Island and Newburyport. Crane Beach and Woodman's in Ipswich. Marblehead's Old Town.
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Old 04-16-2012, 12:18 PM
 
Location: New Hampshire
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I agree with all of Cliff's suggestions, and would add Rockport for quaintness (take the train if you'd like). Castle Island in South Boston is always a nice and lively picnic spot. Oh, and take the ferry to George's Island in the harbor.

There are a lot of great beaches to the south of Boston (Cape Cod, the Islands, South Coast, Rhode Island) if you're willing to drive a bit farther. Have you been to the Cape Cod National Seashore yet? Those are the first beaches that spring to mind when I hear the word "scenic." However, the most comfortable water for swimming is along the southern side of the Cape and westward towards RI.
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Old 04-16-2012, 04:54 PM
 
Location: Chicago
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Take a ferry out to the harbor islands. Do as much stuff in/around the ocean as possible (e.g., whale watches, beaches, etc)! The Chicago lakefront is great, but I really started to miss the ocean after a while (swimming in the lake just isn't the same as swimming in a salty ocean). If you like water sports, take a trip out to western Mass. and go kayaking/white water rafting.

Also, trips outside of Boston to places like Maine (I always loved the yearly trips my old church took to Old Orchard Beach), NY/NYC, and Vermont. You'll find that there aren't as many places w/in short driving distance of Chicago to visit compared to Boston, especially when it comes to outdoor stuff.

Lastly, eat as much fresh seafood as you can stomach! Not to say you can't find good seafood out in Chicago, but obviously being in the Midwest, it isn't as fresh as it could be compared to New England. Along that route, also take in some Brazilian, Haitian, Portuguese, and typical East coast fare (cheesesteaks, NY style pizza, etc) since you won't find as much of this out in Chicago (though you will find some tasty Polish food, which is fairly rare in Boston)
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Old 04-17-2012, 12:05 AM
 
5,816 posts, read 15,850,434 times
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For one of those romantic activities you asked about, take a walk around Arnold Arboretum in a few weeks when spring is at its peak.

To pick up on one of Eevee's suggestions, do a whale watch tour. Some people recommend taking the tours that leave from Gloucester rather than Boston, because Gloucester is closer to the spot where the whales congregate. I think it depends on your preferences. Leaving from Gloucester, the long ride is the ride to the boat. Leaving from Boston, the long ride is on the boat to get to the whales.

Have a drink or a meal at Top of the Hub, which is on top of the Prudential tower. Nothing distinctly Bostonish about this--it's like basically any other restaurant on top of a tall building--but kind of fun, and a nice view over the city.

Check out some of the museums that are less well known than Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, etc. Try the two at Harvard, for example, the Harvard Natural History Museum and the Fogg Museum of Art.

These next two activities might seem mundane in terms of the activities themselves, but you might consider them if you think it would be cool just to know you'd done these activities at the famous locations in question:

1) Swim in Walden Pond.

2) Attend a Sunday service at Old North Church. I'll admit I've never been to a service at Old North Church, but it does kind of leave me in awe to think that this historic landmark is actually an active church . . . and has been all the way back to when the church opened in the 1720's.

Outside of Boston, take a trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. (You might want to do this from mid July into August, when the weather is generally at its best, and it's after black fly season in late spring and early summer.) Hike up a mountain, or, if you're not interested in something quite so vigorous, spend some time around one of the touristy towns, like North Conway, and just take in the mountain scenery.

Last edited by ogre; 04-17-2012 at 12:26 AM..
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