Boston Harbor Islands State Park
Phone: +1 617-727-5290 (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/p...). take a ferry long wharf: blue line to aquarium, phone: +1 617-223-8666 (http://www.bostonislands.com/)) out to georges island and tour fort warren. see why boston was the most defensible city in the new world. shuttles leave from there to other islands in boston harbor--insect repellent is recommended. ranger-led activities, events, narrations, or just swim, picnic, camp or fish. this is a hidden jewel that is off the beaten path. plan to bring sunscreen, water, and a snack. also note that depending on conditions in the harbor the return schedule can be delayed. if you're tight on time, err on the side of an earlier ferry to ensure arrival.
Newbury Street
(http://www.newbury-st.com) eight blocks of high-end boutiques, hair salons, and galleries. makes for a fabulous day of shopping and dining. the shops and restaurants tend to be expensive, but one needn't spend money to enjoy the area; one of newbury's main attractions is simply people-watching. college students, urban professionals, tourists, and street performers all mix here. newbury street is accessible on the green line from the arlington, copley, and hynes stations.
Community Boating.
For kids between ages 10 and 18, membership is only $1 for the entire summer. membership includes all sorts of sailing lessons sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, etc. along with other benefits. each class takes a couple of days. 2-day membership is $100; 60-day membership is $159. accessible on the red line from charles/mgh station.
Arnold Arboretum
125 arborway, phone: +1 617-524-1718 (http://www.arboretum.harv...). t stop: orange line or needham commuter rail to "forest hills" last stop on the orange line. come see the oldest public arboretum in north america and one of the world's leading centers for the study of plants. a park with beautiful landscaping and specimens.
Boston Common and Public Garden.
A must-see for all visitors during the warmer months. the oldest public park in america. ride the famous swan boats, walk across the world's shortest suspension bridge and generally enjoy the park with its shady trees, fountains, statues, sidewalk vendors, and greenery. visit the "cheers" bar across beacon st, but be forewarned: only tourists go here. a great starting point for visitors interested in local historical sights, or on your way to downtown crossing or the back bay. very nice foliage in the fall. the area east of charles st is the common, which is more open and less manicured. the area west of charles st. is the public garden, which consists of many walking paths amid an impressive variety of well-maintained folliage. accessible on the green line from park street, boylston and arlington stations, on the red line from park street station, and a short walk from any other downtown station.
The Greater Boston area has some 65 accredited institutions of higher learning, including many world-renowned colleges, universities, conservatories, and seminaries. The metro Boston area has something of around 250,000 students living in the area at any given time.
In Boston:
Berklee College of Music (http://www.berklee.edu/)
Boston Architectural College (http://www.the-bac.edu/)
Boston Conservatory (http://www.bostonconserva...)
Boston University BU (http://www.bu.edu/)
Emerson College (http://www.emerson.edu/)
Emmanuel College (http://www.emmanuel.edu/)
Fisher College (http://www.fisher.edu/)
Massachusetts College of Art and Design MassArt (http://www.massart.edu/)
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences MCPHS (http://www.mcphs.edu/)
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology MSPP (http://www.mspp.edu/)
New England Conservatory of Music (http://www.newenglandcons...)
New England School of Law (http://www.nesl.edu/)
New England School of Acupuncture (http://www.nesa.edu/)
Northeastern University (http://www.northeastern.e...)
School of the Museum of Fine Arts SMFA (http://www.smfa.edu/)
Simmons College (http://www.simmons.edu/)
Suffolk University (http://www.suffolk.edu/)
Tufts University School of Medicine (http://www.medicine.tufts.edu)
University of Massachusetts Boston UMass (http://www.umb.edu/)
Wentworth Institute of Technology (http://www.wit.edu/index.php)
Wheelock College (http://www.wheelock.edu/)
In Cambridge:
Harvard University (http://www.harvard.edu/)
Lesley University (http://web.lesley.edu/def...)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT (http://web.mit.edu/)
In Brookline:
The New England Institute of Art NEiA (http://www.artinstitutes....)
In Newton:
Boston College BC (http://www.bc.edu/)
In Waltham:
Brandeis University (http://www.brandeis.edu/)
Bentley University (http://www.bentley.edu/)
In Medford:
Tufts University (http://www.tufts.edu/) partially in Somerville
A good resource for daily and nightly event listings of all sizes and interests can be found by picking up a free Weekly Dig or The Phoenix newspaper from one of the many free newspaper vending boxes located at most major busy intersections.
sports
Boston is a sports town, and its professional teams are much-loved. These include the Red Sox baseball, Celtics basketball, Bruins hockey, New England Patriots football, and New England Revolution soccer. Another professional team, the Boston Breakers women's soccer, is less well established.