Boston is a bustling, thriving city with a great history. It's known for its seafood, the Boston Tea Party, the Freedom Trail, the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, the Boston Celtics, the Boston Pops, and so much more.
Come explore the activities, places to visit, and dining options available.
The establishments and activities listed below are for informational purposes only, they should not be considered recommendations.
Abe & Louie’s
793 Boylston Street, Boston; 617-536-6300
(Adjacent to Hynes Convention Center)
This classic American steakhouse features signature prime aged Midwestern steaks and fresh seafood accompanied by seasonal produce.
Atlantic Fish Co.
761 Boylston St., Boston; 617-267-4000
(Adjacent to Hynes Convention Center)
Atlantic Fish Company sources straight from the harbor every morning and prints their menus daily to reflect their offerings.
The Barking Crab
88 Sleeper St., Boston; 617-426-2722
(3.2 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Located on the edge of Boston’s historic Fort Point Channel, The Barking Crab has become one of the city’s best-loved meeting and eating spots. Opened in May of 1994 as an outdoor summer restaurant. They have expanded into the adjoining Neptune Lobster and Seafood Market, adding a wood-burning stove and becoming a year-round operation. Not the “typical” Boston seafood restaurant, The Barking Crab offers the casual atmosphere of a coastal clam shack in a funky urban setting, with a marina alongside for easy access by water, and all the exciting resources of Boston only a short walk away. The menu concentrates on fresh seafood and offers a local take on the urban New England Clam Shack.
The Bebop
11116 Boylston St., Boston; 857-250-4641
(0.2 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
The Bebop is situated at the intersection of Boylston and Massachusetts Ave., features a full dinner and lunch menu; brunch on the weekends. Live music 7 nights a week. Open Mic/Open Jam on Thursdays.
The Beehive
541 Tremont Street, South End, Boston; 617-423-0069
(1 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
The Beehive is a Bohemian eatery and bar located in the Boston center for the Arts complex in Boston’s South End. Comfort food has influences from the Middle East, Eastern Europe and America. Against the backdrop of an eclectic, funky, yet elegant art space, you can enjoy delicious food, cocktails and world-class live music. The music includes a mix of jazz, blues, R&B, electronica, reggae, Latin, country, cabaret and burlesque.
The Capital Grille
900 Boylston St., Boston; 617-262-8900
(0.1 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
The restaurant features dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood and more than 350 world-class wines hailing from nearly every wine-growing region on Earth. Steaks are dry aged on premises for 18-24 days and hand carved by in-house butchers. Soups, entrée salads, sandwiches, appetizers, entrées, chef’s suggestions, desserts, and much more.
Casa Romero
30 Gloucester St., Boston; 617-536-4341
(0.3 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Refined Mexican cuisine, Casa Romero features appetizers, salads, enchiladas, their signature plates (Solomillo de Patricia Quintana Mar & Tierra, Cochinita Pibile, Carne Asada, Puerco Adobado con Chipotle y Naranja, Camarones a la Diabla, Huarache de Res, Pechuga Nopalitos, Camarones al Huitlacoche), fajitas and more. Also known for their tequila offerings.
Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen
604 Columbus Ave, Boston; 617-536-1100
(0.7 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Darryl’s is the “intersection of friends, food and music.” They serve southern comfort food and signature cocktails with a side of some of the best jazz in Boston.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
122 Belvidere St., Boston; 617-358-9990
(0.1 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Eddie V’s, located in the Back Bay, features prime steaks hand-cut in-house and seafood flown in fresh daily. Hand-crafted cocktails and fine wines are also available. Dress code: “We consider gym attire, sweatpants, hats, clothing with offensive language or images, and exposed undergarments too casual for our restaurants.”
Fin Point Oyster Bar & Grille
89 Broad Street, Boston; 617-348-1234
(2.0 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Fin Point Oyster Bar and Grille features a full raw bar and renditions of New England classics that are both sophisticated and approachable. Nestled into historic downtown Boston, the restaurant features both small and large plates, flatbreads, steaks, salads, locally sourced seafood and New England classics.
Krasi
48 Gloucester Street, Boston; 617-536-0230
(0.2 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Krasi is love. Krasi is life. Krasi means wine, literally. Krasi is about conversations and the people immersed in them. It’s about new friends, old friends, and turning strangers into friends. Krasi is Greek, differently.
Mooncusser
304 Stuart St., Boston; 617-917-5193
(0.7 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Mooncusser offers a seasonal multi-course menu showcasing local seafood and flavors. See the website for menu and pricing. Validated parking is available at the 10 St. James Garage across the street.
Mooo….
15 Beacon St., Boston; 617-670-2515
(1.5 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Chef/owner Jamie Mammano creates classic yet modern steakhouse dishes. The restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
O Ya
9 East Street, Boston; 617-654-9900
(1.6 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
O Ya is a contemporary Japanese-inspired restaurant hatched from years of extensive travel and work in Japan and all over the world. O Ya offers a nightly omakase dinner, a chef’s choice menu of 20 courses featuring a variety of unique nigiri, sashimi and cooked dishes. Reservations suggested – see the website for pricing. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Ocean Prime
140 Seaport Blvd., Boston; 617-670-1345
(2.8 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Ocean Prime features a chef-curated menu, signature handcrafted cocktails and a varied wine list. Located in the 100 Pier 4 building in Boston’s Seaport District. The restaurant strives to provide an elegant fine-dining experience. Please choose attire both polished and suited to our restaurant.
Porto
Ring Road, Boston; 617-536-1234
(0.2 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Handmade pasta dishes, fresh local oysters and seafood, hand-crafted entrées from the Mediterranean-focused culinary team in the heart of the Back Bay. When the weather permits in the autumn, reserve a patio table for “dinner under the lemons” for the Amalfi experience. Both heated and unheated dining options are available. Reservations recommended.
Rowes Wharf Sea Grille
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston; 617-856-7744
(1.9 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Located at the five-star Boston Harbor Hotel, Rowes Wharf Sea Grille offers a neighborhood feel with striking harbor views and amazing seafood selections. Fresh catch comes daily from local waters. Chef David Daniels prepares dishes known for their depth of flavor. A kids’ menu is also available. Parking is available for restaurant guests after 4:30 pm via the hotel’s self-park at Rowes Wharf Garage (50 Rowes Wharf).
Sarma
249 Pearl Street, Somerville, MA; 617-764-4464
(3.6 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
Modeled after the traditional meyhanes of Turkey, the menu is a large selection of small plate (meze) that are designed to be shared alongside food-friendly cocktails, craft beers or a glass of wine from a select list. Sarma = wrapped; enveloped; rolled up; a bundle of food that is bite sized and served as a meze.
The Salty Pig
130 Dartmouth St., Boston; 617-536-6200
(0.5 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Featuring a wide range of “Salty Pig Parts” in the form of house-made meats and hand-selected cheeses, the Salty Pig’s menu is designed to be mixed and matched to create personalized charcuterie boards. Fresh, locally grown seasonal ingredients rotate frequently to make stone-grilled pizzas, hand-made pastas and regional Italian entrees. The Salty Pig’s bar features Old World wines, American craft beer and specialty cocktails.
Summer Shack
50 Dalton St., Boston; 617-867-9955
(Adjacent to Hynes Convention Center)
Summer Shack specializes in lobster. Try Jasper White’s famous lobster roll. In addition to seafood, the shack has plenty of kid-friendly dishes and meat options – like fried chicken, burgers and steak. The restaurant takes walk-ins, same-day reservations. Open nightly til 10 pm.
Toro
1704 Washington St., Boston; 617-536-4300
(1.0 mile from Hynes Convention Center)
Toro is a Spanish tapas restaurant and bar that features Barcelona-inspired hot and cold small plates. The beverage program features class-inspired cocktails and an eclectic wine list. Open seven days a week.
Union Oyster House
41 Union Street, Boston; 617-227-2750
(2.2 miles from Hynes Convention Center)
The Union Oyster House, located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall, is the oldest restaurant in Boston (est. 1826) and the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the U.S. Reservations recommended (by phone or OpenTable).
Wagamama
800 Boylston Street, Boston; 617-778-2344 (Prudential Center) (0.1 mile from Hynes Convention Center); or Quincy Market Building (1.7 miles from Hynes Convention Center), 1 S. Market St., Boston; 617-742-9242 (Faneuil Hall)
Asian-inspired menu features all kinds of rice and noodle dishes alongside fresh salads and shareable sides, desserts, fresh juices, hot drinks, wine, sake and Asian craft beers.
Boston Bruins (NHL)
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team, founded in 1924, making them the third oldest active team in the NHL and the oldest in the United States.
Boston Celtics (NBA)
The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team, founded in 1946 as one of the National Basketball Association’s original eight teams. The Celtics play their home games at TD Garden and currently hold the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team.
Boston Children’s Museum
308 Congress St., Boston
Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest children’s museum in the world, founded in 1913 by the Science Teachers’ Bureau, a group of visionary educators dedicated to providing new resources for both teachers and students. The museum is a center for the exchange of materials and ideas to advance the teaching of science. The Power of play – play is the work of children. Critical to healthy development and stimulating children’s natural curiosity and creativity, play nurtures confidence, emotional wellbeing and cognitive development.
Boston Common
139 Tremont St., Boston
America’s oldest part, Boston Common, is where the Colonial milia mustered for the Revolution. In the 1860s, Civil War recruitment and anti-slavery meetings were held in the Common. During World War I, victor gardens were planted. For World War II, the Common gave most of its iron fencing away for scrap metal. The Boston Common continues to be a stage for free speech and public assembly and has evolved into a park-like greenspace. The park includes ballfields, a “tot lot” and the Frog Pond, which provides skating in winter and a spray pool for children in the summer.
Boston Red Sox (MLB)
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team, founded in 1901 as one of the American League’s eight charter franchises. The team’s home ballpark has been historic Fenway Park since 1912. See also Fenway Park Tours.
Boston Symphony
301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston; 617-266-1200
Led by music director Andris Nelsons since 2014, the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert in 1881, realizing the dream of its founder, the Civil War veteran/businessman/philanthropist Henry Lee Higginson, who envisioned a great and permanent orchestra in his hometown of Boston.
Boston Theater
Boston Theater provides complete impartial guides to all theatrical, musical and performance arts events and venues. Explore all theater, concert and comedy events.
Brattle Book Shop
9 West St., Boston; 617-542-0210
One of America’s oldest and largest used book shops. The Brattle features two floors of general used books, a third floor of rare and antiquarian books and an outside sales lot.
Broadway in Boston
See which Broadway shows are playing in Boston, buy tickets, see where to park, and more.
Caffe Vittoria
290-296 Hanover St., Boston; 617-227-7606
The café, which opened in 1929, displays antique espresso machines and coffee makers.
Central Perk Coffee Co.
205 Newbury Street, Boston; 857-991-1615
The One in Boston. Central Perk is a gathering place for locals to get a great cup of coffee and share moments with friends. It has been given new life with a collection of artisanal coffees roasted to order, crafted from premium arabica beans.
City Winery
80 Beverly St., Boston; 617-933-8047
Menu pairs world-class wines with small plates, perfect for sharing. Find live music and entertainment for every taste – from live bands to stand-up sets to podcast recordings and much more. Dine during your show and even pre-order wine to have a bottle waiting at your table when you arrive.
Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit St., Boston; 617-726-2000
William T.G. Morton made history on October 16, 1846 in Massachusetts General Hospital’s surgical amphitheater, now known as the Ether Dome, when he demonstrated the first public surgery using an anesthetic (ether). Between 1821 and 1868, more than 8,000 operations were performed in the Ether Dome. Today it is a teaching amphitheater and historical landmark.
Faneuil Hall
4 South Market, Boston, 617-523-1300
Built in 1742, Faneuil Hall was used as a covered market building and public meeting space for Boston. Today it is a National Historic Landmark operated by the National Park Service as part of Boston National Historical Park. The exhibit confronts Boston’s role in slavery through stories, documents, and objects.
Fenway Park Tours
4 Jersey Street, Boston; 617-226-6666.
Home of the Boston Red Sox. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let Fenway's experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park.
Freedom Trail
Various; Boston and Charlestown, MA
The Freedom Trail is a collection of 16 sites in downtown Boston and Charlestown - museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution. Tours available. The Freedom Trail is accessible by public transit – Green, Red, Orange and Blue lines.
Ghosts and Gravestones Tour
200 Atlantic Avenue, Boston. 866-754-9136
Tour is 1 hour, 30 minutes, starting at 6 pm. Reservations required. Tour boards beside the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel, 200 Atlantic Avenue, corner of State Street, Boston. This tour may not be suitable for children under 13 years of age. Due to the loud noises on the tour, children under the age of 6 are not allowed onboard.
Improv Asylum
216 Hanover St., Boston; 617-263-6887
The Main Stage Cast performs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. The NXT cast performs every Wednesday and Sunday. These shows feature a combination of pre-written sketches and lightning-fast improv inspired by audience suggestions. The midnight show on Saturdays is an adults-only all-improv show called Raunch that is the end of the main stage performers’ week and they get to have a few drinks and let it all hang out. The Made-Up Matinee is perfect for grade-school kids, with fun mocktails for children and mimosas for parents.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
25 Evans Way, Boston; 617-566-1401
Isabella came from a well to-do family, and after her marriage to Jack Gardner, where they began travelling after the death of their son, began collecting artwork and more. The museum was constructed after Jack’s death, completed in late 1901. Isabella installed her collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, manuscripts, rare books, and decorative arts. She encouraged artists to make themselves at home in the museum – John Singer Sargent painted in the Gothic Room, Ruth St. Denis danced her famous piece, The Cobra in the Cloisters, and Australian opera star Nellie Melba performed from the balcony of the Dutch Room.
Laugh Boston
425 Summer St., Boston; 617-725-2844
Laugh Boston, located in the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston’s Seaport District, is a 300-seat venue that features the nation’s top touring and stand-up comedians.
Lewis and Harriet Hayden House
66 Phillips Street, Boston African American National Historical Site, Boston; 617-429-6760
The Lewis and Harriet Hayden House served as the preeminent Underground Railroad safe house in Boston during the 1850s. In the 1840s, the Haydens escaped slavery in Kentucky and eventually settled in Boston. They lived in this house by 1850, operated as a boarding house, and turned it into one of the most documented safe houses in the area.
Logan Airport 9/11 Memorial
Logan airport, Boston
This memorial honors the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, the two planes that departed Boston Logan airport for Los Angeles, but were hijacked by terrorists who flew them into World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York, NY on September 11, 2001. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Mad Monkfish
524 Massachusetts Ave. (Central Square), Cambridge, MA; 617-441-2116
The Mad Monkfish has a unique take on sushi and Asian specialties (Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines). Jazz is featured evenings (Thursday through Sunday) on the Jazz Baroness Room stage.
Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) Dorchester Brewing Co.
1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston
The public gallery is in the Dorchester Brewing Co., in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Dedicated to the collection, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms. Of more than 800 pieces in the permanent collection, about 40 are exhibited. Each piece is accompanied by a written interpretation, helping the public grasp many of the complexities inherent in the works. Open every day at 11:30 am. The program is free. You can purchase beer and BBQ before, during and after. No one under 21 is admitted on Friday or Saturday nights after 6 pm.
Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston; 617-267-9300
The museum showcases ancient artistry and modern masterpieces, local legends and global visionaries in its collection of nearly 500,000 works. ACAAI history: Boston’s Museum of Fin Arts hosted the ACAAI Fundraising Dinner at its Annual Meeting in 2011.
New England Aquarium
1 Central Wharf, Boston; Reservations: 617-973-5206
The New England Aquarium is a nonprofit research and conservation organization that has protected and cared for our ocean and marine animals for more than 50 years. There are thousands of aquatic animals to visit at the Aquarium – from the African penguins to Myrtle the green sea turtle and the California sea lions. Advanced reservations are strongly recommended for general admission tickets. You can purchase tickets up to 180 days in advance of your visit. Tickets are nonrefundable.
The Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street, Boston; 617-720-1713
Built in 1729, the Old South Meeting House was one of the largest buildings in colonial Boston, making it an ideal location for some of the most important mass meetings prior to the American Revolution. One such meeting occurred on December 16, 1773 when thousands gathered at the Old South Meeting House to debate England’s controversial tea tax of the colonists. Toward the end of the debate, Samuel Adams gave the signal that started the Boston Tea Party.
The Paul Revere House
19 North Square, Boston; 617-523-2338
The Paul Revere House is operated by the Paul Revere Memorial Association. The house, sold by Paul Revere in 1800, then served as a boarding house, shops and businesses, and tenement apartments for the following century. Years of hard use took their toll and the house fell into disrepair. Eventually the house was purchased by the group that became the memorial association and restoration began. The house opened to the public in 1908 and quickly became one of the most popular attractions in the city.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
185 Kneeland St., Boston; 617-292-0020
The Greenway is 1.5 miles of sights and experiences. Take a spin on the Greenway Carousel – choose your favorite New England character and hang on for the ride. Seven water attractions (fountains) make a big splash with kids and adults alike. The Greenway is committed to organic and sustainable landscaping practices. Music and movies, food trucks, beer and wine gardens also can be found on the Greenway.
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Rd., Boston; 866-777-8932
Located on the ground floor of The DoubleTree Suites, Scullers has hosted some of the very best musical artists in the business: Chick Corea, Lisa Fischer, Joe DeFrancesco, Cecile McLorant Salvant, Brad Mehldau, The Bad Plus, Harry Connick Jr., Chris Botti, Jamie Cullum, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian Scott, Christian Sands, Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett, David Sanborn, Michael Bublé, Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsalis, and more.
USS Constitution Museum
Building 22, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA; 617-426-1812
The USS Constitution first sailed in 1798 from Boston Harbor. She is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and earned her nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 when she fought the British frigate HMS Guerriere. Managed by the U.S. Navy.
Wally’s Jazz Café
427 Massachusetts Ave, Boston; 617-828-1754
Wally’s Café is among the oldest family-owned and operated jazz clubs in existence, founded in 1947 by Mr. Joseph L. Walcott. The club features live music 365 days a year. Every Friday and Saturday at 10:00 pm, the house jazz band co-led by Kevin Harris and Noah Preminger, perform original and cover tunes.
Warren Anatomical Museum Center for the History of Medicine, Countway Library of Medicine
10 Shattuck St., Boston; 617-432-2170
In accordance with the wishes of Dr. John Collins Warren, by whom the founding collection was given to the Harvard Medical School, the Warren Anatomical Museum undertakes to maintain these collections, to add to them when feasible, and to make them available and useful for the study of medicine, anthropology, and the history of science. The Museum seeks to continue the tradition of promoting the collection for the purposes of medical education in all forms whenever possible, as well as expand its scope to provide public programming and educational resources to the larger community.