Boston, Massachusetts is a city of first: first public library, first subway system, and first public school. It is also a city of history - from it’s founding in 1629 to its part in the American Revolution. Today Boston is ideal for visitors, thanks to its pedestrian friendly layout and its numerous attractions.

Another of Boston’s firsts is its St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In 1737, the custom of celebrating the sainted missionary Patrick came to town. It started with the wearing of shamrocks and had spread to green EVERYWHERE! More than a half-million people gather for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and numerous other events scheduled on and around the day will keep you busy (or make you green with envy if you can’t attend).

If you are into running and you want to test your skills then the Boston Marathon can provide the perfect test. It is the world’s oldest annual marathon and was started by John Graham back in 1897 with only 15 runners. In 2007, 20,000 runners completed the 26 mile run.

Boston is an amazing city to visit if history is your thing. You could spend weeks visiting the sites in around the city. The Freedom Trail is a walking tour of 16 of the historical sites in the area. It takes you from Colonial Boston through the Revolution. Walking through the streets and buildings can almost make you feel like you are walking back in time. Boston is the home of the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere, and JFK.

To get away from the city and enjoy a little piece of nature, take a trip out to the Boston Harbor Islands. The 30 islands spread across the harbor and can only be accessed by water. The beaches are sandy to cobblestone and swimming is permitted at Grape, Bumpkin, Lovells, and Peddocks islands. These islands are excellent for birding, hiking or just finding a quiet spot to relax.

The true baseball enthusiast must take a peek at Fenway Park. This is the oldest major league ballpark still in use today. It began its reign as home for the Boston Red Sox in 1912 and is still much the same ballpark today that it was back then. Tours are available or take in a game to get a real feel for the park.

Boston is a great city – no matter what you are looking to do. It is rich in culture, steeped in history, and full of blarney.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 10:39 pm and is filed under Popular Cities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.