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UNITED STATES | Boston Area, Massachusetts Travel Guide
Friday, April 19, 2024
Sightseeing in Boston
Sightseeing in Boston
There is one best place to get a view of Boston: the observatory at the John Hancock Building at 200 Clarendon Avenue. From the top of New England’s tallest building (740 feet), you get spectacular views and there’s a lively sound-and-light exhibit of the RevolutionaryWar history of the city. A second observatory at the nearby Prudential Building, 800 Boylston Street, offers a 360° view from its 50th floor Skywalk, with the plus of being able to look at the John Hancock Building! Directions to the John Hancock Tower: From the north, using Interstate 93, take Storrow Drive west to the Copley Square exit, then turn right on Beacon Street and left on Clarendon. From the south, using Interstate 93, take Exit 18for Massachusetts Avenue (Mass. Ave.) and turn right at the lights; continue to Huntington Avenue and turn right. Arriving on the Massachusetts Turnpike Extension, use the Copley Square exit. Or by public transportation, take the “T” to Copley Station on the Green line or Back Bay Station on the Orange line.
But the traditional way to begin your acquaintance with Boston is Boston Common. If you don’t have a lot of time, just stroll this “green space” that was set aside in 1634 as the central park of the city. Pause to sit on a bench and let the squirrels come close, looking for a handout, or get into the energy of the skaters, joggers, and brisk walkers around you. Make time to walk across to the adjoining Public Garden with its famous Swan Boats carrying visitors around the pond, and its graceful plantings. At the corner of Beacon and Charles streets, by the Public Garden gates, are bronze statues of Mrs. Mallard and her brood of ducklings, known to most children through Robert McCloskey’s wonderful story Make Way for Ducklings.
On the other hand, if you’ve carved out a day to “do” Boston properly, then the Boston Common is the start of several “trails” that explore the history and culture of this lively and notable city. Here are some ideas.
Last updated March 29, 2008
Posted in United States | Boston Area
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