The famous home of the Boston Red Sox is firmly entrenched in the culture and history of this city. Built in 1912 this is one of the most loved of the major league parks, with its real grass field, oak seats and kooky dimensions. It's also home to 'The Green Monster' - the affectionate nickname for the extra high left-field wall and the corny BoSox mascot.

This striking, modern, marble building - designed by I.M. Pei - was dubbed 'the shining monument by the sea' soon after it opened in 1979. The architectural centerpiece is the magnificent glass pavilion, with soaring 115-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Boston Harbor.

The museum is a fitting tribute to JFK's life and legacy. The effective use of video recreates history for visitors who may or may not remember the early 1960s, a highlight of which is the treatment of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Family photographs and private writings - of both John and Jacqueline - add a personal but not overly sentimental dimension to the exhibits.

Interestingly, the library has an archive of writer Ernest Hemingway's manuscripts and papers. About 95% of his works can be accessed if you're interested in research, but there is no exhibit space.

Colonists met at Old South Meeting House in 1773 to protest British taxation before dumping tea from British ships into the harbour. It is still a gathering place for discussion, although not much rabblerousing goes on anymore. Instead, it hosts concerts, theatre and lecture series, as well as walking tours, re-enactments and other historical programs.

The Museum of Fine Arts Boston is one of the country's finest art museums. The vast galleries are especially strong in American painting, decorative arts, Asian treasures and European painting, including French impressionists. Adult tickets are good for two visits within 10 days (a handy feature, since there's so much to see).

Particularly noteworthy are its holdings of American art, which include major works by John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper and the Hudson River School; American decorative arts are also well represented.

The interactive, educational exhibits at the delightful Children's Museum can keep kids from preschoolers to teenagers entertained for hours. Highlights include a bubble exhibit, a two-storey climbing maze, a rock-climbing wall, a hands-on construction site, intercultural immersion experiences and a beautiful play space for kids under three.

Teeming with sea creatures, this giant fishbowl is equally popular with adults and children. Harbour seals and sea otters, frolicking in a large observation tank, introduce the main attraction: a three-storey cylindrical saltwater tank that swirls with more than 600 creatures great and small, including turtles, sharks and eels.

At the base of the tank, the penguin pool is home to three species of fun-loving penguins. Countless side exhibits explore the lives and habitats of other underwater oddities, including the latest exhibits on ethereal jellyfish and rare, exotic sea dragons.

This collection in the Harvard Museum of Natural History is perhaps politically incorrect, but oh-so entertaining. You've never seen so many stuffed birds and animals in one place before - endless rows of cases filled with the finest examples of taxidermy. Just the job for a twitcher who hates to get up in the morning.

Other nearby museums include the multicultural Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, boasting a strong collection of North American Indian artifacts and the well-known Botanical Museum, which houses over 800 lifelike pieces of handblown-glass flowers and plants.

This magnificent Venetian-style palazzo is filled with almost 2000 priceless (primarily European) objects, including outstanding tapestries and Italian Renaissance and 17th-century Dutch paintings. The palazzo itself, with a four-storey greenhouse courtyard, is a tranquil oasis that's worth the price of entry alone.

The museum is a monument to one woman's exquisite artistic taste. On her death in 1924, the will of 'Mrs Jack' stipulated that the collection not change one iota or the whole lot would go to auction.

That helps explain a few notably empty spaces on the walls: in 1990 the museum was robbed of nearly USD$ 200000000 worth of paintings, including a beloved Vermeer. The walls on which they were mounted will remain bare until the paintings are recovered (highly unlikely).

If your memories of the fashion-conscious '60s and '70s have faded like an old pair of jeans, entering this store will bring it all back with a vengeance. Clothing aside, there's costumes, party accessories, music and pop culture ephemera, all priced to move. Downstairs at Dollar-a-Pound shoppers wade through piles of clothes and pay by the pound.

Berk's is a small store with an awesome selection of stylish, comfortable shoes. For over 25 years this place has been selling everything from Birkenstocks to Wolky's and anything in between. Be sure to drag your feet to the great end-of-season sales.

This grandmama of Boston bargain stores carries overstocked and irregular items which are automatically marked down the longer they remain in the store, so you could find a designer jacket for a fraction of the cost if you're prepared to fight for it; this place looks like the aftermath of a tornado within an hour of opening. Huge new outlet in Back Bay.

Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the resource for outdoor activities in Boston and throughout New England.

Color Tek does quality same-day processing. They also have a branch at 636 Beacon Ave.

Gay friendly health centre.

Friendly, knowledgable staff as well as a great selection of maps, brochures and discount coupons.

This comfortable walk-up enjoys a prime location. It's clean; it's roomy. It's even bright and airy and comes with a kitchenette in each room. Although much of the old brownstone's character has been rehabbed right out of it, the Copley Inn is still a very nice vanilla-flavoured establishment.

Nonetheless, you can't argue with the location, steps away from intensely satisfying shopping, dining, professional sports arenas and cultural diversions. It's about as close as you can get to Copley Sq happenings and the shops, galleries and restaurants of Newbury St - while preserving the sense that you're nesting in a slightly quieter neighbourhood. Rooms in this four-storey walk-up are somewhat larger than other moderately priced area accommodations. As such, there's plenty of pay off in sacrificing sublime atmosphere for sweet elbow room.

If chic and contemporary is your style, then glide into this impressive, exclusive boutique hotel. If superior service and first-rate amenities are right up your alley, then this slipper is just your size, Price Charming.

Whether it's the juxtaposition of exterior red brick with interior chrome, stainless steel and glass, or the pairing of sophisticated lighting with richly textured wood, this small hotel sure knows how to maximize its impact. It also finds ways to cater exceptionally well to diverse audiences. Deluxe rooms have high-speed Internet access and all sorts of business friendly high-tech gadgets. Service is attentive without being intrusive. Appealing to urbanites, with its bold splashes of colour and mod bathrooms, as well as upper crust doyennes with its Egyptian cotton bedding, Nine Zero scores high points among leisure and business travellers. As you might imagine, amenities range from 24-hour room service to a state-of-the-art fitness centre. When you get hungry, the on-site Spire reaches lofty peaks with flavourful cuisine from France, Spain and Italy.

Dating to 1882 and originally built as private residences, these three interconnected brick and brownstone buildings offer big bang for the buck. Repeat guests, drawn by the historic and leafy neighbourhood or the ease of reaching Boston's best attractions, know a good thing when they find it. Reserve early or suffer disappointment.

It's easy to enjoy a traditional Bostonian experience in this Victorian-style guest house. Although guest rooms aren't as ornate as they once were, 19th-century details like plaster ceilings, carved mantles and bay windows are still visible. Relatively modest furnishings include all the right reproduction pieces: reading chairs and lamps, a love seat and a table. There's plenty of space to spread out. A continental breakfast buffet is laid out in the lobby/living room. Rooms on the 2nd floor feel more spacious with higher ceilings than other rooms, while rooms on the 4th floor were former servants' quarters and are a bit smaller.

Johnny D's is a Boston institution and one of the best and most eclectic venues for rock, R&B and world music. If you're handy with a harmonica why not join the Sunday afternoon Open Blues Jam? Call early for dinner reservations.

For an incredible time warp, head to Sacco's - an unchanged and slightly beaten-up treasure last renovated in 1950. Inside you'll find lots of worn wood lanes, faux-marble benches, a giant stuffed swordfish and old metal lockers. The game de jour is candlepin, the skinny pin game of the Northeast. If you ever bowl here you'll never want to go anywhere else.

The current 'it' place for rock and indie, Great Scott recently transformed itself from a crappy bar to music palace, with a management dedicated to Boston music. The place rarely gets uncomfortably crowded, and the stage is well raised.

One of the oldest pubs in Boston, the Warren Tavern has been pouring pints for its customers since George Washington and Paul Revere drank here. It is named for General Joseph Warren, one of the fallen heroes of the Battle of Bunker Hill (shortly after which - in 1780 - this pub was opened).

One of Boston's top-notch bars, Lucky's is a delightfully gritty lounge that looks straight from 1959 and earns extra street-cred by having no sign. Enjoy well-priced drinks, excellent martinis and, frequently Motown-inspired bands playing tunes to which people actually dance. Sinatra Sundays remain a perpetual favorite, and the after work scene is lively.

Local produce and seafood - plus fresh-baked bread from the attached boulangerie - are the focus of the country French menu at this gem of a bistro on the waterfront. The atmosphere is rustic and relaxed, but service is always attentive. If you are hungry during off-hours, the boulangerie is open early for breakfast, while the bar offers late-night snacks.

The Franklin is loved by locals and travellers alike. It's friendly and hip - a fantastic spot for people-watching. The food is New American comfort food prepared by a gourmet chef: pan seared local cod with lima bean succotash and sage brown butter or roasted turkey meatloaf with spiced fig gravy and chive mashed potatoes.

Ivy is the rare place that manages to combine all the elements: chic, urban decor; cool but unpretentious vibe; and excellent, innovative food and drink. The menu is mostly small plates of pasta, salad or seafood, all affordable and great to share. Afterwards, all guests receive a complementary scoop of organic gelato - a fine finish to your meal.

A Chacarero is a traditional Chilean sandwich made with tender, grilled chicken or beef, muenster cheese, fresh tomatoes, guacamole and the surprise ingredient, steamed green beans. Stuffed into homemade bread, the sandwiches are the hands-down favorite for lunch in Downtown Crossing. This place is a lunchtime favourite so join the queue and enjoy.

The crème de la crème of Boston's culinary scene is this elegant French affair in a townhouse built in 1880. A variety of prix fixe and tasting menus offer an exceptional dining experience that tops many short lists. The menus change daily, but usually include a degustation of caviar, a degustation of seasonal vegetables and recommended wine pairings.