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Boston mixes the history of a colonial town with the culture of a modern metropolis. When you are there, it is hard to know what to do and what to skip. These tips help you identify what should not be missed on your visit.

1. Walk the Freedom Trail.

But make stops along the way. The Freedom Trail takes you past many of the historical sites in the city, but it also takes you by many of the contemporary landmarks that make the city unique.

2. Eat a cannoli.

It doesn't have to be from Mike's Pastry (which will undoubtedly have a line out the door) but it should be from one of the pastry shops in the North End. If you can find an open table, sit down and enjoy a cappuccino as well.

3. Go to the Library.

The Boston Public Library is beautifully ornate, yet still fully functional. It is like a museum with a magazine rack and comfy chairs.

4. Read the plaques.

Around the city, there are hundreds of informational plaques that explain significant events that happened at a particular site. If you read but half of these plaques, you will find yourself awed. The stories you read about in your 7th grade U.S. history textbook will come back in a flood.

5. Go to church.

I know you are on vacation, but there is no better way to experience a church full of history than by sitting in the pews. The Old North Church (one if by land, two if by sea), is still an active congregation. Across the river in Cambridge, there is a church that quartered George Washington and his men. You can read about it on a plaque (see #4).

6. Watch a game in local pub.

Some might say a trip to Boston is incomplete without a trip to Fenway, and while I agree that it is worth seeing from the inside or out, do not spend the money to see a game there unless you are a baseball fan. You do not have to be a sports fan, however, to enjoy the people watching available in any pub while a Boston team is on T.V. Watch out for hooligans.

7. Cross the river.

While this will technically take you out of Boston, no trip is complete without strolling through Harvard Yard. If old buildings don't suit you, there are great places to eat in Harvard Square. I recommend Harvest for a unique, if pricey, dinner that uses local ingredients.

8. Take the long way home.

If you are taking a taxi, #8 will happen anyway, due to a cab driver who seems to know less about the city's geography than you do. But this tip is really for the walkers. Boston is a remarkably small city. It is nice to get lost for a while and wind around the city streets.

9. Go to the market.

Between Government Center and the North End, there is a delightful market that sells fresh seafood, fruit, and vegetables. The seafood is often still kicking on their beds of ice. While you probably won't have any use for a seven-pound red snapper in your hotel room, the personalities selling the goods are reason enough to come.

10. Let Bostonians be Bostonians.

While you are a tourist in Boston, it is inevitable that you will be cursed, slighted, or otherwise abused by a local. When this happens, take a deep breath and appreciate the how much prettier Boston is than, say, Cleveland.

Learn more about this author, Drew Woodson.
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