If You Like

City Walks

In a compact place where streets often evolved from cow paths and colonial lanes, driving is no simple task -- which may explain why the first U.S. subway was built here in 1897. Still, "America's Walking City" is best seen on foot.

See Red. The logical first step is to follow the red stripe that marks the famed Freedom Trail. Starting in Boston Common, this 2 1/2-mi path winds through the city, connecting 16 Revolutionary-era sites; among them are Paul Revere's home and Samuel Adams's burial place. Join one of the free National Park Service tours or honor the patriots' spirit by doing the route independently.

Go Green. In 1878 renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted started work on the Emerald Necklace -- six jewel-like parks strung together by a greenway. Though the Common and Public Garden predate his designs, they're connected to them by the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, creating an urban oasis that extends 7 mi past meadows, manicured flowerbeds, and marshy ponds from Downtown to Dorchester. 617/232-5374. www.emeraldnecklace.org..

Take a Walk on the Waterside. Boston's 47-mi HarborWalk accesses favorite waterfront attractions (like the New England Aquarium), picturesque piers, working wharves, even urban beaches. If you only have an hour, download HarborWalk's free audio guide and stroll from Christopher Columbus Park to the new Institute of Contemporary Art on Fan Pier. 617/482-1722. www.bostonharborwalk.com..

Sports

In Beantown, you can mark off the seasons by checking the sports lineup. Avid spectators know that the "Boys of Summer" arrive in spring and that the Head of the Charles Regatta is a harbinger of fall. However, it's easy to get a sports fix in any season.

Touch Base. Small but mighty Fenway, the oldest major-league park, is a pilgrimage site for baseball fans, and year-round tours provide the ultimate insider's view. You'll get a first-hand look at the press box, dugout seats, Pesky's Pole, and -- when schedules permit -- the fabled Green Monster. It's as close as you'll get to this beloved field without being drafted into MLB. 617/226-6666. boston.redsox.mlb.com.

Visit the Secret Garden. Prefer Bobby Orr or Larry Bird over Ted Williams? Seek out the Sports Museum in TD Banknorth Garden. The Bruins and Celtics get home advantage here (one popular exhibit, for example, is a hockey penalty box). But there's also artwork, equipment, and archival footage relating to the Patriots, the Revolution (Boston's pro soccer team), Boston Marathon winners, and, yes, the Sox. 617/624-1237. www.sportsmuseum.org.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat. You won't hear fans yelling bloody murder at the Head of the Charles, the world's largest crew regatta held each October. But that doesn't mean they're any less enthusiastic -- or that the sport is any less arduous. Try it yourself at any of several local outfitters.

Multicultural Experiences

The Brits who founded Boston back in 1630 understandably get a lot of press. Nevertheless, they represent only the first of many immigrant groups who helped shape this city. So don't leave without seeing some of its lively ethnic enclaves.

Get Your Irish Up. All the Boston Celtics aren't basketball players. For proof, simply take the Irish Heritage Trail. It's a self-guided, 3-mi walk covering sites associated with prominent Irish-Americans from John Hancock (who knew!?) to JFK, as well as the everyday folks who were forced from their homeland by the 1840s Potato Famine. Afterwards down a pint in their memory at your choice of authentic Irish pubs. 617/696-9880. www.irishheritagetrail.com.

Orient Yourself. Though it covers only a few blocks, Boston's densely populated Chinatown ranks as the country's third largest. To commemorate its 130-year history, Chinatown is developing its own heritage projects, including a trail and youth-led tours. But the best way to experience this colorful quarter is through its equally colorful celebrations. Chinese New Year promises dragon parades and firecrackers, while the August Moon Festival features lion dancing and lanterns.

Chow Bella. Red sauce has been simmering in the North End since the Italian immigrants moved here in the 1880s. The demographic is changing (today only 40% of residents claim Italian descent), but you only have to look at the thriving restaurants to see that la vita is still dolce in Boston's Little Italy. Have dinner or take a market tour for an inside look at Italian-American cuisine.

Getting Out on the Water

This city has long been defined by its coast and waterways. The original colonists were drawn here largely because of Boston's natural harbor, and local commerce and culture have remained inextricably bound to it. So if you've ever wanted to say "anchors aweigh," this is the place.

Set Sail. June through September, you can relive the Golden Age of Sail aboard the Liberty Clipper, a replica two-masted gaff-rigged schooner that operates midday harbor tours and romantic sunset cruises from Long Wharf. Rather hoist your own jib? In season, several outfitters have sailboat rentals and lessons.

Watch Whales. Ahab wannabes might opt for a whale-watching excursion, organized by the New England Aquarium (617/973-5200, www.neaq.org) from April through October. At Stellwagen Bank (30 mi offshore) an onboard naturalist susses out humpbacks, finbacks, minkes, and more. While these supersize mammals come mainly to feed, some seem happy to perform. If you're lucky, one might breach, blow, or give you a wave with its massive flipper.

Enjoy Ferry Tales. One of the city's top values is the $10 round-trip ride from Long Wharf to Boston Harbor Islands National Park. May to October you can hop the Harbor Express ferry for Georges Island, where hiking and beachcombing opportunities abound. Ranger-led tours of the island's pre-Civil War fort are also available and intrepid types can take advantage of a complimentary water shuttle to outlying islets. 617/222-6999. www.harborexpress.com.

Weather-wise, late spring and fall are the optimal times to visit Boston. Aside from mild temperatures, the former boasts blooming gardens throughout the city; and the later (specifically from mid-September to early November) sees the surrounding countryside ablaze with brilliantly colored foliage. At both times, however, you should expect crowds.

Autumn, for instance, draws hordes of hopeful leaf-peepers. Students must be factored into the mix as well. More than 250,000 of them flood into Boston and Cambridge each September; then pull out again in May and June. So hotels and restaurants, especially during move-in and move-out weekends, can be packed.

The good news is that this is a four-season destination. Summer brings sailboats to Boston Harbor, concerts to the Esplanade, and café tables to assorted sidewalks. It also brings the most reliable sunshine. If you're dreaming of a classic shore vacation, summer is prime. (Of course, others also know this -- which makes advance planning imperative.)

Even winter has its pleasures. The cultural season heats up when it's cold, and Boston sports a festive glow over the holidays, thanks to the thousands of lights strung around the Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. During the post-Christmas period, temperatures continue to fall. But penny-pinchers will be pleased to know that lodging prices do, too.