Top Destinations : Boston, MA

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Above sightseeing and museums, visitors come to Boston to shop the city's boutiques, outlets and marketplaces. Shopaholics can wander upscale Copley Place and appreciate the historic setting of Faneuil Hall and Newbury Street.

Located in historic Back Bay, Copley Place is a luxury mall that holds 100 stores, including Gucci, Christian Dior, Neiman Marcus and Kenneth Cole, as well as restaurants and an 11-screen cinema. For more information, call 617-369-5000. 1 Copley Place, Boston.

More than 250 years old, Faneuil Hall Marketplace was originally known as a market for fishermen, vendors and merchants. Today it features more than 100 indoor/outdoor shops and 40 food stalls in three buildings: North Market, Quincy Market and South Market. For more information, call 617-523-1300. 4 S. Market Street, Boston.

Reminiscent of New York's Fifth Avenue or Los Angeles' Rodeo Drive, Boston's Newbury Street spans eight city blocks of 19^th - century storefronts, open-air coffee shops, chic boutiques and antique stores. Newbury Street shopping is located in the Back Bay area of Boston.

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Boston's museums honor the nation's forefathers, artistic endeavor and educational pursuits.

Children can climb a puzzle-piece maze at the New Balance Climb, shop for multicultural groceries at the Supermercado or visit a construction zone. A former wool warehouse on the South Boston waterfront, the Children's Museum accommodates kids of all ages. For more information, call 617-426-8855. 300 Congress Street, Boston.

Located in Cambridge, the Harvard Museum of Natural History contains three natural history institutions: the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Observe thousands of stuffed animals on display, a glass flower gallery and ancient dinosaur bones. For more information, call 617-495-3045. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge.

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Take a journey through Colonial Boston, enjoy the weather at the Public Gardens or grab a frosty beer and cheer on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Boston has an interesting attraction for every predilection.

Just 20 minutes outside of Boston lies the historic Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau's residence for more than two years. Take a picnic, canoe in the clear blue water, go bird watching and let nature inspire you. Near the entrance to the parking lot is an actual-size model of Thoreau's home. For more information, call 978-369-3254. 915 Walden Street, Concord.

Freedom Trail, a 16-stop tour through sites influential to the American Revolution, gives a history lesson encompassing such highlights as Boston Common, King's Chapel, Paul Revere's House, the Bunker Hill Monument and the site of the Boston Massacre. For more information, call 617-357-8300. 15 State Street, Boston.

A popular public spot is Boston Common, where Revolutionary War soldiers practiced, Vietnam War protests were held and regular gatherings take place today. Adjacent to Boston Common is the Public Gardens, a place to people-watch and enjoy the outdoors. America's first public garden features cherry trees, willows and an ever-changing display of foliage, as well as a bridge that the famous Swan Boats float under. The Bull & Finch, the pub known as the Cheers bar from the popular television show, faces the gardens. For more information, call 617-635-7383. Charles Street, Boston.

Affectionately nicknamed "The Green Monster," the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park is the oldest, smallest and one of the most expensive stadiums in Major League Baseball. Built in 1912, the stadium features unique dimensions (just 302 feet down the right field line), a real grass field and less than 34,000 oak seats. Such famed players as Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk have called Fenway Park home. For tickets, call 877-733-7699. 4 Yawkey Way, Boston.

Kicking off the fall film season is the 24th annual Boston Film Festival, held September 12-18, 2008, at various venues throughout Boston. The week-long program includes feature films, documentaries and shorts, followed by Q & A sessions with directors and actors after each screening. For more information, call 617-523-8388. Various venues.

Harpoon Brewery celebrates the German tradition of Octoberfest this October 3-4, 2008, where freshly brewed beer, German fare, keg bowling and Oompah music await. The 19th annual event is held at Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Avenue, Boston, Mass. For more information, call 888-427-7666.