Exploring Beantown’s Past and Present

The city of Boston presents a bounty of tourist attractions throughout the year. Every traveler should focus attention on a handful of things to do in Boston that fit personal interests. Travelers need not restrict their Boston trips to well-traveled destinations. Beantown offers a variety of seasonal events, historic buildings and attractions that contribute to an entertaining trip.

The Boston Light (Little Brewer Island, Boston Harbor)

Visitors to this functioning lighthouse learn about the building's origins in the early 18th century. The three-hour tour of the Boston Light offered June through October highlights features like the Fresnel lens used to signal ships. Guides highlight neighboring lighthouses and Boston's maritime trade during 45-minute boat trips included with each tour.

Gibson House Museum (137 Beacon Street)

This historic building dates back to 1859 with five floors of bedrooms and common areas maintained in their original conditions. The museum hosts special events throughout the year including courses on Victorian dioramas and summer walking tours of the neighborhood. Historians familiar with the Gibson family and life in 19^th century Boston present their research during seasonal seminars.

SoWa Farmers Market (460 Harrison Ave.)

Boston's SoWA Open Market features a Farmers Market each Sunday from May through October. Growers and small farms throughout New England head to the market to sell vegetables, fruits and organic products. The SoWa Farmers Market moves indoors to the Vintage Market during winter with a Sunday market devoted to arts, crafts and meats from local vendors.

Boston Book Festival (2 Canal Park)

This free festival in Boston's Copley Square attracts authors and publishers throughout New England for a weekend each October. Prominent authors lead forums on topics ranging from Civil War fiction to the development of graphic novels. Attendees head to the Berklee Stage at the Berklee College of Music for live music, poetry and performance art.

Boston Demons (50 Dalton St.)

The Boston Demons competes against teams throughout the Northeast in the Northeast Australian Football League. This amateur club plays home games throughout the Boston metro area from April through October with a handful of U.S. National games in fall. Admission to Boston Demons matches is free and players answer questions from fans interested in Australian Rules football.

The Huntington Theatre Company (264 Huntington Ave.)

Theater fans head to Boston University for professional productions by the Huntington Theatre Company. Each season combines renowned pieces like Candide with works from the company's Playwriting Fellows. Patrons at Wednesday evening and Thursday matinee shows can speak with actors during the Actors Forum. The Huntington Theatre Company works with the Institute of Contemporary Art to host the Emerging America Festival each May.

Independent Film Festival Boston (276 Washington St.)

This weekend film festival in April hosts documentaries, short films and original works in independent cinemas like the Brattle Theatre. Fans of horror movies and dark comedies attend the festival's IFFBoston After Dark features each evening. The festival has hosted award-winning films including No Country for Old Men (2007) and Precious (2009).