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I have lived in Boston for just under a year now and thanks to my long walks around the city with a camera, I’ve seen a lot of it. It’s how I discovered one of my favorite murals near Fenway and this adorable flower shop in Beacon Hill. Despite all my wanderings, there are a ton of attractions in Beantown that I haven’t take the time to visit. Now that I have renewed my lease here for another year, it’s time to make a list of to-dos for the next 12 months.
1. See the city from the top of the Prudential Center.
There are a couple ways to do this. First, I could visit the SkyWalk Observatory, which costs $19 and gives visitors 360-degree views of the city. The other option is to grab drinks and/or food at the Top of the Hub. I hear the food leaves something to be desired, but considering the cost of going to observatory, I’m thinking that it’d be worth it to get dressed up and grab a cocktail at the bar. Maybe this’ll be a stop for celebrating my birthday in November.
2. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts.
I live less than a ten-minute walk from this building and still haven’t entered. General admission costs $25, but I found out that through Bank of America’s “Museums on Us” program, I can get in for free during the first weekend of the month. Boom! They also put on movie screenings and evening events that seems like a good time–just in case you’re the kind of person that wants to do more than wander around and look at art. (Side note: If you’re a museum person or just like beautiful places, I recommend the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.)
3. Visit the Museum of Science.
Any Bob’s Burgers fans out there? In an episode called “The Laser-inth,” Bob and Gene go to a rock ‘n roll laser show at the local planetarium. Turns out the Museum of Science in Boston has something similar called The Rihanna Experience. According to their website, “The Rihanna Experience redefines nightlife in Boston, fusing the sounds of one of today’s most exciting artists with stunning and inventive visuals under the Charles Hayden Planetarium dome.” I don’t have super high expectations, but for only $10, I’m willing to find out what it’s all about.
4. See a Boston Ballet performance.
Preferably, I’ll get to see The Nutcracker this holiday season. I went to see the San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker performance every year with my grandmother, mom and sister when I was a kid. It’s one of those memories I always associate with the holidays. I haven’t been to the ballet in ages, and I think this year is the year I return. If I can’t make it to a Christmas-time show, they are also doing Romeo & Juliet and Sleeping Beauty in the spring, which I’m sure will be equally as wonderful.
5. Go to Bruins and Celtics games.
I’m not a major sports fan (aside from downhill skiing). I didn’t grow up watching football on Sundays and owning drawers full of t-shirts representing my favorite teams. However, it’s basically impossible not to be involved in the Boston sports culture when you live here. During my time in New England, I have attended Red Sox and Patriots games. I want to get a taste of all the Boston sports teams, so this year I want to send some time at TD Garden watching ice hockey and a basketball game.
6. Kayak or paddle board on the Charles River.
I thought I’d do this during the summer, but here we are, nearly mid-September, and I never got around to it. Paddle Boston rents kayaks and paddle boards at several locations along the river. It’s not inexpensive, but I saw Groupons all summer that would make it more affordable. These activities also have the added benefit of being a workout and giving me new camera angles on that gorgeous skyline.
7. Fly in a helicopter over the city at sunrise.
All summer, Boston photographers have been flying over the city, taking photos like this one by @YayItsYanan. I want a shot at capturing the sunrise from that perspective. HoverBoston appears to offer 45-minute, open door flights for around $300 a person that cover the city and lighthouses. It’s the priciest thing on my list, but seems worth the cost simply for the memories.
Do you have any suggestions for my Boston bucket list? Let me know in a comment below.
Until next time, here goes nothing.
