Boston to do list...

So, if you're headed to Boston for the marathon soon, I recommend you stay and eat a few lobster rolls. Here's my list of things you should do (please add to this if you live in/have been to/ran Boston before since, you know, I've only been once or twice!).

1. Do the Freedom Trail a day or two post-marathon. It's pretty much a day of walking and it will knock the sore right out of you. You can buy a little guidebook and take a self-guided walking tour. You can do the whole thing in a day. The history is amazing.
2. Wander around the North End on a weekday (WAY too commercialized on the weekend) and buy bread and cheese from an Italian grocery to eat by the river. I ate a pound of cheese. While you're at it get a canoli, too. Everyone recommends Mike's - and it's good - but there are also a few less-touristy places.
3. If you eat Italian, we went to Panzo and it was amazingly good and inexpensive (rigatoni with goat cheese was awesome).
4. Have dinner or drinks at the Parker house, even if you don't stay there. It's the restaurant we stayed at and it's right by Boston Commons. It's worth it for the history (we didn't have any, but they invented Boston cream pie so I suppose it's good!).
5. Run a loop around the Charles River via both bridges - there are running paths on both sides.
6. Buy a Charlie pass - so much easier than NYC's subways.
7. Plan a day trip to a nearby New England town.We went to Salem so I could gaze upon the House of Seven Gables and drool, and the train cost $10.50 a person round trip. Not bad.
8. Eat the seafood. I missed New England seafood so much! I had Atlantic oysters, which were a fresh change from local oysters, and TWO lobster rolls.
9. If you're renting a car, consider a trip to Lexington. There is even more history there and the area is beautiful.
10. Do your research and plan one fancy night out at a nice restaurant. There are many and nothing says vacation like a pretty dress and a martini. Oops, it's Boston, it's a mahtini.


Please share your Boston do's and don't's too for those who are running!