You don’t need a car to enjoy:
Wednesday nights: Swingin’ Under the Stars at Faneuil Hall. Each Wednesday night from 6:00pm – 10:00 pm, South Market Street will be transformed into a swingin’ club. Can’t dance? Don’t worry? Trained professionals will be on hand to take you through the steps. Did I mention it’s free! Check out www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com for more details on bands. (T stop: Government Centerl).
Thursday nights: Latin Dancing at Faneuil Hall. Live bands and dance instructors will be on hand to take you through a variety of Latin dances from salsa to meringue and mambo! Plus it’s free! Check out www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com for more details on bands. (T stop: Gov’t Center).
Friday nights: Free Friday Flicks! Bring your kids or take your significant other down to the Hatch Shell for a fun night of movies with 400 other Bostonians under the beautiful night sky. There’s no better way to enjoy balmy summer nights in Boston! Check out www.wbz.com for movie details.
Sundays: Memorial Drive is closed off to traffic on Sundays from 11am until 7pm so this is a prime time to enjoy roller-blading, bicycling, jogging and good ol’ walking along the banks of the Charles River. Having the privilege of getting one of the busiest roads closed off to you just because you’re a pedestrian is a rare privilege indeed, so be sure to enjoy it while it lasts.
Weekends: Festivals in the North End let you mingle among the crowds, food stalls, and performances displaying Italian culture. The Partners’ Club will be organizing outings to partake in these festivals check out our website for the calendar of events or sign yourself up and get on our mailing list! wasat.hbs.edu/partners
Weekends: Walk along Newbury Street on a lazy weekend day. There will be throngs of tourists and native Bostonians, flashy sports cars inching along the street, hip boutiques all along the seven Newbury blocks, and plenty of restaurants at which to dine al fresco.
Weekdays: Concerts at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Rock, folk, pop, classical. There’s bound to be something to meet your musical tastes. Check out www.wbz.com for concert details.
Any day: Harvard museums for art lovers. There are three
strewn across the Harvard campus and the best news is that it’s free to Harvard students with an ID and free to children under $5. For us partners, one admission allows entrance to all three art museums. General admission is $5.00; $4.00 for senior citizens; and $3.00 for college students. Check out
www.artmuseums.harvard.edu for more details.
Any day but weekdays recommended: For the shoppers, there are upscale outlets at Wrentham Village. Admittedly, “upscale outlets” is a bit of an oxymoron but Wrentham provides some of the best shopping north of Fifth Avenue and Madison. Plus it’s at half the price! There’s the Barney’s New York outlet, Brooks Brothers, The North Face, Villeroy & Boch, Saks Fifth Avenue, BCBG, Hugo Boss, Kenneth Cole, Banana Republic, the Gap and much much more. Be warned that weekends can be really crowded and the lines at the Gap are usually long! Check out www.premiumoutlets. com/location/wrentham/wren.html for details and directions.
Game days: The Red Sox are as much a part of Boston as clam chowder, steamed lobster, autumn foliage, and puritanical business hours (did you know city ordinance requires all clubs/entertainment halls to be closed at 2am?!?!). Get yourself out to the Green Monster to enjoy a game or two before the season ends.
If you do have a car, you can go farther afield to enjoy:
Cape Cod. Save a few days and drive out to Cape Cod for the ocean, cooler temperatures, fresh seafood, and beautiful landscapes. It’s a hot spot in the summer time so be aware of heavy traffic and throngs of tourists, but there’s a reason why Cape Cod is so popular. It’s easy to get to (you just need a car) and it transports you to a different world far away from the hustle and bustle of Boston.
Cirque du Soleil – Dralion. Yes, it is the circus but believe me, it’s one of the most amazing performances you will ever see regardless of how old you are. Bring the kids, take along your new HBS friends, buy a ticket for a date – you’ll love Cirque du Soleil in Dralion. This sounds like an advertisement but it really isn’t. I went last year with a group of friends and, being the cynic that I am, expected it to be like the circuses I had seen many moons ago when I was still in an age of prepubscence. Instead I found myself laughing, clapping, and thoroughly enjoying the full three hours of entertainment. You
can call (800) 678-5440 to get more information.
Hiking in NH and VT. For the outdoorsy people, there are hiking trails and camp grounds galore in New England. Enjoy them in the late summer and fall before the snow starts falling. The trails are of varying degrees so you are bound to find something that meets your desires and physical fitness. That means kids can go and that means out-of-shape once-office-ridden consultants and bankers can also get out and enjoy some sun!
Surrounding neighborhoods. This is an inexpensive way to see Boston, your new home for a couple of years. The towns in the vicinity have some of the most beautiful Victorian houses, manicured lawns, and quaint American Main Streets.
Waterparks. For those of you with kids or those of you who feel like acting like kids, there is an abundance of waterparks throughout Cambridge and neighboring towns. Pull on a bathing suit, slip on those flip flops, bring some sunscreen, pop your kids in the car and drive out to Soldiers Field Road (heading to Newton) or a number of other places to run in and out of the fountains on a hot summer day. Feel free to contact the Partners’ Club’s Children’s Coordinators (Susie Leupold or Vanessa Croshaw) for the best locations.
Debbie is the partner of September 2003 cohort, Ethan Bernstein. She has come to love living in Boston although the first few months were difficult having just moved from beautiful Northern California. If any of you San Franciscans ever have pangs of homesickness, feel free to seek Debbie out for tips on chasing away the winter blues. Ethan and Debbie will be in Boston for at least another two years because Ethan is pursuing a JD/MBA.
