Cheer Randy at the Boston Marathon

Boston is the largest city in New England, the capital of Massachusetts and one of the most historic cities in the United States. Founded in 1630, Boston was at the center of the American Revolutionary period; the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Boston Tea Party in 1773 were key events leading up to the Revolution in 1775. Today, Boston’s patriotic legacy attracts countless visitors each year. Walk the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail to see historic sites and colonial structures like Boston Common, Park Street Church and the Paul Revere House.

Boston offers dozens of museums, a wealth of historical sites, and several world-class universities and colleges, among them Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston College and the Boston University. More than 16 million tourists visit each year, making it one of the 10 most popular tourist locations in the United States.

Boston is a sports town, and its residents are fiercely loyal fans of its professional teams: the Red Sox (baseball), Celtics (basketball), Bruins (hockey), New England Patriots (football) and New England Revolution (soccer).

Make sure you schedule some time to relax in one of Boston’s many pubs, and sample some fresh seafood, clam chowder or Boston Baked Beans in the city’s restaurants.

First run in 1897, the Boston Marathon is America's oldest and perhaps most famous annual marathon. It is held the third Monday in April on Patriots Day, a state holiday. The 1996 race set a world's record for 38,708 participants; typically, the field is limited to 15,000 runners. The course begins in the suburb of Hopkinton and traverses 26.2 miles through Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston to the finish line in Copley Square. Spectators line the entire route, cheering the runners during this surprisingly fun spectator sport.