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Home to ten independent theater companies, three stages and a gallery, the BCA is the cornerstone of the South End arts scene. The artists who perform and exhibit here are generally cutting edge, presenting work every bit as provocative as you might find in New York.

The massive Cyclorama building is the centerpiece of the BCA, a performing and visual arts complex dedicated to nurturing new talent. The center provides studio space to more than 50 artists, and its Mills Gallery mounts rotating visual arts exhibitions. The BCA’s three theaters host some of the city’s most avant-garde productions of dance, theater, and performance art (see Boston Center for the Arts).

Swan boats drift beneath weeping willows, children splash in fountains, and a bronzed General George Washington oversees the proceedings from his lofty steed (see Boston Common & Public Garden).

A doorway-mounted wooden eagle has welcomed gay men to this subterranean South End bar for years. Having no qualms about simply being a gay bar, the Eagle is not a place to dance. The dimly lit bar area is roomy and comfortable; in the back, a mirrored wall captures pool sharks and pinball wizards at work.

For nearly 40 years, Boston’s squares, parks, and bandstands have staged the greatest names in jazz and blues for one week in June. All the shows – save the marquee acts like Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, and Natalie Cole – are free.

Formerly known as the Old Corner Bookstore, this enduring spot on the Freedom Trail remains one of the most tangible sites associated with the writers of the New England Renaissance of the last half of the 19th century. Both the Atlantic Monthly magazine and Ticknor & Fields (publishers of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau) made this modest structure its headquarters during an age when Boston was the literary, intellectual, and publishing center of the country. The store now features daily papers, books maps, and special editions and reprints of the Boston Globe newspaper.

To enjoy one of the most beautiful locations in the city to the full, request a room with a harbor view and private balcony. There’s no need to go anywhere else with restaurants, fitness center, and spa all on site.

The country’s oldest marathon beckons sports lovers.

With 950 rooms on 15 floors, the 1927 Park Plaza is Boston’s largest historic hotel. Recent restoration has thankfully put some glamour back. Popular with business travelers, convention goers, and tour packagers, it is convenient for Back Bay and the Theater District.