fenway park

Nothing defines Boston quite as much as the town’s devotion to sports (10 championships since the turn of the century doesn’t hurt), and with all due respect to the five-time-Super-Bowl-champion Patriots, it’s Fenway Park, not Gillette Stadium, that’s the temple of sports fandom. Opened in 1912, the quirky green bandbox between Lansdowne Street and Yawkey Way is almost as famous for its obstructed-view seats as it is for its fabled Green Monster wall in left field, but that’s a price Sox fans gladly pay in exchange for maintaining Fenway’s historic layout. It’s both intimate and loud on game day even in years when the Sox aren’t contenders (tickets are often hard to come by, so plan ahead); the old ballpark also is open for one-hour, behind-the-scenes tours that take you inside and atop the Green Monster. You’ll be able to stroll around the field (the warning track, not the grass), and visit the press box, the Pesky Pole, and (on days with no games) the dugouts and bull pens.

You can’t visit Boston without seeing its most famous place of worship. No, I’m not talking about Old North Church—I’m referring to Fenway Park. For those who have visited before, it’s obvious that baseball borders on religion in Boston, and there’s no better place to witness this fervor than this baseball stadium, one of the oldest in the country. Opened in 1912, the old field has seen seven world championships—almost half of which, famously, happened this century. Even if you can’t swing a ticket to a game to see the famous Green Monster, the Lone Red Seat (which marks the longest home run ever hit in the park), and to try a Fenway Frank, don’t worry. Yawkey Way, the street the stadium is on, is as historic as the stadium itself, and is always bustling during game day. Photo by Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism/Flickr.

I have been to 13 ballparks so far. It’s my goal to hit them all before we die. I know though that nothing will ever beat Fenway. If you have any love for baseball, you must go here. Even in the cold it was worth it. Besides that, the clam chowder off Seaport was yummy. Took the train to Cambridge, which was nice (and very clean!). Walked around downtown. Legal Seafood was overrated. Mike’s City Diner had breakfast food worth the wait in line. We went to Bukowski’s bar and a few others around our hotel. Bukowski’s was our favorite. Small, grundgy and people were friendly. Nothing else much stood out to me in Boston but because it holds such a gem of nostalgia in its ballpark it’ll always be a favorite.

Going to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park is an exciting Boston tradition that travelers need to put at the top of their Boston to-do list. The camaraderie of the fans is something you will not experience at any other ballpark in America--they aren’t just fans, they are family. You can nosh on a Fenway frank or have clam chowder brought to your seat by one of the many spirited vendors. The 8th inning singing of Sweet Caroline will have you on your feet and swaying arm in arm with the rest of the crowd. Beginning 3 hours prior to the game, the good folks of Fenway park offer tours. Make sure you get in line to see the Green Monster up close and personal.

Want to drown yourself in Americana? I suggest Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts ON the 4th of July. Actually, anywhere in Boston on the 4th of July will have you tripping on love of country, but put a hot dog in one hand, a beer in the other, the Star Spangled Banner on the Green Monster and you will pledge allegiance like never before.