Things to Do in South Boston

Within both MetroRock locations, visitors ascend via bouldering walls and rope-climbing walls or take to aerobic exercise machines and fitness equipment to build strength. With this setup available to climbers of all skill levels, the founders of the climbing arenas achieved their goal of creating a community where scalers can congregate, share their passions, and hone their climbing skills.

During indoor and outdoor classes, instructors create lessons that help each climber reach their goals. Indoor courses help instill students with basic climbing skills, rescue techniques, or the brute strength needed for bouldering or to intimidate mountains out of their lunch money. Outdoors, American Mountain Guide Association and Single Pitch–certified instructors teach alpinists skills that include how to secure top-rope anchors and how to climb ice or scale for sport. The centers' founders and their teams also organize climbing-centric programming that includes youth climbing teams and team-building events that challenge groups while forming bonds.

Karaoke has launched more than 50,000 successful music careers, including The Three Tenors and Mannheim Steamroller. But it's become increasingly difficult to get yourself noticed among the hordes of professional-caliber karaoke singers. To pave your path to fame and fortune, we recommend choosing a song that will make you stand out. Try one of the millions of karaoke songs in one of the millions of Asian languages, including:

Think of all the moments in life where being an excellent dancer could totally open doors for you. If only you had the skills taught at Firebeat Dancesport, you could show them off in a variety of social contexts, to your great benefit:

At the age of 16, Matthew "Matty" Hughes became the youngest-ever licensed captain in the port of Boston. Funneling his passion into a career, he founded Boston Harbor Cruises in 1926 to lead tours up the Charles River. What began as a two-man, one-boat operation has grown tremendously throughout its more than 90-year history, now encompassing a 21-boat fleet and more than 250 employees who transport more than 2 million passengers.

The Boston Harbor Cruises's staff handles all things nautical, from whale watching and speedboat tours to wedding receptions and celebrations for special occasions. Because dolphins are hard to saddle and refuse to obey verbal commands, Boston Harbor Cruises also navigates the waters with ferries and harbor cruises that explore the historic and romantic sights of Boston.

Though the leadership has changed, Matty's grandchildren Rick and Chris Nolan still perpetuate the traditions of Boston Harbor Cruises, furthering one man's obsession with the harbor and inspiring future generations to create their own memories on its calm waters.

Local actors guide the three-hour Boston TV & Movie Sites Tour, dishing out behind-the-scenes specifics and juicy tidbits about 40+ TV show and movie locations peppered across Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. The tour bus comes outfitted with TV screens that roll video clips corresponding with passing sites, starting at Boston Common and continuing through the quaint brownstones of Beacon Hill, and onto South Boston, Back Bay, Copley, and the North and West Ends before ending back at Boston Common. Along the way, grab a bite to eat at the original Cheers bar, where everybody knows your Social Security number, or visit the L Street Tavern, the local pub frequented by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s characters in Good Will Hunting. Tour-goers can ogle at pavement made famous by films such as The Departed, Legally Blonde and a multitude of America’s Funniest Home Videos. Tours start rain-or-shine on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. in September and October and Saturdays at 11 a.m. in November and December.

Hop aboard a high-speed, rigid inflatable boat to journey the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area with Flagship Adventures. Flagship's expert tour guides pepper the 90-minute adventure with interesting Boston Harbor factoids and their favorite porterhouse marinade recipes. Board ship at 200 Seaport Blvd. and venture through Boston Harbor, passing many national recreation area islands and peninsulas during your journey.