Hotel at a Glance: Marriott Copley Place
Every year, the thousands of athletes that run the Boston Marathon cross the finish line in historic Copley Square, located in the heart of Boston. The square is also home to the gorgeous, 140-year-old Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library, the first free municipal library in the country. Marriott Copley Place hotel is just around the corner from the square—just steps of some of the top attractions in town.
- Onsite dining: Head to Champions for American-style grub, grab wine at the Connexion Lounge, or get your caffeine fix at the onsite Starbucks.
- Go swimming in the indoor pool
- In-room amenities: Coffee and tea, refrigerator, cable TV
- Unique city tour: See the city in an amphibious World War II-era vehicle with the Duck Tour, headquartered next to the hotel; it offers a great perspective of Boston and the Charles River.
Boston's Back Bay: The Fens and Museum of Fine Arts near Downtown
The Back Bay neighborhood is just about as centrally located as you can get in Boston; it's walking distance from a premier stretch of shopping along Newbury Street, Copley Square with its historic Trinity Church and the finish line of the Boston Marathon, and Fenway Park—the oldest ballpark in the majors.
On the south side of the ballpark, past the Fenway Victory Gardens and the Back Bay Fens, is the Museum of Fine Arts. Among the largest museums in the United States, the MFA contains about 450,000 works of art. Prominent works include Gilbert Stuart's 1796 portrait of George Washington and a priceless collection of works by Monet and Cézanne. Adjacent to the MFA, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum boasts its own impressive collection of world art.
Nearby, downtown Boston is home to one of the country’s wackiest city layouts. Its colonial-village lanes converge, split, and take hairpin turns, creating a maze of cobblestone that, though frustrating for drivers, makes for a fun walking experience. If you’re visiting for the first time, the best way to navigate the area is to follow the 2.5-mile-long Freedom Trail, which takes you past 16 historical landmarks, including Paul Revere's home, Old North Church (of “One if by land, two if by sea” fame), and Faneuil Hall.
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