Summer City Guide: Boston

When it comes to summer activities, the warm weather always brings out the best in us. So for 15 straight days, we're going to be dropping City Guides telling you the best concerts to see, outdoor activities to do, and places to eat, shop and stay with a summer focus. Next up, Boston. With that, here's our Summer 2013 essentials in Beantown.

Download Summer City Guide: Boston As A PDF

The Bank of America Pavilion will dazzle anyone who comes within a five-mile radius – especially with The xx & Grizzly Bear onstage. Good luck being one of the 5,000 in attendance come June 8.

Website: thexx.info

In an effort to resist all puns about “finding sanctuary” and “attending church,” all that needs to be said is that this cheekily named Boston music venue has got a happening lineup literally all the time.

Website: churchofboston.com

What used to be home to the Winthrop School for Girls has now been reworked as a bawdy comedy and music club. Look for everyone from Rob Delaney to Devendra Banhart to appear.

Website: thewilburtheatre.com

The Gallows has the feel of your favorite local haunt, but with better food. Be sure to hit up the drink menu for classics like “Lestat’s Lust” and “Murdered Out Manhattan.”

Website: thegallowsboston.com

As if the name wasn’t enough to get you inside, the fare is a combination of French and Southern home-style cooking. Would you like a side of boiled Virginia peanuts with that escargot?

Website: hungrymothercambridge.com

While you might not have come to Boston looking for top-notch sushi, this South End restaurant will be sure to expand your horizons. Definitely one of New England’s best-kept secrets.

Website: oishiiboston.com

Even if you can’t catch a show here, visiting is worth it to view the space alone. Built on the Charles River Esplanade, the Hatch Shell houses plenty of jazz and orchestra concerts that make it the perfect venue to stumble your way through a first date.

Website: mass.gov/dcr

Yes, it’s something that your parents would have dragged you on if you visited when you were a teenager, but the trail honestly has a lot to offer. Wander through the cobblestones to rediscover all the fun you had learning about the American Revolution in middle school.

Website: thefreedomtrail.org

Boston. Summer. Feasts. Sold, right? Check out this listing of every summer feast that will be happening out in the North End, from authentic Italian to a seasoned fisherman’s dream.

Website: northendboston.com

You could spend the whole day wandering around this world famous marketplace, just as the pioneers did back in 1742. And when you’re ready to get outside, the markets are lined by cobblestone streets that are filled daily with street performers just waiting to show you how flexible/daring you aren’t.

Website: faneuilhallmarketplace.com

It’s billed as “the little store that could,” and rightly so. For 30 years, In Your Ear has been the top spot to go for used music in Boston. They’ve even still got 8-tracks.

Website: iye.com

While it’s no longer a secret what lies behind the walls, Bodega is still Boston’s top destination when it comes to sneakers and menswear. So if you’re looking for some new kicks or threads to get right this summer, you’d be smart to stop through.

Website: bdgastore.com

It used to be the Charles Street Jail, but $50 million later, it’s a landmark hotel. Nowadays they even greet you with a glass of champagne. Recycling at its finest.

Website: libertyhotel.com

This boutique hotel can be found in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, which was recently hailed as one of the Top 10 areas in the United States. And nestled in the shadow of the imposing John Hancock Tower, many of the city’s main attractions lay only a short walking distance away.

Website: hotel140.com

Located just across from Boston Common, the Nine Zero Hotel gives you front door access to Shakespeare on the Common, Boston’s Outdoor Opera Series and countless other ways to get in touch with your inner literary genius.

Website: ninezero.com