Boston Harbor Area Next, we head East along the Charles River we come to the Museum of Science. Here we can view many science exhibits, the Planetarium where they have weekend rock music Laser shows and the Mugar Omni Theater with its huge projector and eight-story high screen. If we continue across the river we come to the site of the old Boston Garden which has now been torn down and is now an employee parking lot. My personal memories of the Boston Garden will always be of the great Rock shows there. For concerts, the Garden was always loud, hot and sweaty, the way Rock and Roll used to be supposed to be. When I was the Lighting Director for the J Geils Band, the Garden was always a high point of each tour. When we returned triumphant toward the end of the Freeze Frame tour, the band's last, I can remember standing at 150 Causeway St., where the backstage entrance was, greeting guests. I had so many, they gave me my own color of backstage passes. When the first night's show started, (first of three sold out nights), the crowd was so loud that I couldn't even hear the band for the first three songs and had to run the lights by visual cues. The Garden will be MISSED. Behind where the Garden was, is the new T D BankNorth Garden the home of the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins. Behind the Garden, as part of the Big Dig, (more about this later), is the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, named for Leonard P. Zakim, a long time Boston neighborhood leader and civil rights leader. The 10 lane wide Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge is the widest cable stay bridge ever built. It's a beautiful structure, especially when illuminated at night. This photo was taken from the Cambridge side of the Charles River a little west of the Sonesta Hotel. Once the old Interstate 93 bridge is torn down, it will be the signature feature of the Central Artery Project. Our next stop, in Charlestown is the berth of the USS Constitution. The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. The tour is well worth taking. When you are below decks, it's hard to believe that in it's day, 600 sailors and marines lived in those cramped quarters. A couple years ago was a proud moment for the USS Constitution. It sailed under it's own power for the first time in years. Escorted by other Navy Ships and a flotilla of pleasure boats, the Constitution unfurled it's sails (which were paid for by school kid's pennies) off Marble and sailed. The event was punctuated by a fly-over by the Navy's Blue Angels. I had to work that day but you could see it well from the Prudential Skywalk and the Blue Angels flew right down the Charles River right by us. Just up the hill from the Constitution, is the The Bunker Hill Monument. The battle of Bunker Hill, on June 17, 1775, was the first organized resistance to the powerful British Army. You can climb to the top of the monument for a beautiful view of the harbor and the city. The USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument are at the northern end of the Boston Freedom Trail, a 2½ mile route through downtown Boston which is marked by a red brick or painted line on the sidewalk. The freedom trail takes you to many of the most important historical landmarks from the beginnings of the American Revolution. If we cross back over the bridge to Boston proper, and continue east along the waterfront, we come to Long Wharf. This is the jumping-off point for The Boston Harbor Islands>, the newest National Park. The Boson Harbor Islands consist of 31 islands in the outer harbor which have played a significant role in Boston History. They were formed by retreating glaciers at the end of the Ice Age. The islands, which are home to the ruins of Fort Warren and Boston Light are open to the public for a host of recreational activities from hiking and beach combing to swimming and camping. They feature varying topography and offer great views of the Boston skyline. They can be reached by water taxis. The round-trip fare is very reasonable and water taxis between the islands are free. Just across the way from Long Wharf is the site of the New England Aquarium. It boasts a huge tank full of all kinds of pretty large sea-life. There is a spiral walkway around the tank so you can look in at different levels. They have various educational exhibits illuminating how we interact with the sea around us. Beware of the penguins!

Most photos on the tour pages by allstondave. The others courtesy of: Adam Gaffin, Boston Cityviews; Boston Insider by Danvic Publications and CityBuzz Boston.

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