INTERACT FORUM

While in Boston, I would definitely recommend a few stops:

-- Cheers, just because. It's located on Beacon St, at the southwest corner of the Common (the park).
-- Fanuel Hall and Quincy Marketplace. Great atmosphere.
-- Get dinner at the North End (Italian food). Many great restaurants. Also, while in the North End, see if you can get into Mike's Pastries (it's often crowded, but from what I hear, it's the best!)
-- I would also highly recommend the museums across from Northeastern University.
-- There are also tons of neat historical sites, especially along the Freedom Trail

I live in NY, but I've been to Boston many times. I really love the city. I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I thought I'd mention it in case you were looking for some alternatives.

Enjoy, it's a beautiful city.

crow

Since I assume that you like music may I recommend to stroll by Newbury Street and check out a couple of used records stores. I found some gems there last summer.

Enjoy!

---
Listening to: 'Citizen Kane' from 'The Best of the Byrds - Greatest Hits, Vol 2' by 'The Byrds' on Media Center 10

Head for Amherst. Nice ride, beautiful area, once you get there it is a great tourist town with nothing to do but enjoy the town.
Hard to explain, but believe me, the drive and the town are worth it. Especially if you are going to be there during fall foilage time.

On the way you will pass Agawam, they have an old rickety wodden roller coaster there. I'm a coaster junky, so I always stop by for a ride or two.

In Boston itself, my attraction is food! But the Bunker Hill monument is a good spot. Old Ironsides is cool too.

If you have time, head for Bush I's home in Kennebunkport Maine. Also a nice drive from Boston and a cool place to hang out for a night.

You should try to find someone who is having a lobster boil. That's about as typical as it gets.

GHammer - thanks a lot. So much to do, so little time. As a vegetarian, I might pass on the lobster boil, though

There's potatos, corn, and beer.
It's more for the beach/company than the food anyway.
At least the ones I've been to.

What about ice hockey?? You've got  the Boston Bruins (proffesional) and college hockey.

I live and work in Boston, so I can give you a few tips.

No offense to whoever mentioned it, but skip Cheers, it's a tourist trap, and really awful.
The rest of the recommendations are fairly solid. You might be there around the time of the "Head of the Charles" (http://www.hocr.org/index2.html) Regatta, but, maybe it's a little too late. That's always really neat. Make sure you go for a walk along the Esplanade along the Charles River. Very beautiful walk.
Check out Cambridge, just a few T stops (the subway) away from Boston. Lots of good used record stores and restaurants catering to vegetarians. Newbury Street is nice for shopping. Go to the Public Garden, and the Common (in Boston). Boston's Chinatown is one of the most authentic C-Town's in the USA. Although, as a vegetarian you may not appreciate the smells and sights (lots of chickens, hanging everywhere).
If you're up for the drive, Walden Pond, just north west of the city is really beautiful.
Providence, RI is a really nice city as well. I currently live about halfway between Boston and Provi, but will be moving soon, but I split my time between the two cities. Provi is even lower key than Boston, a great town.
Check out the Museum of Fine Arts (the museum across from NorthEastern). I used to live across the park from the MFA, in Fenway, which is also a great section of the city. You may just want to swing by Fenway park and see if you can get some tickets to a game when you're there. It's well worth it...great ball park, and the Sox will be well on their way to the World Series by then after having decimated the Yankees in the playoffs (or at least keeping them out of first place). Check out the Brown Sugar Cafe in Fenway. Amazing Thai Food. My apartment's back window faced their kitchen, so I was reminded on a daily basis that I could cook boring food at home or go eat there.

Anyway, I'm babbling on. There's lots to do. Enjoy.

I don't think anyone has mentioned the "Freedom Trail" yet which is a nice walking tour steeped in history regarding the Revoluntionary War.

I always avoid the 'American war crimes' museum when I'm in Vietnam.

Just meant that perhaps a guided tour of the British/American War wouldn't be considered a 'fun' tour for a Brit.

Actually, in the same vein, I never think of Holocaust memorials and 'fun' trips.

As for the implication that shooting from mosques and storing gunpowder in churches is the same, I think not. YMMV.

No one has mentioned the boston Aquarium!

It has a very cool central pool that must be 3 or 4 stories tall.  There is a spiral walkway around it and the fish etc. change as you go from the bottom of the ocean to the top.  Sharks at the bottom, sea turtles at the top.

Haven't been there in a long time, but this is a cool stop if you are at all interested in nature type stuff.....

I think the Patriots have home games the 2nd and 9th. Now that is quintessential New England! Even if you can't get tickets, it might be worth watching the games in a Boston pub to see the fans get rowdy.

What about Cape Cod or MV? Definitely touristy, but still very cool.

As someone who recently moved from CT to Phoenix, this thread is making me very homesick!  

On the way up the coast from Boston, you would normally pass through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, an interesting old town.  Right off the road is a group of very old (for the U.S.) houses.  It's called Strawbery Banke (with one "r").  Well worth an hour or two:

http://www.strawberybanke.org/exhibits.html

I'm straying a bit from the "Good night out" ideal but...

If you have a sweet tooth you might want to try some Maple Sugar Candy:

http://www.mainegoodies.com/food/maplecandy/

I used to think that Salt Water Taffy was a New England thing but now I'm not so sure:

http://discussions.bbcamerica.com/thread.jspa?messageID=295662