In Boston, you can bump into American history any time you step out the door. Walk the city’s brick-lined Freedom Trail to see historic sites that teleport you back to the Revolutionary War. But Boston is hardly frozen in the past. Every neighbourhood has its own vibrant, thriving scene. Spend an afternoon in the North End, taste-testing cannoli from Italian-American bakeries. Or people-watch from a bench in Boston Common, which locals treat as an extension of their living room. It’s worth taking the T out to neighbouring Cambridge or Sommerville, especially during charming local festivals like What the Fluff, a festival dedicated to—what else?—marshmallow fluff. Another outing that’s a real classic—Fenway Park. Watching a Red Sox game from the bleachers is a Boston rite of passage.