BEST SCULPTURE PARK Andres Institute of Art, Brookline Art and nature cohabitate beautifully on Big Bear Mountain with more than 60 sculptures from around the world. Eleven trails lead visitors by works such as Contempo Rustic, a couch fashioned from slabs of rock and metal, or Mbari House, a house-shaped granite-and-metal totem to peace and […]
BEST RENOVATION The Bernerhof Inn Bed & Breakfast, Glen Recently remodeled from head to toe, this Victorian lady has been given a jolt of modernity with luxurious high-thread-count linens, flat-screen TVs, and eco-friendly fireplaces in every room. Rates: from $98, including full breakfast. 342 Route 302. 877-389-4852, 603-383-4200; bernerhofinn.com BEST PET-FRIENDLY OVERNIGHT Church Landing at […]
BEST BURGER The Barley House, Concord You can’t go wrong with any of the seven varieties of burgers here–all ground fresh in house. But there’s a reason that the “McBarley Burger,” complete with Russian dressing, pickles, roasted red onions, house-cured bacon, and cheddar cheese, takes its name from the restaurant. Burgers: from $8. 132 North […]
BEST RISING STARS Berklee Performance Center, Boston Berklee College of Music student shows run the gamut from recitals to musical revues. Pay a pittance now to see the up-and-coming talent, or pay a small fortune to see them later at a stadium near you. Tickets: from $8. 136 Massachusetts Ave. 617-747-2261 (box office); berkleebpc.com BEST […]
BEST 100-YEAR-OLD BASEBALL PARK Fenway Park, Boston The oldest active Major League field, Fenway turns 100 this season and has earned the right to be quirky. The 37-foot wall in left field (“the Green Monster”) is an artifact of the design constraints of the 1912 lot–likewise, the short right-field foul line that ends at Pesky’s […]
BEST SEAFOOD ON THE WATER Legal Seafoods Harborside, Boston Each of three levels here functions like a separate restaurant. Casual seafood and an old-fashioned fish market recall the chain’s roots on the first floor; the second level features polished fine dining. The best view is on the roof deck, where cocktails, a raw bar, and […]
Best Posh Retreat For Scholars Hotel Veritas, Cambridge If you had a decadently wealthy but utterly refined Italian uncle who also taught at Harvard for his own amusement, his house might look something like this 31-room hotel, shoehorned into a tiny lot at the edge of Harvard Square. Rooms are compact but brilliantly designed: intimate […]
Yankee Magazine‘s 2012 picks for the best outdoor activities in Massachusetts. BEST SKY TRAILS Berkshire East Canopy Tours, Charlemont Few ziplines have the range of the canopy tours offered here. Begin with a simple two-line course and work your way up to the “Valley Jumping Tour,” which starts with four lines of more than 1,000 […]
Yankee Magazine‘s 2012 picks for the best local secrets in Massachusetts. BEST CAPE COD BREAKFAST Ruggie’s, Harwich There’s nothing unusual about the selection of eggs, pancakes, bacon, and so on found here, but every plate is so good that diners come back for more. Daredevil eaters can take the “Duke” challenge, which starts with six […]
Yankee Magazine‘s 2012 picks for the best bargains in Massachusetts. BEST SECURITY TOUR Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center, Sandwich Free exhibits explain how, why, and when the canal was built, but the emphasis is on real-time cameras, radar, and sonar for safe navigation. There are lots of buttons to push, a patrol boat to tour, […]
Yankee Magazine chooses the best lodging in Massachusetts for 2012. BEST GRISTMILL B&B Old Mill On The Falls Inn, Hatfield Just as the name suggests, the big yellow building on Hatfield’s Mill River was converted to a B&B in 2006, resulting in nine bright, spacious rooms with all the modern amenities. But owner Ted Jarrett […]
Yankee Magazine chooses the best restaurants in Massachusetts for 2012. Did your favorites make the list? BEST RESTAURANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | CANDLELIGHT DINING Old Inn On The Green, New Marlborough There’s no electricity in the dining rooms of this 200-year-old former stagecoach inn, but candlelight makes the setting all the more romantic for chef/owner Peter […]
