Best Attractions in Greater Boston | 2013 Editors’ Choice Awards

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Looking for fun in Beantown? You won’t have to look far! Read our picks for the best attractions in Greater Boston.

BEST JAZZ DINING
DARRYL’S CORNER BAR & KITCHEN, Boston
Proprietor Darryl Settles likes to mix soul, spice, and jazz. The restaurant’s bright (and light!) Southern cooking is often accompanied by live performances by the students, faculty, and alumni of the Berklee College of Music, just down the street. 604 Columbus Ave. 617-536-1100; darrylscornerbarboston.com

BEST KIDS’ BOOKS & TOYS
THE CURIOUS GEORGE STORE, Cambridge
You’ll find all the books, along with DVDs, stuffed monkeys, lunchboxes, puzzles, and an exclusive line of T-shirts, onesies, and bibs at the self-proclaimed “world’s only Curious George store.” In the spirit of sharing, the shop stocks other picture books and titles for middle-grade and young-adult readers. 1 JFK St. 617-547-4500; thecuriousgeorgestore.com

BEST MEMORIAL
JOHN F. KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM, Boston
Fifty years ago, the Kennedy presidency came to a tragic close. The library and museum will observe those events but will celebrate the high points of 1963 as well, including JFK’s famous speeches in Berlin and at American University, and his national address on civil rights. Columbia Point. 617-514-1600; jfklibrary.org

BEST ARTISTS’ SHOP
MADE IN FORT POINT, Boston
Artists were among the first to colonize the old mill buildings of Fort Point Channel. Find out what they’re up to at this shop, which carries the work of more than 75 artists and displays everything from prints and photos to clothing, jewelry, and all sorts of clever objects. 30 Channel Center St. 617-423-1100; fortpointarts.org

BEST NAUTICAL HISTORY
U.S. LIGHTSHIP MUSEUM, East Boston
At 148 feet 10 inches, LV-112 was the largest floating lighthouse ship ever built; the thousand-ton vessel, built in 1936, was anchored more than 40 miles southeast of Nantucket to warn mariners off the Nantucket Shoals. Still under restoration, she’s open for tours on the East Boston waterfront. (Call for the schedule.) The Boston-skyline view is a bonus. Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, 256 Marginal St. 617-797-0135; NantucketLightshipLV-112.org

BEST OCEAN TANK
NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM, Boston
The year-long reconstruction of the aquarium’s centerpiece four-story Giant Ocean Tank is on track to finish in early summer, and the scene is better lit and more dramatic than ever. Another 50 to 70 species (almost 200 all together) are expected to swim the swirling waters, and the live coral will be reconfigured for better views of the deep-water habitats. 1 Central Wharf. 617-973-5200; neaq.org

BEST BIKE-SHARING PROGRAM
HUBWAY, Boston
Boston is a great city for walking, and its small size is equally conducive to bicycling. The Hubway bike-sharing program makes it easy, with stations in convenient locations throughout Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and other locations in the Greater Boston area. One- and three-day passes work well for visitors who want to cover a lot of ground. 855-448-2929; thehubway.com