A waterfront city with one of the longest histories in the United States, Boston offers plenty of summertime activities for the bored, restless, or visiting hoards throughout August. From American history to Caribbean culture, August in Boston is a month to celebrate myriad things. The seaside town has plenty of breweries and sits in a state filled with cows; Boston has all the seafood, beer, and ice cream you'll need to survive the summer.
Red Sox Game
Seeing a Red Sox game at Fenway Paahk, as it's pronounced in Beantown, is a unique Boston experience. With a full schedule of home games each August and a potentially pending pennant race, there's ample opportunity to sit amongst the Sox faithful in the intimate ball field, have some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and hear artfully profane exclamations fly from the mouths of the hometown crowd in startling streams you'd never though you'd hear in your life. No other baseball town in America has such an intense love/hate relationship with its team as Boston does.
Boston Carnival
Every August, in cities all across the country, American's Trinidadians take to the streets for the traditional Trini Carnival. Boston is no exception. Annual events like the Kiddie Carnival, the crowing of the King and Queen of the Carnival, a competition amongst steel pan calypso musicians, and the drum-and-costume-heavy parade make Boston's Caribbean Carnival a major attraction to Bostonians and tourists alike. The masquerade parade begins in Roxbury and winds through the city to Dorchester.
The Hatch Shell Free Concert Series
The Hatch Shell is an outdoor venue on the south bank of Boston's Charles River with a stage and accompanying lawn. Throughout the summer, from mid-June through the end of August, the Hatch Shell is home to a free concert series and Free Flick Fridays.
The Swan Boats
The swan boats of Boston's Public Garden have been in operation for over 130 years. The long, wide boats are flat-floored vessels with benches, fit even for visitors with no sea legs. The boats operate every day that isn't too wind, rainy, or hot, and take visitors on a relaxing 15-minute tour of the Public Garden lagoon. The Public Garden, home to over eighty species of plants, was America's first botanical garden. Swan boat riders are asked to refrain from feeding the birds, hard as it may be.
USS Constitution
Moored in Boston Harbor, the USS Constitution is America's oldest commissioned ship. The ship, nicknamed Old Ironside, has been undefeated in battle since 1797. The museum tells the story of America's inception through the eyes of a warship, its crew, builders, and common citizens. Weekend activities aboard the USS Constitution include historical reenactments like the Master Gun Crew's cannon routine. The open air of the ship's deck and view of Boston harbor make a visit to the USS Constitution the perfect August activity.
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