MASSACHUSETTS - Greater Boston and Cambridge

Here’s what you might not know: Samuel Adams (1722-1802), cousin to John Adams, was a Bostonian, statesman, patriot, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Here’s what you know: some people Boston make a fine beer named in honor of Sam. If you are connoisseur of fine beers and great cities, make a visit to the Sam Adams Brewery on Germania Street in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. Taste the special malts used to brew Samuel Adams beers and smell the Hallertau and Tettnang hops. The brewery conducts tours and tastings daily except Sundays, and also has a neat gift shop. Open year-round. Phone: 617-368-5256

Toad is a small but super-friendly music club right across the street from Porter Square on the red line in Cambridge. Live music wails almost every night, and there is no cover charge. Bands mostly play Americana and roots rock, bluegrass and rock fusion, funky blues and jazz, and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll. People dance to the music and the band members love it. Don't go at night and expect to carry on a conversation; the music can get loud. Beer varieties are wide and exotic or at least out-of-the mainstream beers can show up at any time.

Boston is now home to a great, free activity that is ideal for families and people who love history, urban architecture, and the outdoors. The new Walk to the Sea is a self-guided trail that encompasses four centuries of Boston history. Beginning at the State House on Beacon Hill, overlooking Boston's ancient Common, the Walk passes among historic landmarks and skyscrapers. The walk from summit to sea, spanning one mile and descending a hundred feet, brings Boston history to life. Large panels are situated along the walking trail to guide and educate walkers.

Gore Place, the historic estate at 52 Gore Street in Waltham, is offering the winter version of the Take A Walk activity for families. Families may explore the 45-acre grounds of the estate with the aid of an activities backpack. Children ages 3-8 and adults can explore the grounds and visit the llama, sheep, goats, and chickens. Each borrowed backpack contains binoculars, a magnifying glass, and children’s activities. When there is snow on the ground, visitors also may rent snow shoes for $5. Take a Walk is offered Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday, noon-3 p.m. Phone: 781-894-2798.

The Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library at 200 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston is a stunning achievement in art and architecture. Walk through this 3-story stained-glass globe, for a unique look at how ideas have the power to inspire individuals and change the world. Since 1935, more than 10 million people have traversed the thirty-foot glass bridge that spans the Mapparium, taking visitors to a unique spot: the middle of the world. The Mapparium’s three-dimensional perspective of the world of 1935 is enhanced by A World of Ideas, an original presentation that features a rich orchestration of words, music, and LED lights. Open daily except Monday. Mapparium is accessible only by guided tour. Phone: 617-450-7000.

Larz Anderson Auto Museum at 15 Newton Street in Brookline celebrates the American automobile’s contribution to the international motoring community. At age 75, the museum calls itself the home of America’s oldest car collection. The exhibit features a look back at the last 80 years, highlighting some of Detroit’s most elegant designs and amazing technological breakthroughs. Cadillac, Nash, Studebaker, Buick, design sketches, period fashion provided by Lasell College, and design concepts will shape a journey through almost a century of style and innovation from some of America’s premier automotive manufacturers. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: 617-522-6547.

Enjoy a peaceful, contemplative walk in the heart of the Boston College campus at 140 Commonwealth Avenue in Chestnut Hill near Newton and be sure to wander through the McMullen Museum. McMullen is justly proud of it permanent collection and its changing exhibitions from all periods and cultures of the history of art. The museum is free and open to the public and free parking is available. Phone: 617-552-8587

People who love movies: do yourselves a favor and get out of those multiplexes that look and feel like a walk through the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. New England has a healthy scattering of proudly small, independent movie theaters that show new releases along with independent films, shorts, and other cinematic art that doesn’t necessarily include exploding helicopter scenes. The Coolidge Corner Theatre at 290 Harvard Street in Brookline was redesigned as an Art Deco movie palace in 1933 and has never closed its doors to the public since then. One of the top 10 American art houses, the Coolidge presents the finest international, documentary, animated, and independent film selections and series. Phone: 617-734-2500.

There is always something interesting to see and learn at the Harvard Museum of Natural History on Oxford Street in Cambridge. Classes and lectures for kids and adults on many fascinating subjects – from the source for our food to nature drawing -- are ongoing. Permanent exhibits include the Great Mammal Hall, Evolution, Arthropods: Creatures that Rule, The Glass Flowers, The Zoological Galleries, the Mineralogical and Geological Gallery. Phone: 617-495-3045

Experience a living exhibit filled with blooming plants and free-flying butterflies in the Butterfly Garden at the Museum of Science at 1 Science Park in Boston. Many wonderful species can be seen up close in a warm, quiet environment. Entrance to the Butterfly Garden is limited to a certain number of people at one time to allow all visitors to enjoy the space comfortably. Open year-round. Phone: 617-723-2500.

After $9 million transformation, the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Boston Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, re-opened February 2011. The planetarium introduces a new generation of arts and entertainment experiences. The museum will premiere Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun, an astronomy show that explores exoplanets — planets outside our solar system. The museum also is creating Cosmic Light, a long-term exhibit where visitors can touch a 30,000-year-old meteorite, view a gallery of color images that offer a spectacular window on the universe, and take a walking tour of the planets in our solar system. Information: 617-723-2500.

The Chocolate Bar at Boston’s lavish Langham Hotel is beyond the wildest dreams of almost any chocolate lover. For a single fee, guests can immerse themselves in chocolate desserts, some classics, some nearly unpredictable. The all-you-can-eat buffet includes the legendary Langham chocolate croissant bread pudding, truffles, cotton candy, Whoopie pies, chocolate fountains, cakes, brownies – you name it. A better Valentine’s Day gift for a chocoholic would be hard to imagine. A visit here is just right for a romantic treat and a hurrah for the pleasures of fine living. The Chocolate Bar is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays from September to June.

Taza Chocolate at 561 Windsor Street in Somerville was founded in 2006 out of a desire to combine the Mesoamerican tradition of chocolate with a modern, high-quality product manufactured in a socially responsible way. Now, this bean-to-bar chocolate factory near Union Square hosts tours of the factory. During your tour you will be able to sample chocolate, learn about cocoa beans and see the amazing machinery used to make traditional stone ground chocolate in this artisan operation. Tours are approximately 45 minutes with a limit of 18 people per tour. Interesting, fun, tasty, inspiring. Tours are Wednesdays at 4 p.m.; Thursdays at 2 and 4 p.m.; Fridays at noon, 2, and 4 p.m.; weekends are 10 a.m., noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Phone: 617-623-0804.

The art of landscape has always been central to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on The Fenway in Boston. The museum's interior courtyard is an astonishing work of art, combining plants, sculpture, and architectural elements. The interplay between the courtyard and the museum galleries offers visitors a fresh view of the courtyard from almost every room. The central courtyard is regularly transformed with new plants and colors in nine dramatic seasonal displays, including the beloved hanging nasturtiums display each April, a spectacular assortment of hydrangeas and bellflowers during the summer, and the Chrysanthemums in the Court Japanese-inspired installation each fall. Phone: 617-566-1401.

Located at the Martin Golf Course on Route 27 in Weston, the Weston Ski Track is a cross-country ski and snowshoeing center that is a really easy drive from the Boston area. Snowmaking and nighttime lighting on this two-kilometer lighted loop provide consistent snow conditions and reliable night skiing. Beginner lessons, rentals, and a warm cafe make this an ideal short hop from Boston for a day or afternoon of skiing. Phone: 781-891-6575.

Visit the Ten Thousand Villages store at 226 Harvard Street in Brookline to browse and purchase beautiful folk art, ceramics, textiles, baskets, jewelry, wall hangings and wall art, pillows, rugs, mirrors, vases, incense, candleholders, and furniture handmade by artists in developing parts of the world. Each product reflects the traditions and cultures of its maker. Enjoy the international music, smell the aroma of gourmet coffee, and taste the luxuriously rich chocolate. Your fair trade purchase of handmade jewelry, home decor and gifts helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Phone: 617-277-7700.

Visit the Ten Thousand Villages store at 694 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge to browse and purchase beautiful folk art, ceramics, textiles, baskets, jewelry, wall hangings and wall art, pillows, rugs, mirrors, vases, incense, candleholders, and furniture handmade by artists in developing parts of the world. Each product reflects the traditions and cultures of its maker. Enjoy the international music, smell the aroma of gourmet coffee, and taste the luxuriously rich chocolate. Your fair trade purchase of handmade jewelry, home decor and gifts helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Phone: 617-876-2414.

Located in the historic Back Bay, at 100 Huntington Avenue in Boston, Copley Place is a distinctive shopping destination with 75 stores including Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Tiffany & Co., Jimmy Choo, Intimacy, Tourneau, Salvatore Ferragamo, Porsche Design, David Yurman, and more. A lovely and sophisticated mixed-use complex, Copley Place includes two levels of shopping, restaurants, office buildings, parking spaces, The Westin Hotel and The Boston Marriott Copley Place. Especially fun during holidays.

Located on the banks of the Charles River in the historic 1814 Boston Manufacturing Company textile mill, Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation at 154 Moody Street in Waltham is America’s first factory. Hands-on exhibits feature American innovation and invention from 1812 to modern day. Exhibits feature the Boston Manufacturing Company, The Orient Bicycle and Metz Automobile, the Waltham Watch Factory and more. Museum topics include textile history, watches and clocks, steam power, and marvelous machines. A favorite exhibit is Steampunk Form & Function, showing works of artists spanning all areas of the retro-futuristic movement. Open year-round, Thursdays through Sundays. Phone: 781-893-5410.

Get those blades to a sharpening shop! No, we’re not taking about carving a standing rib roast. This has to do with pulling out the ice skates and joining the twirling masses at the ice rink on the Frog Pond at Boston Common. From mid-November to mid-March, local people and visitors alike share the experience of and enjoyment of gliding across the ice and enjoying the winter climate in a wonderful urban park. The Frog Pond Café is open throughout the year, offering meals and snacks in a unique setting. Skating open until March 21, 2011. Phone: 617-635-2120.

Club Passim, a brick-floored subterranean music venue at 47 Palmer Street in Cambridge is one of the nation's legendary cultural icons and epicenter of great folk and acoustic music. A place where musicians like Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Jackie Washington, Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal, Patty Larkin, Goeff and Maria Muldaur, Shawn Colvin, and Suzanne Vega cut their musical teeth. For more than 50 years, Club Passim has been known as a premier national venue presenting new and established traditional, folk, and acoustic musical performers. Check out the music schedule on the Club Passim website. Phone: 617-492-7679.

Which of you adults is deeply envious of the little kids who get to play in the bouncy house at carnivals and parties? Yep, we thought so. Here’s your solution. Sky Zone at 91B Sprague Street in Boston is a new indoor trampoline park with 10,000 square feet of bounce space, open to the people of all ages daily and for special events like birthday parties. In addition to open jump hours, Sky Zone offers walled 3-D dodge ball courts; extreme fitness classes for kids, teens, and adults; daily Open Jump playtime and a Saturday-night SkyJam. Prices range from $8 - $18 for 30-, 60-, 90- or 120-minute jump sessions, including rental of some bounce-optimized kicks. Fun, or what? Phone: 857-345-9693.

The wonderful and already-revered Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum at 280 The Fenway in Boston has a dramatic, new light-filled wing! The addition, by architect Renzo Piano, includes a three-story gallery for contemporary art exhibitions, an intimate performance hall, and a visitor orientation area. For the first time, visitors can walk through the museum's greenhouses to see plants that are being prepared for the famous courtyard displays in the original 1902 building. The museum's collections reflect Isabella Stewart Gardner's extensive European travels: paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, and decorative arts, including works by Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Degas, and Manet. Phone: 617-566-1401 or 617-278-5156.

Russian food, with its hearty root vegetables, is just the thing to get anyone through a New England winter. Where in the Boston area can you find the best Russian borsch, pirozhki, and caviar? What is the Russian way to drink tea and vodka? Let the Brookline Food Tour “From Russia with Love” answer those questions on this 3-hour walking tour. Taste authentic Russian specialties; learn how to make traditional Russian dishes and find out the unique Russian ingredients that can spark up your everyday meals. Visit treasured Russian food stores and restaurants: Russian Village, Babushka Deli, and Vernissage; discover “hidden” Russian food in The Fireplace and Athan’s; and enjoy interesting personal stories about their owners. Phone: 617-821-7667.

The New England Aquarium on Central Wharf in Boston is now home to a new Marine Mammal Center. The naturally lit, open-air exhibit gives visitors a front-row seat to see Northern fur seals in action. The exhibit features interactive panels that let you touch fur seal teeth and see an underwater image the same way a seal does. The entire experience centers on the expanded Northern fur seal pool, where you can witness these graceful animals in action. The enclosure gives these sleek animals plenty of room to gallop and swim and offers a shallow pool for midsummer lounging and speedy surface skimming. Thanks to the tiered seating, seal fans can get a good view of all these behaviors. Arf! Phone: 617-973-5200.