If you’re lucky enough to snag a seat at the Boston Opera House, you’ll be overwhelmed by the Edith Wharton-esque beauty and gilded opulence of one of the most sublime theaters in Boston. The opera house got its not-so-humble beginnings on Huntington Ave. in 1901. The current locale is the renovated B.F. Keith theater which was once a downtown hotspot for films and vaudeville shows. Now, after $30 million worth of touchups, the Grande Dame of Washington Street hosts Broadway-style musicals ranging from “Wicked” to an upcoming production of “A Chorus Line” (Sept. 11 until Oct. 5) followed by "Legally Blonde" (Oct. 28 to Sunday, Nov. 9). And starting with the 2009 season, the Opera house will be the proud resident stage of the Boston Ballet. Don't miss Boston Ballet's annual presentation of the Nutcracker during the holiday season, which opens on November 29th-Dec. 24th, 2008

Join the New England Aquarium and WTA aboard the Voyager III for a high-speed trip to Stellwagen Bank to view some of the largest and most spectacular creatures on earth! Our naturalists narrate as you leave Boston Harbor before describing the whales in their natural habitat. Whale sightings are guaranteed! The Voyager III is a 113' high-speed catamaran designed specifically for whale watching. With the most outside viewing space of any Boston whale watching vessel, multimedia displays, two snack bars, and restrooms, the New England Aquarium offers the best whale watch experience in Boston.

The Blarney Stone provides a downtown feel right in your own backyard. A true gem on Dorchester Avenue. The Blarney Stone's cool clientele dines on great cuisine while drinking exotic mixes like Mojitos an Pear Martinis. (served side by side with creamy pints of Guinness!) For your dining pleasure, the Blarney Stone also boasts a beatiful landscaped patio complete with Dorchester's only outside bar. While our fare may have changed our spirit remains - we invite you in to try us for yourself.

Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003, the Majestic is the second-oldest theater in Boston's Theater District. It was reopened by Emerson College in 1989 as the first Broadway-quality stage owned and operated by a college. The Majestic hosts professional groups like the Boston Lyric Opera as well as near-professional quality (but much less expensive) productions by Emerson students and the New England Conservatory. Ticket prices range widely and some rush tickets are available. Wheelchair-accessible. Purchase tickets at the box office, online at www.telecharge.com or at 800-233-3123. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. The Majestic was also recently renovated (around the time of its anniversary) and brought back to its former glory.

Boston's famous Hatch Memorial Shell serves as the stage for the open-air concerts presented by the Boston Pops Orchestra on the Esplanade at the Charles River. Originally opened in 1940, the shell had a Rustic Terrazzo Finish by DePaoli Mosaic Company on the exterior of the dome because the cost of polished granite was prohibitive. When it was time to replace the dome (the roof system below the Rustic Terrazzo was leaking), the cost of polished granite was once again prohibitive and Rustic Terrazzo was chosen once again. There are also twelve different colors of Terrazzo on the interior including Field, Accent, Border Base, Wainscot, and even including several Ceilings.

The pond is a natural feature, a "kettle pond" it was formed by glacial recession during the last Ice Age. It is also a park, making up a piece of the "Emerald Necklace". It is approximately a mile around and that makes its circular path a favorite place for walkers and runners. The Jamaica Pond was a habitat for Neponset Indians for part of the year in the era before English settlers arrived. In the 1790s it became a water supply for Boston. The ranger station under the bandstand has one of the high tech waterpipes from that time on display (a hollowed out log). Later, the Pond became a player in the ice industry, with cutters taking the ice, storing it in ice houses on the banks and shipping it far and wide. Nowadays, the Jamaica Pond is an idyllic enclave in a bustling world (that is, if you can ignore the cars zipping by on the roads that surround it!)

Limelight offers a variety of entertainment opportunities for music lovers of all ages and abilities, from open mic night to karaoke "boxes", as well as family days, children's vocal instruction, song camps, and other family-friendly activities. There is also a studio for recording CDs or DVDs. You may want to consider hosting your child's birthday party here, too. Limelight offers different options, from having an emcee host the party to an instructor give a lesson in singing. Limelight also offers week-long summer camps.

Formerly Twentieth Century Bowling Lanes, an establishment dating back before the 1950s. In more recent years, 20th Century became more known for its ice cream than its bowling. It's been upgraded and modernized a couple of times, and recently they have started to repaint the bowling lane area with some brighter, newer colors, but the lanes are still the same. They do not have a game room or pool tables, but they *DO* have bumper bowling for children. To understand the perfection of Ron’s brownie-nut ice cream, imagine dunking a brownie into a glass of ice-cold milk and then taking a bite. This place alone is worth the trip to Hyde Park.

A posh jazz lounge, Scullers caters to the serious fan with an intimate setting that allows them to experience the legends up-close. Some of the best names in jazz have performed here, including Wynton Marsalis and Abbey Lincoln. Food (appetizers $5-11) and drinks ($5-8) are available at the club, and the Boathouse Grille next door offers a more indulgent dinner/show package (usually about $50-70). Cover $15-40 depending on the performer. Show times Tu-Th 8pm and 10pm, F and Sa 8pm and 10:30pm, unless otherwise stated. All ages. Wheelchair-accessible. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. Past and present performers include Harry Connick Jr., Jane Monheit, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsalis and Lou Rawls. The adjacent Grille and Lounge is a dark, pretty room that makes the most of a view of Storrow and Memorial Drives and the sunset-drenched Charles River. Service is excellent and attentive.

New England's largest movie screen features 12,000 watts of digital sound and a six-story projection screen. During the week, featured movies are largely ocean documentaries targeted at the under-12 set; on the weekends there's more adult fare, such as the current U2-3D concert film. If you're just interested in a movie and want to skip the New England Aquarium, don't bother waiting in the long line for combo tickets outside: there's a separate IMAX-only line inside the theater that's typically much shorter.