This roaming troupe punches above its weight on the Boston theater scene, bringing the work of Shakespeare and other playwrights to venues across the area, including Roxbury, Watertown, and Cambridge. The actors are versatile (artistic director Christopher V. Edwards just did a turn as Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet), the direction is consistently inventive, and the contemporary selection — lately, August Wilson’s monumental American Century Cycle — is on point.

The A.R.T. at Harvard University is arguably the country’s best feeder of shows to the Great White Way. Big-time productions of 1776, The Glass Menagerie, Finding Neverland, and many more originated here. But these aren’t half-formed shows in mid-workshop — they’re fully realized, gorgeous, and intimate, thanks to being staged in the roughly 550-plus-seat theater at the Loeb Drama Center.

For a quick escape from the city, or even an overnight getaway, look no further than the Boston Harbor Islands. Take the ferry to Georges Island and explore the 19th-century fort that’s rumored to be haunted; listen to live jazz on Spectacle Island; picnic on Cathleen Stone Island (formerly known as Thompson Island); or reserve a campsite on Peddocks Island and sleep over in one of the yurts.

Cascading willows, Victorian fountains, sunbathing turtles — it’s a postcard of Boston come to life. Not much changes within the garden’s picturesque gates and tulip-lined pathways — and that’s the charm. From a child’s first visit to the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture and pleasure cruise on one of the iconic Swan Boats, to prom photos on the foot bridge, the Boston Public Garden is tailor-made for memories.

At over 140 years old, the Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the city’s longest-standing cultural treasures, and for most of the year, the lights are on at the gilded auditorium of Symphony Hall. For most of the fall and spring, the orchestra (music directed by Andris Nelsons since 2014) offers symphonies, concertos, and even opera in concert, and world-class soloists are a regular presence.

Sometimes it feels necessary to pretend to be a Bridgerton. You can do this at tea at the Central Library branch of the Boston Public Library, in a tea room run by The Catered Affair. The regal spot still serves cucumber sandwiches, scones, and petit fours — but the main attraction is a tea menu with everything from Earl Grey to a sip infused with jasmine petals. You can go for a wedding shower or anniversary, but please consider making a reservation.

If you’ve written off Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market as just for tourists, take a second look. The historic meeting hall and the granite-and-brick market buildings constitute a shopping and dining destination unparalleled in downtown. Munch a pizza slice or a lobster roll while you peruse the pushcart vendors and applaud the street performers. Full restaurants, from an Irish pub to a seafood grille, cater to bigger appetites.

The Red Sox (the team’s principal owner also owns the Globe) have for years touted Fenway Park as “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.” Curiously, the greatest affirmation of the slogan tends to come not when the Sox are faring well, but when they are not. That’s when fans of visiting teams seize the opportunity to catch a game at the historic venue, built in 1912, and the broad appeal of Fenway is at its most obvious. If game tickets are unavailable or too pricey, a tour of Fenway is excellent.

H+H (as everyone calls it) musters a mighty chorus, energetic period-instrument orchestra, and smartly selected soloists to present performances of Baroque and classical music that crackle with life and color. Handel’s Messiah is a beloved annual tradition, but that just scratches the surface; throughout the season, the orchestra offers refreshingly eclectic programs of concertos, cantatas, symphonies, oratorios, and more, making the old new again with every outing.

Harvard’s art museums became one roughly a decade ago, in the airy Renzo Piano-designed addition and redux of its storied Fogg Museum on Quincy Street. What lies inside is nothing short of a world-class institution that, true to form, continues to push forward with innovative treatments of its renowned collection that probe the outer limits of a museum’s place in the world.

Even history buffs (and longtime locals) will learn a thing or two on a Hub Town Tour. On the jaunt that follows the Freedom Trail, guides shape their passion for history into a compelling narrative that dramatizes the events leading up to the American Revolution. Small groups spark conversation and make it easier to navigate crowded sidewalks.

There’s so much to love at the Institute of Contemporary Art, you need a ferry to see it all. At its main building in the Seaport, stroll the mix of contemporary works and soak in the breathtaking view from its glass overlook. The ICA Watershed (open from late May through Labor Day) across the harbor in East Boston deepens the experience.

A confection of eccentricity, this faux Venetian palazzo on the fringe of the Fenway was first Mrs. Gardner’s home and then, once it was packed full enough of jaw-dropping European paintings to be a museum, it, well, became a museum. (Mrs. Gardner lived in suites upstairs the last years of her life as the public perused her collection below.)

The nightly drag shows at Jacque’s Cabaret are the old heel-stomping grounds of famous Boston-bred queens Katya, Jujubee, and Plane Jane. With shows such as The Dollhouse featuring an all-trans cast and MT Hart’s open-stage Drag Stroll welcoming “drag kings, queens, and things,” Jacque’s continues its legacy as a hotbed for the up-and-comings of the drag world as well as established local favorites.

More than six decades have elapsed since Massachusetts sent one of its own to the White House, but those glory years of energy, hope, and limitless possibility still burn brightly at the Kennedy Library and Museum. Relive the launch of the Peace Corps and space program, chat about glamorous state events, see the stark challenges of Cold War diplomacy, and watch Kennedy’s mesmerizing command of the television medium.

A cemetery?! Your out-of-town guests may initially be alarmed by the idea of such an outing, but just wait til they wander through this 175-acre oasis of willows, secret gardens, rococo tombs, and monuments. Serene and exquisitely landscaped, Mount Auburn Cemetery is part arboretum, part wildlife sanctuary, and entirely fascinating. The venerable burial ground is the final resting place for an extraordinary array of folks.

Already one of the most important museums in the country, the MFA’s overhauls of its core collections in the past few years have helped make it more whole than it’s been in ages: Visit the recent re-dos of its best-on-the-planet displays of Greek and Roman, Egyptian Pyramid Age, and Japanese art, and marvel at rare and special pieces.

For visitors and longtime residents, a paddle on the Charles River, Mystic River, or Boston Harbor offers a new perspective on the city. With several locations including in Allston, Cambridge, and Somerville, Paddle Boston rents out canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards and also offers group outings and guided tours. Nothing says Boston quite like paddling alongside a collegiate crew or duck boat.

There are few more pleasant ways to occupy a summer Sunday than meandering, iced coffee in hand, among the dozens and dozens of artisan stalls, farm stands, and food trucks of SoWa Open Market. But all year ’round, the (indoor) SoWa Vintage Market next door is a labyrinth spilling over: gorgeous mid-century modern armchairs jostle for space with chipped beer mugs, vintage ball gowns, and old license plates. It’s a magpie’s heaven.

Fittingly, Boston sports history is celebrated in the same building where much of it has been made. The Sports Museum can be found mainly on levels 5 and 6 of TD Garden, a few elevator stops up from where the Bruins and Celtics play on level 3. New displays include a tribute to the “Impossible Dream” 1967 Red Sox, and of course, an homage to Boston’s most recent sports champion, the 2024 Celtics.

The oldest active warship in the world is a definite Boston must-see. The USS Constitution earned her “Old Ironsides” nickname in the War of 1812 because British cannonballs bounced off her hull. Once you’ve trod the wooden decks of this majestic relic of the Age of Sail—it’s free, but ID required for adults—be sure to board the USS Cassin Young (closed mid-November to late May).