The largest city in New England, Boston has long been an epicenter of “firsts” in American history. The Revolution got its shot-heard-round-the-world start near here, as did George Washington when he took control of the Army. And that whole Tea Party thing taught the nation how to protest in high style. Ben Franklin called the town home for 17 years before setting off for Philly. The first subway system in the country was introduced here, along with the concept of a democratic green space, making Boston Common the oldest public park in the United States. The town was one of the first to market beans slow-cooked in molasses, garnering its “Beantown” nickname. And in 1636, the tiny college of Harvard, the first in the Colonies, opened its doors in neighboring Cambridge.
For a city that has seen everyone from John Adams to Malcolm X and Ben Franklin to the Kennedys grace its cobbled­ streets, it’s no surprise that Boston prides itself on its ­history. And what better time to visit the home of presidents than when a whole host of hopefuls are throwing their hats into the ring? Of course, there are the classic not-to-miss sites—Bunker Hill, Paul Revere’s house and Faneuil Hall—but what of the other, less obvious nods to American statesmanship? Take a turn off the Freedom Trail, and you’ll discover a city teeming with unsung history, kitsch Americana and modern style. All in all, a town very worth revering.

Who Slept Here
Once the site of the Charles Street Jail, open from 1851 to 1990, the Liberty Hotel (215 Charles St.; 617/224-4000; www.libertyhotel.com) now offers 300 luxury rooms. Nearly every president since Taft stayed at The Fairmont Copley Plaza (138 St. James Ave.; 617/267-5300; www.fairmont.com/copleyplaza) since it opened in 1912. The hotel, fashioned after New York’s Plaza and D.C.’s Willard Hotel, recently completed a massive renovation of its 383 luxury guestrooms.

Feed Your Historical Figure
Ye Olde Union Oyster House (41 Union St.; 617/227-2750; www.unionoysterhouse.com) opened in 1826 and has fed its fair share of notables. Daniel Webster reportedly enjoyed oysters and tall glasses of brandy and water here regularly, and a plaque marks John F. Kennedy’s favorite booth (#18). The first building constructed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, Warren Tavern (2 Pleasant St.; 617/241-8142; www.warrentavern.com) was a frequent watering hole for Paul Revere, and later a visting George Washington.

Mod Cool
The I.M. Pei-designed John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (Columbia Point; 617/514-1600; www.jfklibrary.org) re-creates­ the early 1960s through period settings from the White House and multimedia exhibits, offering a glimpse into the life of the storied president and his family.

Brush with Danger
Proudly dedicated to “bringing the worst of art to the widest of audiences,” the Museum of Bad Art (580 High St.; 781/444-6757; www.museumofbadart.org) has about 400 pieces in its collection, featuring everything from crude landscapes and portraits to works “by artists barely in control of the brush.”

Play by Play
The fully restored Majestic Theatre (219 Tremont St.; 617/233-3123; www.maj.org) is home to Broadway musicals and Italian operas—and reportedly hosts the ghost of a former Boston mayor, who died while watching a show there.

Rad Retro
Vintage ads, pulp-fiction postcards, Lady Luck toilet seats and cowboy steins can all be found at Buckaroo’s Mercantile (1297 Cambridge St., Cambridge; 617/492-4792; www.buckmerc.com).