​Boston is a great city to enjoy with your friends before the big day.  It has ample opportunity for pairing libations with fun, and of course a little bit of history for our well-rounded brides-to-be!

 ​1.  Ye Olde Tavern Tours
Join us on a Freedom Trail tour where we’ll tell the story of Boston in the buildup to the American Revolution and stop at historic taverns for some local craft beer! Our tours happen in the afternoon, so get started with us and then head to one (or more) of our ideas below.

2. Drunk Shakespeare
Need I say more? Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare runs at the Rockwell Theater in Davis Square. Check here for the current lineup, but regardless of what’s showing, you won’t want to miss it! You can sip on drinks with your friends while an actor or actress gets legitimately drunker than you and your crew. Hilarity ensues, with audience participation of course! 

3. Jacques Cabaret
They say all roads lead to Jacques, so continue on after the Freedom Trail to this evening cabaret bar! They have shows seven nights a week, including Sassy Sundays, WTF Wednesdays, Throwback Thursdays, and No Filter Fridays. You can walk in or but we recommend making a reservation for a table.

4. The Donkey Show
Every Saturday Night, the Oberon in Harvard Square turns into a 70s disco to re-tell Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream…with a bit more gusto!  Get dressed up in club attire, disco flair, drag, or whatever is left in your suitcase to enjoy a uniquely Cambridge experience. You can join the rest of the party on the dance floor or book table seats for a more relaxed viewing. 

5. Stay Classy at a Cocktail Bar
If you’re looking for an upscale cocktail bar after too much debauchery, we recommend Yvonnes (think Great Gatsby), Lolita (think Mexican sex dungeon), or Drink (no menu, just tell the bartender what you like). 

Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the second oldest graveyard in Boston. It was established in 1659 in the North End.  Named after shoemaker William Copp, the burying ground has many tombs of Boston’s less-affluent craftsmen and artisans. Here are some highlights to check out when you visit, perhaps as part of a day in the North End!  

1. Daniel Malcolm lived in the North End and was a member of the Sons of Liberty. He evaded paying taxes during the buildup to the Revolutionary War, but he didn’t get to see American independence, as he died in 1769. When the British soldiers occupied Boston, they’d often hang out at Copp’s Hill and use Malcolm’s tomb for target practice!

2. Puritan ministers Cotton and Increase Mather are also buried at Copp’s Hill. You may know them for their fiery role in the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century. 

3. Robert Newman was a sexton at the Old North Church. He helped hang the lanterns during Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride: “One if by land, two if by sea…” The sea in Longfellow’s 1861 poem, by the way, referred to the Charles River, which separates Boston from Charlestown.  The British placed cannons on Copp’s Hill during the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place in Charlestown in 1775, because it was high ground. 

4. You’ll also find the USS Constitution in Charlestown. Edmund Hartt, who was the ship’s master carpenter, is buried at Copp’s Hill. 

5. The animal life at Copp's Hill is amazing. On several occasions we've seen a black cat roaming through and bunnies (bunnies!) hiding over in the bushes by Malcolm's grave (#1 on this list).

​In the mood for some local craft beer and New England cuisine? Check out these Boston-area brewpubs! Hit up all five and you’ll have explored five different neighborhoods…sounds like the perfect combination of beer and history!

1. Democracy Brewing (Downtown Crossing)
This worker-owned brewpub opened in 2018, modeling itself after the public houses of yore and is the perfect place to visit for lunch before one of our tours. Sip on a  “democratic” brew, like the Fighting 54th Saison, named after the first African-American regiment organized for the Union in the Civil War - Huzzah!

2. Cambridge Brewing Co.  (Kendall Square)
CBC is one of the oldest brewpubs in the area, opening in 1989. Its claim to fame is being the first commercial brewery in America to produce a Belgian-style beer and it has continued experimenting with cellar aging and sake-beer hybrids…how fun! You can also get more typical beer styles, along with seasonal New England cuisine.  

3. Dorchester Brewing Co. (Dorchester)
A community-oriented brewpub, Dorchester Brewing serves in-house-brewed beer in flights or pints. They don't prepare food in house, but there's often a food truck outside or you can get deals for delivery from local restaurants. Join the avid trivia teams on Tuesday nights or take a free tour on Saturdays.

​4. Night Shift (Everett)
Easily accessible on the T, Night Shift has plenty of space (a two-bar taproom and outdoor patio) to go with its delicious beer. There are always snacks on hand, usually some food trucks, and sometimes live music. If you want to stay closer to home, you can check out their latest location at Lovejoy Wharf, which is an"experimental brewery," so there's usually something interesting on tap.

5. Trillium (Fort Point location in the Seaport)
When Trillium’s new industrial-style brewpub opened in 2018, this small hipster brewery became one of the most popular spots in town. You can grab a beer and casual bite on the first floor or make a reservation for the upstairs dining room that boasts New England farmhouse cuisine. On a sunny day (and if you beat the happy hour rush), head to the top floor for the outdoor patio! 

​One of our favorite buildings in Boston, the Old State House, currently has an exhibit about John Hancock's home called "Through the Keyhole." Hancock's uncle built a mansion on the top of Beacon Hill that John later inherited. Before the house was leveled in 1863, Hancock's front door and several items from inside the home were saved and are part of the current display. The North Bennet Street School in Boston recreated the striking doorway.