Getting to Boston

The Acela Express can reach speeds of 150 mph and can get you to Boston in great time. If you are coming from New York City, the 8:03 A.M. train arrives by 11:45 A.M.; the 9 A.M. from Washington, DC arrives at 3:40 P.M. The whole train is business class, and the extra legroom, footrests, and scenic route make the already short train ride feel shorter. The café cart offers burgers, sandwiches, coffee, tea, and beverages (alcoholic and otherwise).

There are many options for non-stop flights to Boston from other parts of the country. American Airlines flies from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago to Boston without layovers. For a bargain, JetBlue flies non-stop from Fort Lauderdale, Richmond, and Phoenix for as low as $89.

Keeping up with the Kimptons: A Photo Tour of Kimpton Hotels

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Another unique tour to take is the North End Italian Market Tour (Tel: 617-523-6032. $50). The North End is the Little Italy of Boston, and its quaint back streets are the venue of this tour. Step into grocery stores where the owners only know Italian. Learn how to pick the best olive oils, and how to tell the difference between female and male eggplants. Sample cheeses, wines, biscotti, cannolis, and become enlightened about authentic Italian cooking.

For those seeking some culture, Boston's museums are diverse and appeal to a variety of tastes. The newly opened Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Avenue; Tel: 617-478-3100) is located on the revitalized harbor. Its architecture takes full advantage of their idyllic view of the water. Its gigantic glass windows let visitors look out directly onto the water from the top floor. Benches are arranged in a separate area for people to look at the view, and occasionally you may spot a couple dozing in each other's arms, lulled by the waves. The galleries are full with modern photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installation art.If you're looking for less abstract creations, the Museum of Fine Arts, or MFA, is a good choice (465 Huntington Avenue; Tel: 617-267-9300). Their collections are filled with priceless paintings by everyone from Picasso and van Gogh to Sargent and Cassatt. They have one of the most expansive groups of paintings by Monet outside of Paris, and the world's largest collection of paintings by Jean-Francois Millet.

Perhaps one of the most romantic museums you can visit is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (280 The Fenway; Tel: 617-566-1401). Isabella Stewart Gardner was an eccentric woman who turned her house and priceless paintings and sculptures into a museum. She arranged the paintings in a specific way, like a painting of a monk looking up at a painting of two women holding hands, or a painting of a person looking left placed next to a window on its left. When she died, her will forbade anything to be moved, or else they all had to be sold. Paintings by Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt, Manet, and others literally cover the walls and antique furniture fills the rooms. Stewart Gardner also gutted the middle of her house, turning it into a courtyard filled with exotic plants, flowers, and ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. There are so many dark nooks and crannies that couples can easily sneak a kiss.

Even more kisses can be shared in the dark of RumBa in the lobby of the Intercontinental. This bar is a rum and champagne lounge. As a nod to Boston's rum-filled history, they have an expansive collection of vintage rums that are displayed on the pewter bar. They also have a private champagne bar with sexy red lamps and burgundy walls. This bar is very popular right now, for both locals and visitors. The music is pounding, the fireplace is glowing, and the adorable bartenders avidly socialize with the patrons. This bar is so luxurious that they use three $34,000 vintage Louis Vuitton trunks as tables.

In a less decadent but no less classy bar, listen to the tickling of ivory while sipping on a cocktail with your loved one. The Atrium Lounge (26 North Street at Faneuil Hall Marketplace; Tel: 617-523-3600) is an elegant bar at the Millennium Bostonian Hotel. Its panoramic windows let you watch the open-air market at Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

Paradise (180 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge; Tel: 617-868-3000) was voted the #1 gay bar in the Boston area by Citysearch. Sizzling hot strippers perform upstairs, and high-energy dance music plays at the downstairs dance floor on the weekends. Buzz (246 Tremont Street; Tel: 617-267-8969) is a popular dance club in the Theatre District. They have two dance floors, and a quieter lounge for socializing. The bartenders, nicknamed "BuzzBoys" are affable and cute. Club Café (209 Columbus Avenue; Tel: 617-536-0966), a nightclub, video bar, and restaurant, is more relaxed but still chic, serving some of Boston's best martinis.

The possibilities for a romantic weekend in Boston are endless. The historical city's combination of high culture, fine dining, gluttonous goodies, and decadent nightlife are sure to guarantee a memorable getaway for you and your lover.

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