After spending Thanksgiving in Connecticut, I popped down to Massachusetts to explore Boston for a day. While I’ve flown in and out Logan a handful of times during trips to Maine, this was my first time getting out and about in the city. And wow, it did not disappoint! With the Victorian brownstone homes and history around every corner, my Southern self loved chilly Boston a lot more than I thought I would.

We kicked off the day at Boston Public Library. When the McKim building in Copley Square first opened in 1895, it was called a “palace for the people,” and it’s easy to see why. The vaulted ceilings, marble floors and mosaic ceiling tiles made it simply one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever encountered. I was tempted to move to Boston just to ditch the coffee shop scene and do my work in the Bates Hall reading room.

After wandering around the library, we made our way to Fenway Park. My boyfriend is a huge Red Sox fan, so we wanted to tour the stadium. The baseball diamond was missing because Fenway hosted the Harvard-Yale game the previous Saturday, but I still enjoyed sitting in the Green Monster seats, visiting the press room and checking out the amazing view of the Boston skyline.

Next, we stopped for lunch at Boston Burger Company in Back Bay. I ordered the “Green Monstah” burger and a Sam Adams, as one does in Boston. I didn’t save room for a milkshake, but once I saw someone else’s on the way out, I wished I had!

Feeling refueled after lunch, we wandered around Beacon Hill and snapped some shots on picturesque Acorn Street, one of the last places in the city you can find the cobblestone that originally paved most of Old Boston. The swarm of tourists aside, I could imagine for a moment that I had been transported back to Revolutionary times as I stood in the steep, narrow street.

Wanting to learn more about Boston’s rich history, our next activity was a walking tour of the Freedom Trail. We started in Boston Commons and were led through 11 historical sites. I have to commend our tour guide. She did a great job teaching us new things—like the true story of Paul Revere’s midnight ride—while also keeping the experience light-hearted and engaging.

Later that evening, we met up with our couple friends for dinner at Il Tartufo e Il Vino. The restaurant was a pop-up inside Eataly, an upscale Italian marketplace. As a seafood lover, I ordered the Pesce al Forno, which was absolutely divine.

Capping off our busy day, we bar hopped in Back Bay and I was pleasantly surprised to find the Clemson-Carolina being shown on the TVs. You know what they say: you can take the girl out of Carolina…

After packing so much into our trip, I was worn out and happy that we chose to stay in the Hilton that is attached to the airport, as my flight back home was at a daunting 7:20 the next morning. I’d highly recommend the hotel to anyone who doesn’t want an extra hassle when flying out of Logan.

Now that I’ve gotten a taste of Boston, I can’t wait to go back! There are so many other places in the city I’d like to explore, but couldn’t squeeze into a single day. What are your favorite wicked fun things to see and do in Boston?