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Camping on the Harbor Islands

Boston folk are a special breed — we’re city-dwellers, no doubt. We can navigate public transportation like pros or steam down a crowded sidewalk, dodging and weaving slowpoke tourists with the best of ’em. But while we’re Bostonians first, we’re New Englanders next, and that means we love the mountains, oceans, lakes, and other outdoorsy destinations. Being busy city kids, we often don’t have the time to escape into the wild green yonder. But fret not, for we have the Harbor Islands right in our very own (figurative) back yard. Hop on a ferry to one of the four islands with campsites, and get ready to rough it. Though you will probably be able to see the Pru from your tent, there will be no electricity, showers, flush toilets, food supplies, or telephones at the site. Alcohol is not allowed, and you must bring your own drinking water. The islands offer endless daytime activities, such as hiking, swimming, and guided tours, and nightly fees start at $8. There’s nothing like roughing it in the wilderness within a mile of your favorite pizza place.

Boston Harbor Islands, (617) 223-8666; www.bostonislands.org. Reservations, (877) 422-6762; www.reserveamerica.com

The Littlest Bar

Okay, so this isn’t technically a summer-specific activity, but if you’ve never been, now’s the perfect time to check out the aptly named Littlest Bar, in Downtown Crossing. You can find it (if you look carefully) down an appropriately small side street, sunken a little below street level. Bring a friend and it’ll seem crowded, but not in an irritating, where-the-hell-is-my-beer kind of way. The atmosphere is congenial and warm, not competitive or disgruntled. A long-time favorite among the many Irish expats in the area, the Littlest Bar is a real authentic pub with two taps, one-man performers, and cheap drinks and food. Some are intimidated by the presence of so many regulars. If you work the room right, however, you’ll end up not as an unwelcome outsider, but with about 37 new friends (seeing as capacity is 38). Another plus? It’s open nightly till 1:30 a.m. Cash only.

The Littlest Bar, 37 Province Street, Boston, (617) 523-9766.

MIT and Harvard museums

Rainy summer days are sometimes disappointing, but they can also be charming and relaxing. They’re often a relief from the relentless heat and sun, and the idea of an indoor activity is refreshing. The problem is that all the popular indoor spots become absolutely mobbed the moment the meteorologist predicts rain. But Cambridge has a couple of hidden treasures that most people overlook. The MIT Museum, between Central and Kendall Squares, features an interactive exhibit of the AI robots built at MIT, funky and amusing mechanical sculptures, and even historic holograms. Over at Harvard, the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology and the Harvard Museum of Natural History house some of the most extensive records of human cultural history in the Western Hemisphere, as well as exhibits on Native American history and botanical, zoological, and geological galleries. You could spend weeks and still not see everything these museums have to offer. Which is good, because it tends to rain a lot around here.

MIT Museum, 265 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 253-4444; web.mit.edu/museum. Harvard Peabody Museum, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, (617) 496-1027; www.peabody.harvard.edu. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, (617) 495-3045; www.hmnh.harvard.edu

Tour of the State House

You’ve probably walked past it a hundred times and never realized you could go in. Sure, the giant gilded dome can seem imposing, but visitors are more than welcome. In fact, the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth has its very own Tours and Government Education Division, which runs tours and provides the very knowledgeable volunteer tour guides. See the House and Senate chambers, the stunning architecture and artwork throughout the building, and displays such as the Hall of Flags, which includes American flags brought back by soldiers from conflicts dating back to the Spanish-American War. If you’re not into the follow-the-leader thing, self-guided tours are very much allowed, and you can even arrange a special tour of the legislative process. Tours are free and last between 30 and 45 minutes. Reservations are required. And hey, maybe you’ll spot Mitt Romney and get a chance to give him that list of suggestions you’ve been drafting.

Massachusetts State House, Beacon and Park Streets, Boston, (617) 727-3676; www.sec.state.ma.us/trs/trsidx.htm

The Ray and Maria Stata Center for Computer, Information, and Intelligence Sciences

There’s really only one word to describe the Stata Center at MIT: craaaazy. Designed by Frank Gehry and completed only last year, this complex looks like a cross between something out of Beetlejuice and a drawing by Escher. Gehry designed the structure with the intention of creating a freeform area where thinking and innovation could go beyond walls and conventional space. Walk around this 2.8-acre modern marvel and then step inside to view the equally remarkable interior, with its vibrant colors and open spaces. Unusual aspects include "Student Street," which runs the length of the building, and the "town center," with spaces both in- and outdoors. You’ll find the information desk along Student Street, located under a gigantic question mark. Here you can pick up a map to aid you on your self-guided tour. Another main attraction is the café, which serves everything from sushi to meat loaf.

The Stata Center, Vassar Street, Cambridge, construction@mit.edu; web.mit.edu/evolving/stata/index.html

BU Beach

Everybody loves the beach, eh? Well, some of us hate it. Let’s review for a moment before you cast these social lepers out of your little tan circles. The beach is obnoxiously crowded and loud. Children crying and whining, people yelling, radios blaring. The water is cold and choppy; the sand conceals broken glass, cigarette butts, and pieces of dead fish; and somehow you always end up with sand in both your sandwich and your bottom. If you want sun, how about the Boston interpretation of the shore: BU Beach? Allow us to set the tone of this underrated summer hot spot. The soft grass provides a lovely and non-intrusive cushion for your blanket as you soak up the sun rays reflected off the Charles. There are no screaming children, no dead fish — only the stillness of summer and the sweet sounds of Storrow Drive. Oh yes, there’s that, but many people claim that if you close your eyes, you’d swear that the passing of cars sounds exactly like the rushing of waves, just without that stinky low-tide smell. And when you’re ready to go home, you don’t have to sit in evening beach traffic.

BU Beach, behind Comm Ave along Storrow Drive, Boston.

Bike the Emerald Necklace

Though it’s a city in every sense of the word, Boston is also blessed with an abundance of green space spread throughout the area. One of the best ways to see it all in one day is to take a bike trip along the Emerald Necklace, which is made up of six parks stretching five miles from the Charles River to Dorchester (including the Fens, the Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond, Arnold Arboretum, and Franklin Park). The parks are all equipped with bike lanes, and Boston Bike Tours offers group rides on weekends throughout the summer; the trips leave at 11 a.m., take about four hours, and include a much-needed stop at J.P. Licks for ice cream. Go with friends, take the kids, take a picnic, or just take a camera and appreciate the faux-natural space we’ve managed to preserve amid the noise and grit of the city.

Boston Bike Tours, (617) 308-5902; www.bostonbiketours.com