Welcome to the Travel Like a Local: MA “Tuesday Top 5”!
Each week we choose a different neighborhood in the Boston area and highlight our top five favorite things to do in each.

Today we’re showcasing Fenway-Kenmore. With the Boston Red Sox home opener coming up on April 9, people will be starting flock to Fenway Park very soon. Whether you’re heading that way to take a photo of the iconic Citgo sign or visit the oldest Major League Baseball ballpark in the country, it’s fun to explore the surrounding neighborhood. Full of great restaurants, bars, baseball and museums, the area offers a ton to do. Read on for my Top 5 things to do when visiting the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston!

Boston Red Sox signage at Fenway Park.

Nighttime at Fenway Park, Boston.

Day game at Fenway Park.

Fenway: Catch a Ball Game at Fenway Park

The oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in use in the US, Fenway Park officially opened on April 20, 1912. Known for attributes like the Green Monster, Pesky Pole and the “Single Red Seat” that commemorates when Ted Williams hit the longest home run in stadium history, there is a ton of history at Fenway Park. Even if you’re not a Sox fan, it’s a place that every baseball enthusiast should visit at one point in their life. Grab seats to attend a game if you can, or take a stadium tour if the Sox happen to be away when you visit. It’s also always fun to pop into the Red Sox Team Store across the street from the stadium to pick up a souvenir.

If you can’t make a game or tour, you can still get a glimpse inside the stadium at Bleacher Bar. Located underneath the bleachers in an area that used to be the indoor batting cage for the visiting team, it’s a cool spot. Open year-round, get there early to snag one of the tables overlooking the field. And enjoy a pint and some snacks in one of Boston’s most beloved baseball bars.

(Insider tip: It’s easiest to get to Fenway on the Green Line or via Uber. But if you do drive, you can park in the lot at the MFA Boston for $17 for evening games. The lot is about a 10 minute walk from the stadium, and is the best deal I’ve found for parking!)

Trays of BBQ at Sweet Cheeks in Fenway.

BBQ Chopped Brisket Tray at Sweet Cheeks.

Biscuit at Sweet Cheeks BBQ in Fenway.

Fenway: Eat BBQ at Sweet Cheeks

If you like traditional southern BBQ, you won’t want to miss Sweet Cheeks when you’re in the Fenway area. Opened by Top Chef alum Tiffani Faison, it’s often called the best BBQ in Boston.

Sweet Cheeks biscuits are hands down the best I’ve ever had. Served warm with delicious honey butter, they are an absolute must if you go. My favorite entree to order is the BBQ chopped brisket. My husband usually gets either the fried chicken or the ribs. Or sometimes both – as you can order a single rib or two with any meal. We often end up sharing – it’s a lot of food.

All trays come with your choice of two side dishes. For hot sides, we both always order the mac and cheese. For cold sides, I like the farmer’s salad, but the cole slaw and wedge salad are great too. They serve delicious sweet tea out of large mason jars, along with an inventive list of cocktails and local craft beers. It gets quite crowded on nights and game days, but I’ve found it’s usually pretty easy to snag a table if you go for lunch.

Impressionist Gallery in “Art of Europe” at the MFA Boston.

“Water Lilies” by Claude Monet at the MFA, Boston.

Interior Courtyard at the MFA Boston.

Winter garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Fine art on display in the Titian Room at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Hanging nasturtiums in the Courtyard garden.

Fenway: Visit Two of Boston’s Best Art Museums

In addition to baseball, the Fenway section of Boston is also home to two of the city’s best art museums. Namely, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

The Museum of Fine Art, Boston

The MFA houses one of the most comprehensive collections of art in the U.S, encompassing nearly half a million works. Known for its “Art of the Americas” wing that opened in 2010, the museum also offers European, Asian and Ancient art. I love walking by the iconic Lime Green Icicle Tower by Dale Chihuly in the interior courtyard. And I always pay a visit to the impressionist galleries in the Art of Europe wing whenever I go. With a gallery dedicated specifically to Claude Monet, the museum boasts one of the largest collections of his work outside of Paris. You can also see well-known works by artists including Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir and Rodin, among others.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Just a five minute walk from the MFA is another of Boston’s hidden gems: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The original wing of the museum is located in a building meant to resemble a 15th century Venetian palace. It’s also home to a stunning interior courtyard with a garden that is kept in bloom year-round. (Visit now to see the museum’s signature hanging nasturtiums, which only bloom for two weeks in April.)

The Gardner is probably best known for the largest art heist in US history, which occurred in 1990. Two men disguised as police officers broke into the museum, stealing 13 works valued at nearly $500 million. The crime has never been solved, and the artwork never recovered. Empty frames hang in the galleries where the paintings were cut from their frames, as a reminder of the theft and in hope that someday the works will be returned.

Exterior of Fenway’s Island Creek Oyster Bar.

Ethyl’s Lobster Roll at Island Creek Oyster Bar Fenway / Photo Credit: Island Creek Oyster Bar.

Lobster roll and fries at Eventide Fenway.

Brown Butter Lobster Roll at Eventide Fenway.

Fenway: Eat a Lobster Roll at ICOB or Eventide

Even though Fenway is not located on the water, the neighborhood is home to some of the best seafood in the city. Eventide Oyster Co. (sister restaurant to the original in Portland, Maine) offers their signature brown butter lobster roll in their fast-casual location on Boylston Street. The restaurant is counter service only, and you’ll get a text when your food is ready. Get some freshly shucked oysters or a cup of clam chowder with your lobster roll, and you’ll be in heaven.

Also in the neighborhood is Island Creek Oyster Bar, which is located in the Hotel Commonwealth. Featuring oysters from the iconic Island Creek Oyster Farm in Duxbury, MA, it’s known as one of the best seafood spots in the city. The oysters are fresh and delicious, and their “Ethyl’s Lobster Roll” is worth the splurge. Other favorites include the fish & chips and the hand-dug Ipswich fried clams.

Lansdowne Pub in Fenway.

Inside of Fenway’s Bleacher Bar.

Bleacher Bar baseball bar on Lansdowne Street.

Beers at Bleacher Bar.

Fenway: Enjoy a Baseball Bar Crawl on Lansdowne Street

The Fenway area is home to some of Boston’s best nightlife, including a wealth of sports bars and baseball bars. We already mentioned Bleacher Bar above, but other favorites include The Baseball Tavern, Tony C’s, Cask N’ Flagon, Game On!, Boston BeerWorks, Loretta’s Last Call and Lansdowne Pub. All get pretty crowded on game days. But if you can visit during the day or when the Red Sox are traveling, it’s easy to get in and out. With large screen TVs broadcasting the games, they are also fun spots to watch baseball if you’re not able to get a game ticket.

What are your favorite things to do in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston? Let us know in the comments below!