National Financial Credit Group

America's fight for independence began in Boston, so what better way to celebrate Independence Day than in the place where it all started? The Boston Harborfest is the city's week-long celebration of American independence, and on July 4th the festival moves to the Charles River Esplanade for a great view of fireworks and patriotic music by the Boston Pops.

Spend a day enjoying recreation at the Myles Standish State Forest. With camp grounds, recreation trails, and 16 ponds, there's plenty to do here. Enjoy fun sports and recreation activities like camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, swimming, fishing, canoeing, picnicking and much more. During the appropriate seasons, skiing and hunting are allowed as well.

Housing over 450,000 works of art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston boasts one of the most extensive art collections in the country. The museum is one of the largest in America and features a wide variety of art, including French impressionist and post-impressionist works, 18th and 19th century American art, imperial Chinese art, the largest collection of Japanese art outside of Japan, and much more. A few of the renowned artists with works in the collection include Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas.

Spend some time exploring Georges Island and its main inhabitant Fort Warren. Along with the impressive historic fort, there are several buildings that helped to aid the military, including a granite powder magazine, a searchlight station, a generator building, an electrical communications building and a few other types of structures. This destination offers an inside look at our military's past, and a sweeping view of Boston's beauty.