Charlestown

By Dig Staff

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With today (June 17th) being Bunker Hill Day, there's no better time to explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in town. While Charlestown is only 1 square-mile, it's also brimming with history, good eats and more.

Because Charlestown is home to so much American history, it's fun to get buzzed there and imagine the drunken antics of the Founding Fathers. Warren Tavern [2 Pleasant St. 617.241.8142] was once a hangout for George Washington and Paul Revere (check out the 1700s-style architecture), and it still draws an eclectic crowd, though it's more of a neighborhood bar than a tourist trap.

There's a lot of history to take in when you go to Charlestown. Make sure you visit the USS Constitution [Boston Naval Shipyard. 617.242.0543. ussconstitution.navy.mil]. The tour is free, and while you might think you're too modern to fall in love with a boat nicknamed "Old Ironsides" ... you're wrong.

Finally, the crown jewel and the reason for the holiday, the Bunker Hill Monument [43 Monument Square. nps.gov/bost/historyculture/bhm.htm] was built to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the Revolutionary War, on June 17th, 1775. Climbing the 294 steps to the top yields incredible views ... and sore thighs.