Best sightseeing: This time of year, the Charles River is dotted with sailboats, kayaks, and racing sculls. Join the joggers and cyclists as they zip along the recreation path on the riverbank—you'll really feel like part of the city. For views few tourists see, rent a boat or take a guided tour with Charles River Canoe and Kayak (617-462-2513, www.paddleboston.com). You'll glide under arched bridges and past Harvard's handsome buildings, where city scenes are complemented by wildlife sightings (turtles, mallard ducks, and black-crowned night herons, to name a few).

Best historic walk: Boston's compact layout allows you to explore nearly all its historic tourist sites on foot. The 2.5-mile Freedom Trail (617-357-8300, www.thefreedomtrail.org) includes 16 historic sites, beginning at the information booth on Boston Common, one of the country's oldest public parks. Red bricks or a red-painted path lead you to early American hotspots like Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church, the site where two signals shone in 1775, indicating to Revere that the British were arriving by sea and thus igniting the American Revolution. Look for bullet holes in the gravestones at Copp's Hill Burying Ground—the British used them for target practice. Across the way at 44 Hull Street, you'll see the narrowest house in Boston: a three-and-a-half story clapboard home that's only 10 feet wide.

Best jogging route: Boston is a city of runners. After all, its namesake marathon (run since 1897) is perhaps the world's most famous. Pack your jogging shoes, and trace a route around Beacon Hill that offers sightseeing along with hill climbs. Start at Charles Street and go up Mount Vernon, where you can gaze at the handsome homes that line your path. If walking is more your pace, stroll by the shops along Charles Street, where windows are filled with antiques, collectibles, and gourmet food items.