A 25-minute drive east on Route 2 will take you to the historic town of Cambridge, home to Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Walk down the brick sidewalks of Brattle Street, where house after house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and you will arrive at the house where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and George Washington both resided. Washington used the house as his headquarters during the Siege of Boston from July 1775 to April 1776. Years later in 1843, Longfellow's father-in-law purchased the house as a wedding gift, as well as the property across the street so that nothing would block their view of the Charles River. Longfellow lived there until his death in 1882, and during his time there wrote some of his most famous poems, including "Paul Revere's Ride" and "The Song of Hiawatha."
If you have time after the tour of the house, make sure to visit Harvard Yard, the center of Harvard's campus, and Cambridge Common, where Washington rallied troops to fight the British. If you're hungry, there are an abundance of restaurant options in Harvard Square. A favorite of Harvard students is Mr. Bartley's Gourmet Burgers, which you can recognize by the 20-person line waiting to get in. Known for having extravagant burgers named after current famous figures such as Barack Obama and Tom Brady, Bartley's is a must if the wait is short, but be warned that they only take cash. Another popular eatery is the Border Café, a rowdy Mexican restaurant with really good inexpensive food with portions fit for 300-pound Sumo wrestlers. Make sure to take the extras home for a second meal, and get the guacamole. For dessert, stop by Burdick's Chocolate for some one-of-a-kind pastries or chocolate mice. You probably won't want hot chocolate in the summer heat, but if you are brave enough, try a small cup. I guarantee that you will never taste richer hot chocolate in New England.
