I've written several articles and hubs lately about educational tours (although, perhaps the funnest research was for my hub on New York City film locations), and Boston is considered a great city for education because it is so rich with history. I wonder, though, if people realize these US cities so packed with American history are stil thriving today with thrilling modern attractions to excite any visitor. Here is a list of 7 great attractions in Boston - both historical and contemporary.

1. The Freedom Trail

This Boston tour takes you through several of Boston's most famous historical sites, including some on our list. Boston was central to the American Revolution, which led to the Revolutionary War, and the sites you will see on this tour center around that, including the site for the infamous Boston massacre, a crucial catalyst in the American Revolution. As stated in this hub, a guide to Boston, the Freedom Trail traverses mainly red brick streets through the heart of our colonial and Revolutionary history. The scene of the Boston massacre is memorialized by a cobblestone circle outside of the old State House as seen on the Freedom Trail.

2. Revere House and Old North Church

Near the end of the Freedom Trail, you will visit Old North Church, the setting for the famous words, "One if by land, two if by sea," the poetic description for the signal Paul Revere had arranged regarding the route the British soldiers had chosen for their effort against the revolutionaries. The significance of Revere is remembered on the Freedom Trail through both the church, which is now an active Episcopalian church, and through his family's former home, the oldest building in downtown Boston.

3. USS Constitution

Named after our country's constitution, this ship was commissioned by George Washington himself and is amazingly still afloat. It was nicknamed "Old Ironsides" because of its endurance in war, and the crew that leads the tours and special educational events on the ship today are all considered active-duty in the Navy and the ship a special assignment. For this reason, touring the USS Constitution brings history and the present together in one amazing Boston attraction.

4. Swan Boats

For a Boston tradition that dates more than a century after the American Revolution, consider the famous Swan Boats that gracefully appear every spring on the Public Garden Lagoon. There is no boat quite like this in the world. They are propelled based on a bicycle/paddle boat combination, the mechanism delicately concealed by a swan. The creator of the swan boats used this graceful image based on a scene in an opera in which a river boat is drawn by a swan.

The Public Garden itself is a beautiful oasis in the midst of this thriving metropolis. The swan boats offer a gracious view from the water, which will inspire even more exploration on land. The Swan Boats of Boston's Public Garden are an enchanting tradition between new and old Boston, of which one scribe wrote, "Good old Boston, like the Swan Boats, quietly glides on forever."

5. The Boston Museum of Science

Boston has several wonderful museums to help us move from history to art and science. At the Museum of Science there are over 600 exhibits, many of them hands-on experiences. Here you'll find the Mugar Omni Theater, the largest film format in the world with a 5-story IMAX dome screen, completely immersing the audience in the experience. The Science Museum has revolving exhibits and IMAX experiences, which keep it current and exciting every time you visit.

6. Prudential Tower

Completed in 1964, the Prudential Tower, the second tallest building in Boston, is another modern attraction in Boston. Its 50th floor observation deck, called the Prudential Skywalk is currently the tallest observation deck in New England since the closing of others after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Familiar to Boston residents as the Pru, the Prudential Center where the tower sits contains shopping and dining of various kinds.

7. Fenway Park

Perhaps the best example of Boston's determination to keep a place for itself in our hearts and minds beyond its amazing history, is the story of its national baseball team, the Red Sox. Fans of this team make most of us look the absolute definition of fair weather. I have heard Regis Philbin refer to the Sox as "street toughs" for what he considers their more unkempt style, but perhaps this is part and parcel of the rugged determination that helped them grab the 2004 World Series championship, their first since 1918. This drought had long been attributed to a legendary curse caused by the sale of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1919.

You see what I mean? The Red Sox had become a fixture for their historical curse and their 86-year slump, but they rose above it. They won the 2004 championship and took it yet again in 2007 just to remind us their win was no more fluke than the fact that their fans are so loyal. This is why I choose the Red Sox as the best Boston attraction yet to contain both amazing history, inspiring staying power, and modern worth. If you happen to catch a game in Fenway Park during your tour of Boston, you'll see what I mean. If not, I'm sure the fans will show you.

As you can see from its rich tradition and modern charm, Boston is a great place for families as well as for group trips or student travel. It has so much to offer not just in history but for generations to come.