ECG Management Consultants, Inc., is a healthcare industry consulting firm with offices in Boston, Seattle, San Diego, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. We provide highly specialized strategic planning, management, and information technology-related consulting services to physicians, hospitals, and healthcare providers.

Boston, the "Athens of America"

Boston has much in common with its European counterpart, including beautiful architecture and a rich culture. More cultural events, in fact, than you can shake a conductor's baton at. Locals enjoy music courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, and the Boston Globe's annual Jazz Festival. Check out the Museum of Fine Art or, if your tastes are less traditional, opt for the Museum of Bad Art. Like its namesake, Boston has such a variety of events, activities, and sights to explore that you may wonder why the city doesn't charge admission.

A History-Lover's Paradise

One afternoon exploring Boston is better than a Schoolhouse Rock marathon! Walk along the waterfront where Sam Adams and his Sons of Liberty staged their Boston Tea Party, and board the U.S.S. Constitution, a.k.a."Old Ironsides," the ship that won the War of 1812. Stroll the cobblestone streets and discover celebrated Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere's house, and the birthplace of Benjamin Franklin. You might even turn a corner and find yourself in Creek Square:  a winding network of streets that have remained virtually unchanged for 350 years. Be sure to ask about the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, when 2 million gallons of the fermenting syrup destroyed the city's North End.

But the history doesn't end downtown. The sports faithful should make the pilgrimage to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, where the legend as well as the curse of the Bambino, Babe Ruth, still linger. The legacies of other sports greats like Larry Bird and Bobby Orr live on in the fast-paced competition of a Celtics basketball game or Bruins hockey match at the Fleet Center.

Young at Heart

Bring your inner child (and your real ones) to explore the New England Aquarium, Boston Museum of Science, or the Franklin Park Zoo. If you're feeling plucky (no pun intended), rent a swan boat in the Public Garden lagoon, or meander around the "Emerald Necklace," the longest continuous stretch of parkland in any U.S. city.

Speaking of the outdoors, the Boston area has plenty to satisfy even the most ardent outdoorsperson. Whale-watching is a popular activity from May through October, when humpbacks return to the rich feeding grounds off the coast. Sailing, kayaking, and even windsurfing are popular activities in a city surrounded by water. In the winter, skiing is only 30 minutes away and ice skating on the Frog Pond in Boston Common is a tradition not to be missed.

Culinary adventurers, too, will delight in the variety Boston has to offer. While seafood is still king, and nothing beats a bowl of clam "chowdah" on a chilly evening, Italian, Chinese, Greek, and even Ethiopian restaurants are only a few of the authentic cuisines represented in this melting pot of cultures and traditions.

After experiencing this New England gem, you will see why Bostonians have come to love their "fair city." It truly has something for everyone.