Pack your coziest fleece, and get ready to immerse yourself in the historic beauty of Boston, the host city for CHEST 2024, October 6 to 9.

The meeting’s location at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center—smack dab in the seaport—means attendees can easily access the best activities this 393-year-old city has to offer. Bonus? The time of year makes it especially appealing for exploring, noted local resident and CHEST Scientific Program Committee member, C. Corey Hardin, MD, PhD.

“The fall is one of those seasons New England is rightfully known for,” Dr. Hardin said. “The temperatures will be mild, and the trees will be changing colors, but it won’t be cold or snowy.”

Art museums, walking trails, and historical sites are all just a short walk from the convention center, he said. Plus, an abundance of top-rated restaurants—many of them with charming waterside views—will satisfy even the most discerning foodies. Let’s dig in.

Restaurants

Legal Sea Foods
270 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
(0.4 miles from the convention center)

This popular seafood chain can be found across the city, but the harborside location “has a great space upstairs that looks out over the water,” Dr. Hardin noted. If you need help selecting an entrée, take note that Boston magazine recently rated the restaurant’s clam chowder the best in Boston, noting the “rich combination of little neck clams, chunky potatoes, and salt pork consistently represents the city well.”

Row 34
383 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
(0.3 miles from the convention center)

“This is one of the best known seafood restaurants that’s an easy walk from the convention center,” Dr. Hardin said. Indeed, The New York Times named it a Top 25 Restaurant in Boston, noting that the locally owned chain takes the city’s typical seafood fare to the next level with interesting preparations. In particular, the lobster roll was rated “superlative.”

Grace by Nia
60 Seaport Blvd, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
(0.6 miles from the convention center)

Dubbed “where soul meets the seaport,” this Black- and female-owned restaurant offers up not just delicious Southern classics like country fried chicken and bourbon peach ribs but also a regular rotation of live jazz and R&B musicians, earning it recognition as the 2024 Best Dinner and a Show from Boston magazine. Heads up: The vibe is upscale, so come dressed stylish.

Sweet Cheeks Q
1381 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215
(3.2 miles from the convention center; 20-minute cab ride)

Owned by Chef Tiffany Faison—a runner-up in the first season of Bravo’s Top Chef—Sweet Cheeks Q serves big, bold barbecue, like the Big Papi sandwich, piled high with sliced and chopped brisket, smoked jalapeño cream cheese, pickles, pickled jalapeño, and crispy onions. The location makes it a great pairing with a Fenway Park stadium tour, where you can walk off the brisket and biscuits.

Sarma
249 Pearl St, Somerville, MA 02145
(6 miles from the convention center)

Chef Cassie Piuma’s “cross-cultural mash-up” of Mediterranean small plates earned the restaurant recent nods in both The New York Times and Boston magazine. “This is the city’s hottest restaurant,” Dr. Hardin noted. It’s located in Somerville, just west of Boston, but well worth the cab ride, he said. You’ll need a reservation (“book now,” Dr. Hardin suggested), or you can try the walk-in bar seats that open at 5 pm each night.

Activities

Boston Harborwalk
(Located across the city; walk 0.7 miles from the convention center to Fan Pier Park for expansive downtown views)

This 43-mile-long public walkway offers an excellent overview of the city’s piers, wharves, beaches, and shorelines. Along the way, sculptures from noted artists and historical exhibitions pay homage to Boston’s seaside beauty and rich American history. It’s a great way to get in some steps and fresh air.

Institute of Contemporary Art
25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210
(0.5 miles from the convention center; the Harborwalk is right nearby, too)

Come for the views, stay for the art, Dr. Hardin suggested. “The building is gorgeous,” he said. “It’s a modern art museum with a second floor cantilevered right out over the water, with a wall of windows that look out on the harbor.” Conde Nast Traveler noted the well-balanced mix of art on display, and the magazine also highly recommends the gift shop for thoughtful souvenirs.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
(0.6 miles from the convention center)

This live-action reenactment lets you relive December 16, 1773, when the Sons of Liberty threw shipments of East India tea overboard in protest of taxation without representation, kicking off the American Revolution. You can board replicas of 18th century era sailing vessels and view the Robinson Tea Chest, the only known surviving tea chest. It’s a little corny, Dr. Hardin admitted, but definitely fun.

Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation 
2 N Grove St, Boston, MA 02114
(About 3 miles from the convention center)

A recommended stop on Boston’s Innovation Trail, this museum takes visitors through 200 years of medical evolution at Massachusetts General Hospital. On view include antique surgical instruments and the Ether Dome amphitheater, where the world’s first public surgery using ether was performed.

Freedom Trail
139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111
(1.1 miles from the convention center; recommended starting point: Boston Common)

An iconic Boston experience, the 2.5-mile-long Freedom Trail includes churches, meeting houses, cemeteries, parks, and historic markers, with an emphasis on the sites where the American Revolution was planned and launched. While paid guided tours are available, the entire trail is open to visitors exploring on their own, too, including a self-guided audio tour offered by the National Park Service. Hungry? Midway on the trail is Faneuil Hall Marketplace, a “food paradise” with 25+ eateries on site.