There are literally hundreds of historic and iconic landmarks in Boston, including the Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts, Paul Revere’s House, Boston Common, The Union Oyster House, Faneuil Hall, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Public Garden, the New England Aquarium, Boston Public Library, Quincy Market, Copley Square, Acorn Street, and the Statue of Benjamin Franklin. And, the place where “everybody knows your name,” the bar from Cheers.

Everyday activities in Boston include jogging along the Charles River, canoeing and kayaking, candlepin bowling, seeing the symphony or an outdoor movie at the Hatch Shell, picking up pastries at the North End, eating “sacred cod” or creamy chowder in the Seaport District, strolling past Paul Revere’s House, or walking the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway to Chinatown. You can easily go from coffee shop and bookstore-hopping to bar-hopping, with a nightlife that ranges from friendly neighborhood sports bars to upscale wine lounges to raucous dives and mega dance halls.

When it comes to festivals and events, you’ll want to check out the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Dragon Boat Parade, Harbor Fest (4th of July), Harpoon Oktoberfest and First Night/First Day Arts Celebration (New Year’s Eve). However, nothing tops the Boston Marathon. Held every year on Patriots’ Day, the Marathon is full of patriotic pride, persistently tough athletes, and electric enthusiasm. There are quirky costumes and silvery metallic capes as far as the eye can see. There’s also the 11 AM Sox game, the Wellesley College scream tunnel, parties at Heartbreak Hill, and general revelry to be had in every single Boston bar.

Public transportation is provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, also known as the MBTA or, most commonly, the “T.” The subway system is the oldest underground rapid transit in America, and also one of the busiest. There are four lines, covering over 65 miles of track. The T also has a system of bus and commuter rail networks, as well as water shuttles.

Boston is also a highly walkable city. In fact, about 15% of the population commutes by foot. Boston also has a bikeshare program called Hubway, which includes thousands of shared bicycles and hundreds of docking stations across the city.

Bostonians are passionate about their sports teams. There’s the championship-winning New England Patriots (NFL), the World Series-winning Boston Red Sox (MLB), the high-ranking Boston Celtics (NBA), and the historically successful hockey team, the Boston Bruins. A word to the wise: in this town you stand with your team or keep your mouth shut…or at least refrain from saying any words that sound like “Yankee.”

Boston winters start early and end late. When the dreaded nor’easter blows through, you can add brutally frigid wind to the freezing temperatures and snow-covered streets. However, when everything defrosts around April, Bostonians can look forward to warm spring weather and quick heat waves that bring sunny 90-degree temperatures in the dog days of summer.

Boston is home to many large technology and biotech companies, including MathWorks, Abbott Laboratories, Advanced Cell Technology, GenZyme Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Charles River Laboratories, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), ADI (Analog Devices), Avid Technology and Azimuth systems. Meanwhile, the constantly-high-performing health, finance, tourism and education sectors continue to thrive, providing plenty of employment and educational opportunities. There’s also a thriving startup community, which boasts names like BrightCove, Care.com, Draft Kings, Hubspot, TripAdvisor, and Wayfair.