Study Harvard while visiting Boston

To many people, Boston's Harvard University is the gold standard of American Ivy League education. It’s the oldest college in the country, having been founded in 1636 and operating ever since. Harvard boasts world-class educators and alumni that include Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Laureates and U.S. presidents. Being accepted by Harvard is the dream of many a college-bound academic and the selection process is rigid. Though you may not attend this world famous alma mater, it is a lovely place, full of history and perfect for a day trip.

Harvard Stadium
You can park your Boston rental car at the University Place Garage to visit our nation's oldest sporting arena, Harvard Stadium. When it was constructed in 1903, its horse-shoe design was one of the first structures to use reinforced concrete as a building material. The stadium is one of four athletic fields registered as a historical landmarks in the nation. Its place in football history was forever cemented when it was the first venue to approve of the forward pass (to quiet protest of the sport's early violent nature). Today, Harvard Stadium is the home of the school's football team, the Harvard Crimson. In 1984], the stadium hosted Olympic Soccer games and, for a brief time in the 1970s, it was the home field for the Boston Patriots. If you get a good look at the stadium, notice the Greek and Roman influences that would go on to inspire many future professional and collegial athletic stadiums.

The Crimson Key Tour
To really experience what life is like for a Harvard student, we recommend the Crimson Key Tour. The Crimson Key Society is a student-run hospitality program that provides tours for prospective applicants and tourists. Your guide will take you across the campus grounds and give you a close up look at some of the oldest architecture in the nation (including Massachusetts Hall, which was built back in 1720). The guides excel as storytellers. Tales include the day Harvard Hall burned down, the mandatory swimming test for all students, and the elevator that destroyed John F. Kennedy's dorm. Just don't believe anything they tell you about the toe of John Harvard's statue, it's a famous prank that students like to play on new applicants.

Mr. Bartley's
Before you drive your Boston rental car back to your hotel, why not grab a bite at Mr. Bartley's? Many claim that this Harvard landmark is the valedictorian of hamburger joints. Family owned and operated since it opened back in 1960, Bartley's is synonymous with Boston campus life. You can see it featured in such Harvard-centric films as "The Social Network" and "Good Will Hunting". The menu and decor are charmingly low brow. As you walk in, you'll notice the interior design is based off of a hastily put together dorm room and the menu includes sandwiches such as the "Taxachu$ett$" (topped with Boston baked beans). It is not uncommon to see lines for theses burgers stretching around the block, so you'll have plenty of time to work up an appetite.