Ever tune in to the Winter Olympics to see athletes furiously sweeping a path on ice for granite stones to slide down? Curling, no doubt, makes for an intriguing spectator experience. Yet it somehow appears approachable enough to make you think, “I could do that.” You can find out for yourself at Boston’s Liberty Hotel, which offers a “curling experience” for groups of two to six people on the weekends.
The Liberty’s curling setup deviates slightly from the ones you see on TV. The rink is synthetic, for one, and there are no brooms involved. Instead, it’s closer to oversize shuffleboard; you kneel at the center of the lane and hurl the disks (technically called “stones,” though these are smaller than regulation ones) toward the target. As you play, you’ll enjoy a box of treats, complete with cinnamon-dusted churros, homemade strawberry Pop-Tarts, Korean chili chicken sliders, crispy pork and ginger dumplings, and a carafe of hot chocolate. Afterward, enjoy “après-curl” in the hotel’s cozy lounge.
Spend an afternoon antique shopping on Charles Street
Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood is graced by cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and stately brick rowhouses. When it snows, the place seems to resemble a real-life snow globe, so it’s worth taking a trip to wander its meandering sidewalks. One of the best ways to spend an afternoon here is by ducking in and out of the neighborhood’s many antique shops. You’ll want to start your treasure hunt on Charles Street, Beacon Hill’s main thoroughfare, where there’s an antique shop in seemingly every other storefront. Among the standouts are Upstairs Downstairs Home, Elegant Findings Antiques, Fabled Antiques, Boston Antiques and Lamp Shades, and Bridge Antiques and Fine Art. After you’ve secured a vintage print or two, browse the stacks at Beacon Hill Books & Cafe, which feels like stepping inside someone’s beautifully appointed home. Then, with shopping bags in tow, sit for afternoon tea in the shop’s stunning lower-level café.
Go ice skating at the Frog Pond
.jpg)
