Boston: Come See History—And Make History

We are delighted to host the 5th Annual Internet Retailer 2009 Conference & Exhibition in Boston, where the American Revolution began and where the revolution in e-commerce in retailing will continue as 5,000 e-retailers gather at the world's largest e-commerce event. No city in America is better suited for revisiting American history while participating in retailing's history in the making. That is particularly true in mid-June, when an average high temperature of 77 degrees beckons tourists to visit the city's dozens of historic sites, stroll through its famous parks and gardens, take in a night game at Fenway, and enjoy world-class restaurants.

IRCE 2009 @ BCEC Spells Convenience
IRCE 2009 will be held at the magnificent new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, the most conveniently located major conference centers in America. Opened in mid-2004, the BCEC is an eight-minute cab ride from Boston's Logan Airport and just minutes from the city's major hotels and historic sites. The new conference center boasts 516,000 contiguous square feet of exhibit space and 160,000 square feet of meeting space, making it the ideal location for IRCE 2009, which features e-retailing's largest conference (93 sessions and 178 expert speakers) and the largest exhibition of e-commerce technology with 350 exhibiting companies. The new BCEC has made Boston a major convention city; it hosted the fastest growing association conference and fastest growing consumer show in 2007 and will host the fastest growing overall conference and exhibition (IRCE) in 2009.

The IRCE 2009 Venue Map
The IRCE 2009 Venue Map shows just how convenient attending America's largest e-retailing show will be this year. The cab ride to the conference from Boston's Logan Airport takes only eight minutes, and the IRCE Networking Party on the evening of Day Two (June 16) is a short walk from BCEC. The eight IRCE hotels that offer discounted rates for attendees are no farther than 1.5 miles from BCEC and the hotels with the most rooms are in walking distance. A free shuttle bus will run frequently during the main conference days (June 16 and 17) to and from IRCE hotels in downtown Boston and BCEC. See Details on IRCE 2009 Hotels

The Top 10 Things to Do While in Boston
Few cities in America offer tourists more interesting places to visit than Boston. For IRCE 2009 attendees looking to make the most of their visit to Bean Town during their off-hours, Boston has many varied and enriching attractions that are near to all conference hotels. Our marketing team has compiled the following list of Top 10 things to do while visiting Boston, but this is only a sample of the many sites and activities Boston has to offer.

Freedom Trail: This 2.5-mile trail begins at Boston Common and is full of historical information. Your tour can be self-guided or conducted at no charge by the Freedom Trail Foundation. The path allows you to visit sites that are very important to the city's history, including the Paul Revere House, the statue of Benjamin Franklin, and the site of the Boston Massacre. Should you have any questions, the men and women dressed in colonial attire will be glad to answer them.

Boston Public Garden: Take an afternoon stroll through the oldest botanical garden in the United States and get a feel for Boston's charm and grace. The park's pond has been famous since 1877 for its swan boats, which offer leisurely cruises.

Boston Common: The nation's oldest existing public park, Boston Common encompasses nearly 50 acres and was once reserved as pasture land by Puritan settlers. In 1634, the area was also used by the military. Today, the park is a popular destination for recreational athletes, joggers, and protesters eager to dedicate themselves to a cause. It's also the starting point of the Freedom Trail.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace/Quincy Market: A Boston social and commercial centerpiece since 1742, Faneuil Hall was established as a market for merchants, fishermen and vendors. It later hosted inspirational appearances by prominent figures like Samuel Adams and George Washington, which earned it the nickname "Cradle of Liberty." In the 1970s, a major renovation to the aging structure transformed it into one of America's premier urban marketplaces. Now, it boasts more than 50 shops, 14 restaurants, and 40 food stalls.

Fenway Park: On a warm summer evening, there is perhaps no better place to be in all of New England than Fenway Park, historic home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. It's the oldest major league stadium and site of the "Green Monster," the most famous left field fence in all of baseball. Baseball fans have been energized and agonized by the exploits of some of baseball's greatest players at Fenway since 1912. The Sox are in town playing the Florida Marlins during IRCE 2009, but if you can't score tickets, look into the behind-the-scenes-tours of Fenway Park.

New England Aquarium: Marine-themed exhibits, programs, and demonstrations take place throughout the day at this spectacular, above-ground aquatic extravaganza. Seals, penguins, sharks, and other creatures reside at the aquarium, and a massive, four-story, 187,000-gallon tank features a living coral reef.

USS Constitution (Old Ironsides): This museum relates the storied 200-year history of the USS Constitution, which was launched in the late 18th century and is now recognized as the world's oldest commissioned warship. During her years at sea, the Constitution saw conflict with pirates and experienced victories during the War of 1812.

JFK Presidential Library: Dedicated "to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world," the looming white structure, designed by I.M. Pei, overlooks Dorchester Bay. The museum/gallery contains exhibits tracing Kennedy's career from the campaign trail to his tragic assassination on Nov. 22, 1963.

Sam Adams Brewery: These days, Samuel Adams is known as much for being a brewer as a patriot. Tour the Sam Adams Brewery in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood for a glimpse at the microbrewery's beer-making process and a sample of the finished product. The brewery is also home to the Boston Beer Museum.

Boston Duck Tours: This exciting tour takes place on land and by sea. Duck tours take you through the streets of Boston and into the Charles River in an authentic World War II amphibious landing vehicle. Guides, appropriately called "conDUCKtors," tell about the historical significance of different sites around Boston in an animated way.