By Everett Potter

There are few American cities more glorious in the fall than Boston. That’s especially true in October, when Head of the Charles, the world’s largest gathering of competitive rowers, turns the Charles River into a race course set against the bright colors of a New England autumn along the Esplanade. The fact that the race weekend coincides with Parents Weekend at some of the city’s major colleges and universities adds to the excitement and the crowds.

Newbury Street, the city’s premier shopping strand, becomes a phalanx of students and their credit card-wielding parents, navigating scarce sidewalk space as they snake into the city’s best boutiques. On the Saturday night, the North End takes on the chaotic splendor of Naples during a festival, and Hanover Street seems to be one gigantic noisy and garlic-infused restaurant overflowing into the streets … continue reading