Shopping A-Z

Antiques & Collectibles

No antiques hound worthy of the name will leave Boston without an expedition along both sides of Charles Street, with a detour to River Street (parallel to Charles, 1 block closer to the river).

Art

The greatest concentration of galleries lines Newbury Street, at street level and above; budget some time for exploring. Browsers and questions are welcome. Most galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday or Sunday from 10 or 11am to 5:30 or 6pm. Exhibitions typically change once a month, and the public is welcome at most opening receptions. They generally begin after business hours on the first Friday or Saturday of the month. For specifics, visit individual websites or pick up a copy of the free monthly Gallery Guide, available at many businesses along Newbury Street.

The SoWa district -- short for "south of Washington Street" -- centers on Bernard Toale Gallery . The Back Bay and South End don't have a monopoly, either; real estate prices being what they are, artists tend to crop up in even the unlikeliest-looking areas.

An excellent way to see artists at work is to visit during neighborhood open studio days. Artists' communities throughout the Boston area stage the weekend events once or twice a year. You might be asked for a contribution to a charity in exchange for a map of the studios. Check listings in the Globe and Herald or visit www.cityofboston.gov/arts for information.

Books

The Boston area is a book-lover's paradise. It's an important stop on most author tours; check the local papers or stop by any store that sells new books for details on readings and book-signings.

College Merchandise

The big names are BU and Harvard (you'll see Boston College merchandise downtown, too), but there are so many more insignia to explore. Look like an insider with a T-shirt from the Emerson College Bookstore, 114 Boylston St. (tel. 617/824-8696; T: Green Line to Boylston); the MIT Coop, 3 Cambridge Center (tel. 617/499-3200; T: Red Line to Kendall/MIT); the Northeastern University Bookstore, 360 Huntington Ave. (tel. 617/373-2286; T: Green Line E to Northeastern); or the Suffolk University Bookstore, 148 Cambridge St., Beacon Hill (tel. 617/227-4085; T: Blue Line to Bowdoin or Green Line to Government Center).

Present at the Creation: Craft Shows

New England is a hotbed of fine crafts, and the Boston area affords many opportunities to explore the latest trends in every imaginable medium and style. Prominent artisans often have exclusive relationships with galleries; an excellent way to get an overview is to attend a show and sale. The best-known exhibitions are prestigious weekend events that benefit nonprofit organizations. Crafts at the Castle (tel. 617/523-6400, ext. 5987; www.fsgb.org/catc.htm) takes place in late November or early December at the Hynes Convention Center. CraftBoston (tel. 617/266-1810; www.craftboston.org) is in April or May at the Seaport World Trade Center.

Fashion

The Back Bay is New England's top destination for swanky boutiques and if-you-have-to-ask-you-can't-afford-it designer shops. Definitely check out the second level of Copley Place, but don't go anywhere until you've explored the retail fantasyland that is Newbury Street. Bring your platinum card to (take a deep breath) Chanel, 15 Arlington St., in the Taj Boston (tel. 617/859-0055); Ermenegildo Zegna, 39 Newbury St. (tel. 617/424-6657); Hermès of Paris, 22 Arlington St. (tel. 617/482-8707); kate spade, 117 Newbury St. (tel. 617/262-2632); La Perla, 250 Boylston St. (tel. 617/423-5709); and Nanette Lepore, 119 Newbury St. (tel. 617/421-9200).

An Outlet Excursion -- If you can't get through a vacation without some outlet shopping, the fact that you left the car at home doesn't have to stop you. Brush Hill Tours (tel. 800/343-1328 or 781/986-6100; www.brushhilltours.com) operates daily service to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets (tel. 508/384-0600; www.premiumoutlets.com), a huge complex about 45 minutes south of Boston. Its dozens of outlet stores include -- and this is merely scratching the surface -- Anne Klein, Banana Republic, Barneys New York, Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, and Versace. Shoppers leave Boston around 10am; the return trip departs at 5pm. The round-trip fare is $36 for adults, $20 for children 5 to 11; reservations are required.

Gifts & Souvenirs

Boston has dozens of shops and pushcarts that sell T-shirts, hats, and other souvenirs. At the stores listed here, you'll find gifts that say Boston without actually saying "Boston" all over them. Remember to check out museum shops for unique items, including crafts and games. Particularly good outlets include those at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Science, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Concord Museum, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. The online-only merchandise of the Boston Public Library (www.bpl.org) incorporates images from the library's vast holdings, including historic maps, photos, and even sports memorabilia -- and you don't have to take up space in your carry-on to get your souvenirs home.

Flying Lobsters -- Why go to the trouble of sending a postcard? Send a lobster instead. James Hook & Co., 15 Northern Ave. at Atlantic Avenue (tel. 617/423-5500; T: Red Line to South Station), and Legal Sea Foods Fresh by Mail, Logan Airport Terminal B and C (tel. 800/343-5804, 617/568-2811, or 617/568-2800; www.sendlegal.com; T: Blue Line to Airport), do overnight shipping.

Fired Up -- A good souvenir is something you'd never find anywhere else, and a Boston Fire Department T-shirt is a great one. They cost about $15 at most neighborhood firehouses. The handiest for out-of-towners are Engine 8, Ladder 1, on Hanover Street at Charter Street in the North End (off the Freedom Trail), and Engine 33, Ladder 15, on Boylston Street at Hereford Street in the Back Bay (near the Hynes Convention Center).

Markets

Massachusetts farmers and growers under the auspices of the state Department of Food and Agriculture (tel. 617/227-3018; www.mass.gov/agr) dispatch trucks filled with whatever's in season to the heart of the city from July through November. Depending on the time of year, you'll have your pick of berries, herbs, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, apples, corn, and more, all fresh and reasonably priced. Visit the website for a complete list of state-sponsored markets. In Boston, you can stop by City Hall Plaza on Monday or Wednesday (T: Green or Blue Line to Government Center) or Copley Square on Tuesday or Friday (T: Green Line to Copley or Orange Line to Back Bay). In Cambridge, head to Parking Lot 5, a block from Mass. Ave., in Central Square on Monday (T: Red Line to Central).

The Boston Public Market (tel. 617/263-3355; www.bostonpublicmarket.org) is the first major step in a drive for a permanent public market à la Philadelphia's or Seattle's. Open from mid-June through early November, it offers a tasty mix of farm products and specialty foods at Dewey Square, an open area on the sidewalk on Atlantic Avenue across the street from South Station (Mon, Wed-Thurs 11:30am-6:30pm; T: Red Line to South Station).

The funky, fashionable SoWa Open Market (tel. 617/481-2257; www.southendopenmarket.com) operates Sunday 10am to 5pm from late May through October in the parking lot at 540 Harrison Ave. in the South End (T: Orange Line to Back Bay, then a 10-min. walk). Originally the South End Open Market, it features numerous craftspeople as well as food merchants in a neighborhood you may not have a chance to explore otherwise.

Toys & Games

A number of businesses listed are good places to look for toys. They include gift stores and Curious George Books & Toys, and Calliope. Also be sure to check out the gift shops at the Children's Museum, Museum of Science, and New England Aquarium.