Originally Posted by
l'etoile
There's plenty of shopping ...a bit in Cambridge, but mostly in Boston. Newbury Street in Boston is nice to walk along when you have nice weather. Copley Place is the upscale mall in Boston with Neiman-Marcus, Tiffany's, etc. Filene's is the off-price store with an entrance on Newbury Street (if she's interested in shopping here, have her sign up on their website and they'll send a coupon good for 20 percent off one item. Do it close to the trip as it comes with a close-in expiration).
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston is worth a visit. The glass flowers at Harvard are also worth seeing.
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/on_exhib...s_flowers.html
You can rent canoes or kayaks and paddle in the Charles River:
http://www.paddleboston.com/kendall.php
There's a bike path along the river. Here's some rental info:
http://www.cambridgebicycle.com/design/rentals.htm
Watch Groupon for Boston too. Some activities and museums frequently come up for half off or so.
Let me second the Glass Flowers exhibit. For Mrs. Deubster it was a highlight of our Boston visit. I also recommend your wife become acquainted with the
MBTA, as most things she'll want to do are in Boston, a very walkable city. We had a great time touring Beacon Hill, starting at the Make Way for Ducklings statues in Boston Common, touring the State House, winding back and forth on Myrtle, Pinckney, Mt. Vernon, and Chestnut streets. We located homes of Louisa May Alcott, Sylvia Plath, Daniel Webster, Julia Ward Howe, and John Kerry.
With as much time as you have, you or she might really enjoy a trip to Salem or even Rockport, both very lovely destinations. You can take the Red Line to Park Street station, switch to the Green Line out to North Station, then take the commuter train to either, or go north to Porter Square and do it all by train. Either way, you can be in Salem in well under 2 hours and for less than $8.