Originally Posted by shawbridge

There is lots to see in Cambridge. In addition to Harvard, there is MIT. The MIT museum is lots of fun. I would second the Gardner in Boston and the MFA (if you like art). Just walking along the Charles River (or running) is usually pretty nice.

If you are looking for an additional day trip, the Old North Bridge (the first battle of the American Revolution as the locals fought with the Brits) is in Concord, which can be reached by train from North station. Also there is Louisa May Alcott's house (where a woman dressed up as louisa gives tours on certain days), the Colonial Inn (George Washington must have slept here and they may or may not have changed the mattresses since then), various shrines to the patron saints of the town Henry David Thoreau (of Civil Disobedience and Walden Pond Fame) and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Walden Pond is also there and is quite beautiful, but I don't know how one would get there via public transportation. It is beautiful and historic out here.