I've lived in the Boston area for 14 years. Here are 5 things that live up to the hype and 2 I tell first-timers to skip.

The Boston skyline

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• After living in the Boston area for 14 years, I've thoroughly explored the city and its suburbs.
• I always recommend tourists visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Chinatown.
• When I see itineraries with chain-filled food halls, I suggest swapping them for local restaurants.

When I moved to the Boston area from Denver 14 years ago, I felt like I'd walked into the pages of a storybook.

Venturing outside of my Cambridge apartment...