As of this past September, you, too, can spend a night at the historic jail—for $325 to $550 a night. Developer Richard Friedman, the man who made his mark in town by building the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, spent $150 million to convert the circa-1851 jail into a 300-room upscale property called The Liberty Hotel. Rooms overlook the Charles River, and vestiges of jail cells remain in a bar called Clink, if you want to make a toast to your freedom.

For the finest meal in the neighborhood, retrace your steps to Boston Common and turn left up Beacon Street. Across the street from the State House and its gold dome sits the elegant No. 9 Park restaurant. Owner and chef Barbara Lynch won a James Beard Award for best chef in the Northeast.

Obviously, there are other antiques stores worthy of your attention outside Beacon Hill. In the Leather District, JMW Gallery features vases by Grueby, furniture by Stickley, pottery by SEG Paul Revere and other high-quality goods from the American Arts and Crafts movement. Founded in 1825, the Brattle Book Shop, in the Downtown Crossing area, has a vast assortment of rare books. Then there’s the Boston Antiques Show (April 12–13), which hosts 140 dealers from across the Northeast at the Seaport World Trade Center.

For sheer pleasure, however, it’s hard to top an afternoon of strolling on Beacon Hill’s cobblestones and rummaging through history.

Stephen Jermanok is a contributing editor at Boston Magazine and guest editor on the travel issue for Boston Globe Sunday Magazine.

A Room With a Vieux Antiques
617.973.6600 aroomwithavieux.com

Alberts-Langdon Inc.
617.523.5954 alberts-langdon.com

Boston Antiques Show
bostonantiquesweekend.com

Brattle Book Shop
617.542.0210 brattlebookshop.com

Devonia Antiques
617.523.8313 devonia-antiques.com

JMW Gallery
617.338.9097 jmwgallery.com

Judith Dowling
617.523.5211 judithdowling.com

No. 9 Park
617.742.9991 no9park.com

Stephen Score Antiques
617.227.9192

The Liberty Hotel
617.224.4000 libertyhotel.com