Brewer Fountain, Boston

While ambling through the storied grounds of Boston Common, you can't miss the Brewer Fountain – a real gem generously bestowed upon the city in 1868 by the illustrious Gardner Brewer, a man so rich he probably used dollar bills as napkins at his lavish dinner parties. Born and bred in Boston, he dabbled in politics, tangoed with the Republican party, and then casually decided to build a fountain as a side gig.

During a jaunt to the 1855 World Trade Fair in Paris (because, why not?), Gardner fell head over heels for an exquisite fountain cast by Liénard, who netted himself a prestigious gold medal. What's a wealthy Bostonian to do? Naturally, commission a copy of the fountain and ship it across the pond, of course! Oh, but he wasn't the only one smitten; Lyon and Bordeaux got their own iron versions, while a lone bronze sibling found a forever home with an Egyptian viceroy.

Standing proud at 22 feet, the seven-ton heavyweight Brewer Fountain is nestled in a stone basin, while surrounding its base are four statues that add a touch of mythological flair: Neptune, the Roman water god; Amphitrite, the Greek sea goddess; and the dynamic duo of Acis and Galatea, plucked straight from the pages of Ovid's "Metamorphoses". In 2010, after years of aquatic dormancy, this fountain underwent a well-deserved makeover, emerging with newfound vitality and a renewed commitment to spraying water skyward.

Why You Should Visit:
Besides the fountain's glittering allure, you'll find an array of food trucks that could probably serve up a meal fit for the gods themselves. Plus, you're just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the tadpole playground, frog pond, and a carousel that's just oozing nostalgia. So, why not make a splash at this fountain of delights?