This booming commuter suburb to the east of Boston has a history dating to the 1630s. Having started out as a rural community, it developed into a residential area in the 1800s, when wealthy merchants and politicians began purchasing farms and turning them into summer estates. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead was among its 19th-century residents and served on its planning board; a National Historic Site remembers his achievements today. Its major attraction for travelers is the John F. Kennedy National Historic Site, the president’s birthplace and boyhood home. Foodies will enjoy the Brookline Farmers’ Market in the Center Street parking lot, where area growers come to sell their fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, and more.