Boston has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as a great sports town. The Red Sox and the New England Patriots have been more successful and popular than the Celtics and Bruins recently, but local fans are nothing if not loyal -- just ask all those Sox fans who waited 86 years between World Series championships (speak up). Fans are also passionate about college sports, particularly hockey, in which the Division I schools are fierce rivals.

The TD Banknorth Garden, 100 Legends Way (Causeway St.; tel. 617/624-1000 for events line or 617/931-2000 for Ticketmaster), is open for tours on the hour from 11am to 3pm daily, depending on the arena schedule. On the fifth- and sixth-floor concourses, the Sports Museum of New England (tel. 617/624-1235) celebrates local teams and athletes of all ages -- especially the Celtics and Bruins, who play in the building. Tickets cost $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and children 6 to 17, free for children under 6. Always call ahead; there's no access during events. Note: Visitors may not bring any bags, including backpacks and briefcases, into the arena.

Beyond the "big four" professional sports and dozens of college options, several lower-profile pro franchises call the Boston area home. The Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse (tel. 888/847-9700 or 617/746-9933) play at Harvard Stadium from mid-May through mid-August; tickets cost $10 to $20. The New England Revolution (tel. 877/438-7387) of Major League Soccer plays at Gillette Stadium on Route 1 in Foxboro from April through September. Tickets cost $18 to $34 and are available through Ticketmaster (tel. 617/931-2000).

Baseball

No other experience in sports matches watching the Boston Red Sox play at legendary Fenway Park -- and that's coming from a longtime fan of the archrival New York Yankees. The team's already-rabid fan base madness attained peak happiness after the Sox won the 2004 World Series, snapping an 86-year dry spell. Fenway was already selling out well before that "now I've seen everything" moment, and tickets remain a precious commodity, sky-high prices notwithstanding.

The season runs from early April to early October, later if the team makes the playoffs. The quirkiness of the oldest park in the major leagues (1912) only adds to the mystique. A hand-operated scoreboard fronts the 37-foot left-field wall, or "Green Monster." Watch carefully during a pitching change -- the left fielder from either team might suddenly disappear into a door in the wall to get out of the sun. The seats are narrow, uncomfortable, and gratifyingly close to the field, and the concession items are more varied than they once were, though definitely not cheaper. The Red Sox franchise changed hands in 2002, and the new owners have committed to keeping the team here. The most obvious change is the addition of seats and standing room in a section above the Green Monster.

Practical concerns: Compared with its modern brethren, Fenway is tiny. Tickets are the most expensive in the majors -- a few upper bleacher seats go for $12, but most are in the $23-to-$85 range, with the best dugout boxes topping $300. They go on sale in December; order early. Forced to choose between seats in a low-numbered grandstand section -- say, 10 or below -- and in the bleachers, go for the bleachers. They can get rowdy during night games, but the view is better from there than from deep in right field. "Monster" seats top out at $120 and go on sale by lottery in batches throughout the season; check the website. A limited number of same-day standing-room tickets ($20) are available before each game, and fans sometimes return presold tickets, especially if a rainout causes rescheduling. It can't hurt to check, particularly if the team isn't playing well.

The Fenway Park ticket office (tel. 877/REDSOX-9; T: Green Line B, C, or D to Kenmore, or D to Fenway) is at 4 Yawkey Way, near the corner of Brookline Avenue. Tickets for people with disabilities and in no-alcohol sections are available. Smoking is not allowed in the park.

Play Ball! --Fenway Park tours (tel. 617/226-6666) take visitors around the legendary ballpark. This is an excellent alternative if your budget or schedule doesn't allow for attending a game. Depending on what's going on at the park, a tour may include a walk on the warning track, a stop in the press box, and a visit to the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Tours start on the hour Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm, Sunday from noon to 4pm (or 3 hr. before game time, whichever is earlier), year-round. There are no tours on holidays or before day games. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, and $10 for children under 15, and advance individual sales aren't available.

Basketball

Sixteen National Basketball Association championship banners hang from the ceiling of the TD Banknorth Garden, testimony to the glorious history of the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, the most recent is from 1986. The Celtics play from early October to April or May; when a top contender is visiting, you might have trouble getting tickets. Prices are as low as $10 for some games and top out at $150 ($750 for floor seats). For information, call the Garden (tel. 617/624-1000); for tickets, contact Ticketmaster (tel. 617/931-2000). To reach the Garden, take the MBTA Green or Orange Line or commuter rail to North Station. Note: Spectators may not bring any bags, including backpacks and briefcases, into the arena.

Football

The New England Patriots (tel. 800/543-1776) were playing to standing-room-only crowds even before they won three Super Bowls in 4 years (2002, 2004, and 2005). The Pats play from August through December or January at Gillette Stadium on Route 1 in Foxboro, about a 45-minute drive south of Boston. Tickets ($59-$125) sell out well in advance, often as part of season-ticket packages. Call or check the website for information on individual ticket sales and resales and public-transit options.

Boston College, another tough ticket, is New England's only Division I-A college team. The Eagles play at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill (tel. 617/552-GOBC). The area's Division I-AA teams are Harvard University, Harvard Stadium, North Harvard Street, Allston (tel. 877/GO-HARVARD or 617/495-2211), and Northeastern University, Parsons Field, Kent Street, Brookline (tel. 617/373-4700).

Golf Tournaments

At least two of the major tours get within an hour of downtown Boston. Over Labor Day weekend, the PGA Tour visits the Tournament Players Club of Boston, which is actually in suburban Norton (tel. 508/285-3200). The senior golfers on the Champions Tour swing by every June or July, landing at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord (tel. 978/369-3457). The senior women on the Legends Tour stop at suburban Quincy's Granite Links Golf Club (tel. 617/296-7600) in August. Check ahead for exact dates and other information on golf events, and to see if an LPGA tournament will return to eastern Massachusetts. The Globe and Herald regularly list numerous amateur events for fun and charity.

Hockey

Tickets to see the Boston Bruins, one of the NHL's original six teams, are expensive but worth it for hard-core fans. For information, call the TD Banknorth Garden (tel. 617/624-1000); for tickets, contact Ticketmaster (tel. 617/931-2000). To reach the Garden, take the MBTA Green or Orange Line or commuter rail to North Station. Note: Spectators may not bring any bags, including backpacks and briefcases, into the arena.

Budget-minded fans who don't have their hearts set on seeing a pro game will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of local college hockey. Even for sold-out games, standing-room tickets are usually available the night of the game. Women's games don't sell out. The local teams regularly hit the national rankings; they include Boston College, Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill (tel. 617/552-GOBC); Boston University, Agganis Arena, 928 Commonwealth Ave. (tel. 617/353-3838); Harvard University, Bright Hockey Center, North Harvard Street, Allston (tel. 877/GO-HARVARD or 617/495-2211); and Northeastern University, Matthews Arena, St. Botolph Street (tel. 617/373-4700). These four are the Beanpot schools, whose men's teams play a tradition-steeped tournament on the first two Mondays of February at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Horse Racing

Suffolk Downs, 111 Waldemar Ave., East Boston (tel. 617/567-3900), is one of the best-run smaller tracks in the country. The legendary Seabiscuit raced here; a marker commemorates his storied career. In addition to extensive simulcasting options day and night year-round, the live racing season runs from April to November. General admission and parking for live racing are free Sunday through Friday; on Saturday, admission and preferred parking cost $2 each.

The day's entries appear in the Globe and Herald. The track is off Route 1A, about 2 miles north of Logan Airport. The MBTA Blue Line has a Suffolk Downs station; wait for the shuttle bus or walk about 10 minutes to the track entrance.

The Marathon

Every year on Patriots Day -- the third Monday in April -- the Boston Marathon rules the roads from suburban Hopkinton to Copley Square in Boston. Cheering fans line the entire route. An especially nice place to watch is tree-shaded Commonwealth Avenue between Kenmore Square and Mass. Ave., but you'll be in a crowd wherever you stand, particularly near the finish line in front of the Boston Public Library. For information about qualifying, contact the Boston Athletic Association (tel. 617/236-1652).

Rowing

In late October, the Head of the Charles Regatta (tel. 617/868-6200) attracts more rowers than any other crew event in the country. Some 4,000 oarsmen and -women race against the clock for 4 miles from the Charles River basin to the Eliot Bridge in west Cambridge. Hundreds of thousands of spectators socialize and occasionally watch the action, which runs nonstop on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday.

Spring crew racing is more exciting than the "head" format; the course is 1 1/4 miles, and races last just 5 to 7 minutes. Men's and women's collegiate events take place on Saturday mornings in April and early May in the Charles River basin. You'll have a perfect view of the finish line from Memorial Drive between the MIT boathouse and the Hyatt Regency Cambridge hotel. To find out who's racing, check the Friday Globe sports section.