Boston, MA

What to do in Boston, MA

Beantown Trolley

Tour Boston at your own pace by doing the "hop on/hop off" thing at your discretion on the landmark red trolley. You can also opt for a two-hour narrated tour that covers 21 sites including the USS Constitution, Beacon Hill, Copley Square, and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Gray Line Tour

Settle into your comfortable seat and hear fascinating histories and "insider's information" narrated by your guide as you visit Harvard Yard and the Old North Bridge at Concord, travel along the route of Paul Revere's midnight ride, visit Longfellow's home and much more!.

Freedom Trail

A 2.5-mile walking tour of 16 historic sites in downtown Boston that helped to shape America's independence. Just follow the red line painted on the sidewalk, beginning at the Boston Common and ending at the Bunker Hill Monument across the bridge in Charlestown. Attractions along the way include the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, and the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Go on your own or guide by a ranger.

The Black Heritage Trail

A 1.6-mile walking tour that encompasses the largest collection of historic sites in the country relating to the life of a free African-American community prior to the Civil War.

Boston Common

The oldest public park in America dates from 1634 and has 50 acres of green space in the heart of the city. The Central Burying Ground on the southeast corner of the Common, near the intersection of Boylston and Tremont streets, is the final resting place for both American and British soldiers killed during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum

Relive the drama of the single most important event leading up to the Revolutionary War. Enjoy a variety of interactive exhibits, tour an authentically restored 110-foot Tea Party ship, and toss a bale of tea into Boston Harbor just like your colonial forefathers did more than 200 years ago!.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace (aka Quincy Market)

Blending history with commerce, this is a dizzying collection of shops, pushcart venders, artisans, bars, and restaurants in a series of Colonial buildings. The market was restored to commemorate America's Bicentennial in 1976, and reopened to immediate success that revitalized the entire city. Faneuil Hall itself dates from 1742 and is known as the "Cradle of Liberty" because it was the site of inflammatory speeches that led up to the Revolution.

Fogg Art Museum

Harvard's most prestigious art museum, with more than 80,000 works of mostly European origin. Pieces range from the Italian Renaissance to the French Impressionists including Monet and Renoir, as well as paintings by Van Gogh and Degas.

Harvard Square

Abuzz with sightseers, funky college students, and colorful characters, this is the much-celebrated Bohemian hub of Cambridge, bordered by trendy shops and cafés.

Public Garden

The oldest botanical garden in the United States, the park's pond is famous for its pedal swan boats.

USS Constitution (aka Old Ironsides)

This is the oldest commissioned war ship afloat in the world, having first seen action in the War of 1812! The Constitution Museum features artifacts and hands-on exhibits related to the ship in Charlestown Navy Yard.

Golfing

There are several fine public courses near the city, as well as the George Wright Golf Course within the city.

Shopping

From antiques and books to the hippest in fashion and accessories, Boston is a shopper's paradise. Covering an eight block area of the Back Bay, Newbury Street is Boston's equivalent to New York's Fifth Avenue with art galleries and posh stores such as Brooks Brothers and Armani. Charles Street is the place to go for everything old, from 18th-century American furniture to vintage French and English prints and collectibles.