Boston’s Harbor Islands are a great place to go to feel away from the city (but not so far away, as you can see the skyline from some islands!). It’s the perfect place for a jog, a picnic, a long walk, or–on the Fourth of July–to watch the fireworks from. The Charles River Esplanade stretches along the southern bank of the Charles River, near Back Bay. In Boston, you can take the T directly to the United State’s first public beach–you can’t ask for an easier way to access Revere Beach! Popular Acorn Street just may be the prettiest of all the places to visit in Boston for photos. As one of the most important public squares in Boston and home to a tasty farmer’s market, Copley Square is located right next door to the Boston Public Library.

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Massport also operates several major facilities within the Port of Boston, including a cruise ship terminal and facilities to handle bulk and container cargo in South Boston, and other facilities in Charlestown and East Boston. Nearby general aviation airports are Beverly Regional Airport and Lawrence Municipal Airport to the north, Hanscom Field to the west, and Norwood Memorial Airport to the south. The city has Veterans Affairs medical centers in the Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury neighborhoods.

Boston has several federal facilities, including the John F. Kennedy Federal Office Building, the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. As the capital of Massachusetts, Boston plays a major role in state politics.g Boston uses an algorithm called CityScore to measure the effectiveness of city services.

Built in 1912, it is the oldest sports arena or stadium in active use in the United States among the four major professional American sports leagues, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League. The Boston Red Sox, a founding member of the American League of Major League Baseball in 1901, play their home games at Fenway Park, near Kenmore Square, in the city’s Fenway section. Boston has teams in the four major North American men’s professional sports leagues plus Major League Soccer. The Christian Scientists are headquartered in Back Bay at the Mother Church (1894). The Boston Athenæum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), Boston Children’s Museum, Bull & Finch Pub (whose building is known from the television show Cheers), Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium are within the city. Boston’s South End Art and Design District (SoWa) and Newbury St. are both art gallery destinations.

If it’s under our tree, it’s FREE 🎄🤑

• With its central location in Boston, this makes a great spot to grab a bite to eat while you are touring the city.
• Our favorite exhibits were the penguins and we were here right during feeding time.
• This is a tour that is great for kids and adults.
• So, let’s take a closer look at each to determine which pass is best for your trip!
• Visiting the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, was a highlight of my Boston trip.

Quick to visit, a walk on this narrow, cobblestoned street is like stepping back in time. For an aerial view over the city, visit the Skywalk Observatory. At the end of this post we have recommendations as to how to plan your time here, whether you have 1, 2, or more days to spend in this historic city.

Next time, I’m hunting down lobster rolls, pizza in the North End, and cannoli! During my trip, I made it my mission to try a true New England Clam Chowder and a Boston Cream Pie. It houses Quincy Market, the largest and oldest food hall in the United States. Of course, no Boston restaurant has served visitors longer than America’s oldest restaurant! The private tour covers many of the filming locations on the full Boston TV & Movie Sites Tour. On Locations Tours also offers the 1.5-hour Boston Movie Mile Tour and a three-hour private tour with your own driver/guide.

MICHELIN-Recognized Restaurants in Boston

You can easily walk the Freedom Trail independently, but a guided tour is relatively inexpensive and can add lots of context to the sights–especially if you’re not from the USA or haven’t cracked open a US History book since high school. Sure, the idea of being led around by a tour guide in 18th-century garb is a bit cheesy, but it’s also lots of fun (and an easy way to learn tons of American history). Check out Paul Revere’s House, stand at the site of the Boston Massacre, climb aboard the USS Constitution, and visit the Old North Church–just to start. The city was homey and exciting and relaxing and new and familiar all at the same time, in the very best ways. Finally, for my last night in Boston, I wanted to experience the city like a local, so I booked a Back Bay apartment. It is located near the Theater District, Boston Common, and Boston Public Garden, and multiple public transit stops are within walking distance.

• Harvard participates in the second-highest level, the Football Championship Subdivision.
• Truthfully, we weren’t sure whether or not this visit would be worth the time, but it far exceeded expectations.
• With nearly 500,000 works of art within its walls, it’s a must-see for any art lover passing through Boston.

Brothers working at Mass. elementary school both accused of indecent assault on children

Damaging storms are more common to areas north, west, and northwest of the city. This plan includes the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, which requires the city’s larger buildings to disclose their yearly energy and water use statistics and to partake in an energy assessment every five years. The Boston Groundwater Trust coordinates monitoring groundwater levels throughout the city via a network of public and private monitoring wells.

American Revolution and Siege of Boston

These four universities participate in the Beanpot, an annual men’s and women’s ice hockey tournament. King’s Chapel was the city’s first Anglican church, founded in 1686 and converted to Unitarianism in 1785. Several historic sites relating to the American Revolution period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park because of the city’s prominent role. Several theaters are in or near the Theater District south of Boston Common, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Citi Performing Arts Center, the Colonial Theater, and the Orpheum Theatre. Other performing-arts organizations in the city include the Boston Lyric Opera Company, Opera Boston, Boston Baroque (the first permanent Baroque orchestra in the US), and the Handel and Haydn Society (one of the oldest choral companies in the United States). Boston’s literary culture continues today thanks to the city’s many universities and the Boston Book Festival.

Three Days in Boston

It took us about 4 hours to walk the entire Freedom Trail, including quick breaks along the way. You can walk the Freedom Trail on your own or take a tour. You can visit as many sights as you like during the period of time your pass is valid. If you are planning a trip to Boston, here is our long list of things to do in the city. The spark that fueled the fight for American independence burns just as brightly today and inspires our food, beer, and not-so-dirty water.

Use the map below to find and book accommodations for your upcoming Boston trip! You can find similar apartments and Boston vacation rentals on VRBO. While visiting Boston, I stayed at the stylish Revere Hotel Boston Common. For groups of friends traveling together, the triple and quad rooms with bathrooms down the boston sober living hall are great options.

Newbury Street is one of Boston’s premier shopping streets, chock full of boutiques, restaurants, and small shops (including a Harry Potter-themed one!). Founded in 1733, Trinity Church is one of Boston’s most historic churches and important churches–though the original building has long since burned down. The reading room of the Boston Public Library is both incredibly beautiful and free to visit. Located a bit further away from the center of Boston than most of the sights along the Freedom Trail, the Bunker Hill Monument was built in honor of the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War. If you’re inspired by scientific discovery, it’s hard to imagine a better place to explore in Boston than MIT and the MIT Museum. Sadly, they don’t allow photos inside–all the more reason to plan a visit and see it for yourself!

The Institute of Contemporary Art is housed in a contemporary building designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in the Seaport District. Boston shares many cultural roots with greater New England, including a dialect of the non-rhotic Eastern New England accent known as the Boston accent and a regional cuisine with a large emphasis on seafood, salt, and dairy products. With a violent crime rate of 608.7 per 100,000 people, the city’s violent crime rate is higher than Massachusetts’ rate of 322 per 100,000 people and the national rate of 380.7 per 100,000 people. Like many major American cities, Boston has experienced a great reduction in violent crime since the early 1990s.

#30 The Boston Public Market

This pass is available to purchase for one, two, three, five, or seven days. The Boston CityPASS® offers discounted admission to four Boston attractions and is valid for nine consecutive days. So, let’s take a closer look at each to determine which pass is best for your trip! Each of these third-party passes provides discounted admission to popular Boston attractions. If you are walking through the Boston Public Garden with children, find the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue near Charles and Beacon streets and ride on a Swan Boat. No matter which era or medium you enjoy, I highly recommend visiting the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

East Boston condo with harbor views for $750,000

With On Location Tours, I saw settings from Good Will Hunting, The Departed, Ted, Field of Dreams, Mystic River, and The Town, among many other movies. My second guided tour in Boston was a Boston TV & Movie Sites Tour. I also pinpointed the landmarks, neighborhoods, and attractions I wanted to explore further in my free time. Several local Bostonians recommended Boston Duck Tours, which traverse the city by land and the Charles River. Yet I barely scratched the surface of all the attractions I’d like to visit in Boston. Although I was there for WITS, I planned to make the most of my limited time in Beantown.

Celebrate the season in Boston, where festive cheer, timeless performances, and magical moments are always tradition. Back Bay is also served by MBTA and those three Amtrak routes, while Route 128, in the southwestern suburbs of Boston, is only served by the Acela Express and Northeast Regional. South Station is a major intermodal transportation hub and is the terminus of Amtrak’s Northeast Regional, Acela Express, and Lake Shore Limited routes, in addition to multiple MBTA services.

#22 Walk or Jog Along the Charles River Esplanade

This hotel was convenient for me as a first-time visitor to Boston. Also, it’s located within walking distance of top attractions, such as Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. Early spring and late October visitors may also visit the Nobska Point Lighthouse, a Cape Cod landmark in Falmouth, Massachusetts, before returning to Boston. With your guide, you’ll explore the aforementioned sites in Oak Bluffs, the Gay Head cliffs and lighthouse, and Edgartown, known for its whaling history. Delve into the tragic history of the Salem witch trials during a day trip to Salem from Boston. Lastly, the Boston Go City All-Inclusive Pass grants you discounted admission to as many of the 45+ covered attractions as you can visit in a day.