Boston
Save40 hand-picked places in 10 lists. Tick the categories you want to see on the map.
Only have a day? See 4 ready-made day plans ↓10 places on the map
Top 10
- 1
Americas oldest public park and start of the Freedom Trail
3 tips
- Pick up a Freedom Trail map at the visitor center
- Skate on the Frog Pond in winter
- Safe and busy in daytime
📷 Photos
- 2
Historic Red Sox ballpark open since 1912
- Tip: Book ahead
2 tips
- Tours run most days
- Look for the Green Monster wall
📷 Photos
- 3
Historic marketplace with food stalls, shops and street performers
3 tips
- Try a clam chowder at the market
- Avoid peak lunch hours
- Street performers gather outside
📷 Photos
- 4
Victorian garden with a lagoon, swan boats and Make Way for Ducklings statues
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Tulips bloom in April and May
- Cross the little suspension bridge
📷 Photos
- 5
Where lanterns signaled the British approach in 1775
3 tips
- Tours include the crypt
- Visit Paul Revere Mall outside
- Climb the steeple on special tours
📷 Photos
- 6
Worlds oldest commissioned warship still afloat
3 tips
- Free entry with ID check
- Check opening days
- Visit the adjacent museum
📷 Photos
- 7
Heart of Harvard University across the river in Cambridge
3 tips
- Take the Red Line to Harvard Square
- Free student-led tours
- Rub the John Harvard statue foot
📷 Photos
- 8
One of the largest art museums in the United States
- Tip: At night
3 tips
- Free on select evenings for locals
- Allow 3 hours
- See the Impressionist galleries
📷 Photos
- 9
Cobblestone lane in Beacon Hill, one of the most photographed streets
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Residents live here, keep voices low
- Pair with Charles Street cafes
📷 Photos
- 10
Waterfront aquarium with a giant ocean tank and penguins
- Tip: Go early
- Tip: Weekdays
- Tip: Book ahead
1 tip
- Whale watch cruises depart nearby
📷 Photos
Take this map with you
Opens Google Maps with these places, ready to save to your own list.
Before you go: Boston tips
Transportation
- Ride the T: The MBTA subway, known as the T, covers most sights; tap a CharlieCard or contactless card to pay.
- Walk the Freedom Trail: Boston is compact, and the red-brick Freedom Trail links many historic sites on foot.
- Use Bluebikes: The Bluebikes share system has stations across Boston and Cambridge for quick trips.
Security
- Generally safe: Boston is safe for visitors, but stay aware at night around transit stations.
- Watch traffic: Drivers can be aggressive and streets are confusing, so take care crossing roads.
- Keep valuables close: Pickpockets can target crowded areas like Faneuil Hall and the T.
Saving
- Enjoy free sights: The Freedom Trail, Boston Common and the Public Garden are free to explore.
- Visit museums on free days: Some museums offer free or discounted admission on certain days or evenings; check ahead.
- Eat in Chinatown and the North End: Find affordable meals and pastries in these neighbourhoods.
Weather/Clothing
- Prepare for cold winters: Winters are cold and snowy; pack a heavy coat, hat, gloves and waterproof boots.
- Enjoy fall foliage: Autumn is crisp and beautiful; layers and a light jacket are perfect.
- Expect humid summers: Summers can be hot and humid, so bring breathable clothing and sunscreen.
Cultural
- Love the sports teams: Bostonians are passionate about the Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots; join the fun at a game or bar.
- Try clam chowder: Creamy New England clam chowder and lobster rolls are local classics.
- Respect tipping norms: Tipping is expected in restaurants, bars and taxis across the US.
Local Hacks
- See Harvard and MIT: Take the Red Line to Cambridge to explore the campuses for free.
- Avoid driving: Parking is scarce and expensive; rely on the T and walking.
- Get cannoli in the North End: Locals debate Mike's versus Modern Pastry; try both and pick your side.
1-day itineraries in Boston
Only have a day? Each one keeps you in one area, from morning to late afternoon, with lunch nearby.
Day 1 of 4
New England Aquarium and around
🕘 9:30–16:30📍 6 stops
- 1New England Aquarium
- 2Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market
- 3Old State House
- 4Granary Burying Ground
- 5Old North Church
- and 1 more
Day 2 of 4
Acorn Street and around
🕘 9:30–16:00📍 6 stops
- 1Acorn Street
- 2Boston Common
- 3Boston Public Garden
- 4Trinity Church
- 5Boston Public Library
- and 1 more
Day 3 of 4
Fenway Park and around
🕘 9:30–13:45📍 3 stops
- 1Fenway Park
- 2Museum of Fine Arts
- 3Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Day 4 of 4
Harvard Yard and around
🕘 9:30–14:15📍 3 stops
- 1Harvard Museum of Natural History
- 2Harvard Yard
- 3MIT Museum
More cities in United States
- Albuquerque
- Anchorage
- Annapolis
- Asheville
- Aspen
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Bar Harbor
- Bend
- Boise
- Boulder
- Bozeman
- Branson
- Breckenridge
- Buffalo
- Burlington (Vermont)
- Cape Cod
- Cape May
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Charleston
- Charleston (West Virginia)
- Charlotte
- Chattanooga
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Colorado Springs
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Destin
- Detroit
- Durango
- Estes Park
- Flagstaff
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Worth
- Fredericksburg
- Galveston
- Gatlinburg
- Gettysburg
- Hilo
- Honolulu
- Hot Springs
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Jackson Hole
- Juneau
- Kansas City
- Kauai (Lihue)
- Kennebunkport
- Ketchikan
- Key West
- Kona
- Lake Placid
- Lake Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe)
- Lancaster
- Las Vegas
- Leavenworth
- Lexington
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Mackinac Island
- Madison
- Martha's Vineyard
- Maui (Lahaina)
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Moab
- Monterey
- Myrtle Beach
- Nantucket
- Napa
- Naples
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Newport (Rhode Island)
- Oklahoma City
- Orlando
- Outer Banks
- Page
- Palm Springs
- Park City
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Portland (Maine)
- Providence
- Raleigh
- Rapid City
- Richmond
- Sacramento
- Saint Augustine
- Salem
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Fe
- Santa Monica
- Sarasota
- Savannah
- Seattle
- Sedona
- Spokane
- Springdale (Zion)
- St. Louis
- St. Petersburg
- Stowe
- Tampa
- Taos
- Telluride
- Toledo
- Tucson
- Washington DC
- Whitefish
- Williamsburg
- Yosemite Valley