What are the top things to do in Boston?

The top things to do in Boston are: Faneuil Hall Marketplace Boston North End Boston Common Fenway Park Granary Burying Ground

What are the top activities in Boston?

Top activities in Boston include: Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 14 Stops Martha's Vineyard Daytrip from Boston with Round-Trip Ferry & Island Tour Option Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour Freedom Trail: Small Group Tour of Revolutionary Boston Tour of Historic Fenway Park, America's Most Beloved Ballpark

What are the top things to do near Boston?

Check out things to do near Boston: Massachusetts Salem Long Island Brooklyn New York City

What do I need to know before visiting Boston?

Check out these top Boston travel ideas: Don’t-Miss Dishes in Boston Know Before You Go: Visiting Boston in Winter Visiting Boston for the First Time? Here's What to See and Do Where to Find the Best Views in Boston 9 Must-See Boston Neighborhoods and How to Visit

How do I spend a day in Boston?

If you have just one day in Boston, discover historic highlights of the Freedom Trail (including Faneuil Hall and Boston Common) before walking or biking along the Charles River. You can also admire city views on a Boston Harbor boat tour, browse boutiques on Newbury Street, and explore Boston's lively Chinatown.

What is Boston is famous for?

One of the country's oldest cities, Boston is famous for its history, boasting landmarks such as Faneuil Hall and the Paul Revere House. It's also known for its world-class universities (including Harvard, technically in nearby Cambridge), seafood, and sports: don't miss the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Is Boston a safe city?

Yes, Boston is generally a safe city, and its most central neighborhoods typically have lower crime rates than outlying areas visitors are less likely to explore. Like any major city, it's worth being street-smart: be attentive to valuables (especially in crowded areas where pickpockets may operate), and take caution at night.

How can I spend 3 days in Boston?

Three days is plenty of time to discover Boston's highlights. On day one, tour the historical landmarks along the Freedom Trail. On the second day, explore nearby Cambridge (and Harvard University, its top highlight). Devote the third day to Boston's characterful neighborhoods such as Back Bay, Fenway-Kenmore, and Chinatown.

What should you not miss in Boston?

Boston is full of unmissable sights, and no visit is complete without a stroll on Boston Common, a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, and a trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It's also worth visiting Harvard University in Cambridge—and indulging in a lobster roll at a seafood restaurant.

Yes, Boston is expensive. It was recently ranked the third-most expensive city in the United States, and high-end hotels and top-drawer restaurants cost a pretty penny. That said, there are plenty of budget-friendly options in Boston, from strolls along the Freedom Trail to brewery tours at Sam Adams and cheap eats in Chinatown.

Things to do in Boston

Welcome to Boston

With a brassy revolutionary spirit, Boston invites visitors to explore America’s past and vibrant culture. Trace the Freedom Trail through the heart of the city, where colorful neighborhoods are dotted with historic sites and parks. Try the chowder at Boston’s oldest restaurant, head to the Italian-accented North End for cannoli and pizza, or snack on hot dogs in the stands at Fenway Park. Browse collections of masterpiece artwork in the city’s many museums, then get beyond the city limits on a day trip to old-fashioned villages, Cape Cod’s sandy beaches, or one of New England’s top shopping destinations.

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Top 15 attractions in Boston

Tours & Tickets

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

11,580

Faneuil Hall is a bustling marketplace best known for its ever-changing lineup of street performers and its central location on Boston’s historic Freedom Trail. Tourists and locals alike flock to the complex’s shops and Quincy Market, featuring 30-plus food stalls selling everything from exotic coffee to fresh seafood and artisanal bread.More

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Boston North End

13,221

Boston’s oldest residential neighborhood, the North End has been inhabited since the 1630s and is now the city’s Little Italy. Visit to see a variety of historical and cultural attractions, such as the Paul Revere House (the starting place of his famous “midnight ride” in 1775) and enjoy Italian-American fare.More

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Boston Common

9,886

The starting point of the Freedom Trail, Boston Common is the oldest park in the country. At 50 acres (20 hectares), it is the anchor for the Emerald Necklace, a system of connected parks that winds through many of Boston’s neighborhoods. The historic park was once a campground for British troops during the Revolutionary War.More

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Fenway Park

2,273

Boston’s most cherished landmark isn’t Bunker Hill or the Tea Party Ships, but rather old Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. A must-see for sports enthusiasts as well as history and architecture buffs, Fenway Park is famous for its uniquely shaped playing field and towering left field wall known as the Green Monster.More

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Granary Burying Ground

9,552

The Granary Burying Ground was founded in 1660 and the cemetery is a key stop on the Freedom Trail. This colonial sight is perhaps best known for its esteemed residents, and the gravestones are a who's-who of 17th- and 18th-century New England notables. Important Bostonians interred here include Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, among others.More

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Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

4,399

Relive the events of December 16, 1773 at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Located in Boston Harbor, this floating museum provides visitors with an immersive experience, complete with full-scale replica tea ships, live costumed actors, a multi-sensory documentary, interactive exhibits, historic artifacts, and more.More

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Massachusetts State House

8,428

Crowning Boston’s Beacon Hill, the Massachusetts State House is the seat of Massachusetts’ government and one of many sites on the city’s Freedom Trail—a red-brick route connecting its American Revolution-related landmarks. Opened in 1798, the gold-domed building has an impressive interior filled with art and historical artifacts.More

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Boston Public Library

4,364

The Boston Public Library was founded in the mid-19th century and serves millions of Bostonians annually. This sizable public library is the second largest in the US—next to the Library of Congress—and its original Copley Square branch includes two landmark buildings, the Bates Hall reading room, and cafés where you can grab a pick-me-up.More

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Charlestown Navy Yard

3,796

Encounter maritime history at the Charlestown Navy Yard, one of the most prolific naval facilities in US history. This Boston yard served ships for more than 175 years, and now hosts the USS Constitution—and its museum—and the USS Cassin Young. Commercial business stopped in 1974; it's now a National Park Service site and free to visit.More

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#10

Tours & Tickets

Paul Revere House

3,733

Located in the North End and built around 1680, the Paul Revere House is the oldest building in downtown Boston. It is famous for being the house Revere left from on the night of his famous “midnight ride” to warn his compatriots that the British were coming to arrest them in 1775. He lived there with his family from 1770 to 1800.More

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#11

Tours & Tickets

Old South Meeting House

8,876

Dating from 1729, Boston’s Old South Meeting House was a congregational church and a gathering place for protestors who sparked the American Revolution with the 1773 Boston Tea Party. A key site on Boston’s Freedom Trail, the brick building is now a museum where visitors can chart the beginnings of the country’s 1776 revolution.More

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#12

Tours & Tickets

200 Clarendon (John Hancock Tower)

4,257

Located in the heart of Boston's Back Bay, 200 Clarendon—once known as John Hancock Tower—is the tallest building in the city and a well-known creation of architect I.M. Pei. Though notorious for now-fixed falling panels, and once a destination for its since-shuttered observation deck, the tower today is mostly eye candy for design fans.More

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#13

Tours & Tickets

USS Constitution

2,793

Built in 1797 and named by George Washington, the 3-masted USSConstitution frigate in Boston is the US Navy’s oldest commissioned ship and one of the world’s oldest warships. Visitors can go aboard the ship, docked at Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard and restored to its original glory, to explore an important slice of US history.More

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#14

Tours & Tickets

Boston Old State House

5,847

Built in 1713, Boston's Old State House is the city’s oldest public building and considered pivotal to prerevolutionary US history. Dwarfed by Boston’s skyscrapers and a fixture on its revolution-tracing Freedom Trail, the onetime government building is now a museum to the city’s revolutionary era and the events that kindled the American Revolution.More

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#15

Tours & Tickets

Quincy Market

7,653

The main hub of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Quincy Market has attracted locals and visitors alike for nearly 200 years. The historic food hall located within a Greek Revival-style building is packed with more than 50 shops, 14 restaurants, and 40 food court stops—plus stalls and pushcarts selling everything from exotic coffee to fresh seafood and artisanal bread.More

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Top activities in Boston

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 14 Stops

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Martha's Vineyard Daytrip from Boston with Round-Trip Ferry & Island Tour Option

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Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour

1244

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Freedom Trail: Small Group Tour of Revolutionary Boston

960

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Tour of Historic Fenway Park, America's Most Beloved Ballpark

1428

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Boston Signature Dinner Cruise with Buffet

171

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Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Admission

1009

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Boston Walking Tasting Food Tour

353

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Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Catamaran

1877

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Boston Historic Sightseeing Harbor Cruise with Up-Close View of USS Constitution

635

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Boston Freedom Trail Daily Walking Tour

902

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HK$213.29

Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise

198

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Sunset Cruise

241

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Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour

1372

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Boston to Plymouth Day-Trip including Quincy, Plimoth Patuxet and Mayflower II

182

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Boston Food & History North End Freedom Trail Walking Tour

885

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Boston's North End Walking Food Tour

495

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Sightseeing Day Sail around Boston Harbor

137

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Boston's North End Pizza & History Walking Food Tour

656

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Sunset Sailing Cruise on a Tall Ship in Boston Harbor

236

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Boston Freedom Trail Daily Walking Tour

1 hour 46 minutes
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Boston walking tasting tour (Private Tour)

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PRIVATE Authentic Revolutionary Boston Walking Tour

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Haunted Boston’s Historic Streets Walking Guided Tour

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Beacon Hill History + Scenic Photo Walking Tour (Small Group)

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Martha's Vineyard Daytrip from Boston with Round-Trip Ferry & Island Tour Option

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Self Guided Classic Freedom Trail Location Aware (GPS) Walking Audio Tour

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Self Guided "Historic Boston Downtown Freedom Trail" Audio/GPS Walking Tour

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What people are saying about Boston

Sunset Cruise

Naomi_W

, May 2023

Our family (my husband...

It was one of our favorite activities in Boston.

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with Harbor Cruise Option

Mary_T

, May 2023

Great way to tour the city of Boston

Great way to see city of Boston.

Boston Historic Sightseeing Harbor Cruise with Up-Close View of USS Constitution

Linda_N

, May 2023

Water View - Spectacular!

It was beautiful to see Boston from the water.

Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour

Randle_L

, May 2023

Cemeteries are best seen at night!

The sites were designed to see at night!

Entire Freedom Trail Walking Tour: Includes Bunker Hill and USS Constitution

RICHARD_G

, Apr 2023

Fun Boston Historical Tour

You do cover a little over 2 miles so wear comfy shoes but you get to see so much of Boston that you couldn’t see from a car.

Boston Harbor Brunch Cruise

Penelope_H

, Apr 2023

Brunch cruise

First time in Boston and will be back to do the brunch cruise maybe in the summer months so can sit outside

Boston Food & History North End Freedom Trail Walking Tour

Michelle_C

, Apr 2023

Yummy Tour

Have done food tours in other places and have found that food tours are a great way to see the places that the locals frequent and to learn about the city’s history.

Boston Freedom Trail Daily Walking Tour

George_L

, Apr 2023

I enjoyed learning about...

It was interesting to see the buildings to go along with the stories.

Martha's Vineyard Daytrip from Boston with Round-Trip Ferry & Island Tour Option

Cheryl_G

, Apr 2023

Day trip to Martha’s Vineyard

It was nice to visit before the crowds arrive but many businesses were closed.

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 14 Stops

Elena_B

, Apr 2023

An excellent first activity

Excellent choice to get familiar with the unfamiliar city and plan your further activities.

Boston Historic Sightseeing Harbor Cruise with Up-Close View of USS Constitution

William_S

, Apr 2023

Nice cruise - worth the time and money

We got to see a view of Boston that we couldn't see from land so we appreciated that.

Boston City View Bicycle Tour by Urban AdvenTours

Cormac_O

, Apr 2023

great way to see Boston ...

great way to see Boston guide Gary very personable and knowledgeable, really made the tour would recommend

Boston Harbor Brunch Cruise

Lisa_R

, Apr 2023

It was an easy going...

It was great getting to see Boston from the water and see all the islands.

Haunted Boston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour

Alison_B

, Apr 2023

Boston ghosts with Lucy

It was an added bonus to visit the bars

Entire Freedom Trail Walking Tour: Includes Bunker Hill and USS Constitution

Dan_G

, Apr 2023

Best Walk and Talk tour in town.

Highly recommended for all who can walk the four hours and want to see everything in one walk..

Boston Walking Tasting Food Tour

Julie_O

, Mar 2023

Must do with an energetic guide!

The walk was pleasant not strenuous on a gorgeous spring day!

Boston Freedom Trail Daily Walking Tour

Cheryl_S

, Mar 2023

Great Storyteller

Got to see a few sites in Boston I would have walked past otherwise.

Boston's North End Pizza & History Walking Food Tour

Avani_S

, Mar 2023

We had a great time! My...

My friend came to visit me in Boston and we had a lot of fun.

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 14 Stops

Lisa_B

, Mar 2023

Tea Pot

A great way to see and hear about historic Boston.

Boston's North End Pizza & History Walking Food Tour

Sara_P

, Feb 2023

Perfect!

That sprinkled with delicious food and pro-tips about what else to see and where to eat, made it a great experience for the whole family.

When to visit

After a bone-chilling winter, Boston knows how to party once summer arrives. Peak season prices come with perks such as baseball games at Fenway Park and festivals including Boston Pride, Harborfest, and Comic Con. Visit in early autumn for discounted rates and a chance to admire New England’s famous fall foliage before the freeze sets in.

Currency

US Dollar ($)

Time Zone

EDT (UTC -5)

Country Code

Language(s)

English

A local’s pocket guide to Boston

Angelica Pella

A native New Englander, Boston-based Angelica spends as much free time by the ocean as possible, and her favorite coastal town is Newport, Rhode Island.

The first thing you should do in Boston is...

explore each of the downtown neighborhoods on foot. Walking the Freedom Trail, either independently or on a tour, is a good way to get started.

A perfect Saturday in Boston...

starts with brunch at Lincoln Tavern and includes a walk along the Waterfront or Seaport, shopping at Faneuil Hall, and an Italian dinner in the North End, with espresso martinis at Caffè Vittoria afterward.

One touristy thing that lives up to the hype is...

Fenway Park. It's the oldest ballpark in America and great e

Things to do in Boston

Welcome to Boston

Top 15 attractions in Boston

Explore Boston by interest

Trip ideas

Itineraries for your Boston trip

Top activities in Boston

Explore our promoted experiences

What people are saying about Boston

All about Boston

When to visit

A local’s pocket guide to Boston