Boston, United States: travel guide
Revolutionary history, the Freedom Trail and Harvard across the Charles
New England's Revolutionary capital, where the Freedom Trail links Boston Common — the nation's first public park, 1634 — to the Italian North End; Harvard and MIT sit across the Charles in Cambridge.
About Boston
Boston is one of the most walkable cities in America and one of the most historic. The Freedom Trail strings together the sites of the Revolution on a red-brick line through the centre, passing Boston Common and the Public Garden on the way.
Things to do in Boston include browsing Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, eating pasta in the Italian North End, seeing the Museum of Fine Arts and watching a game at Fenway Park. Across the Charles River in Cambridge, Harvard and MIT give the area a student energy and plenty of bookshops.
Boston suits history lovers, sports fans and short city breaks with a European feel. Autumn colour is a highlight, late spring is mild, and winters can be cold and snowy.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
- Country
- United States
- Currency
- USD
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- Nearest airport
- BOS
Last updated
Top places to visit in Boston
Fenway Park
stadium · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The oldest active Major League Baseball stadium (1912), home of the Boston Red Sox, famous for the "Green Monster" left-field wall. Guided tours run daily.
Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market
market-hall · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry
Historic 1742 meeting hall known as the "Cradle of Liberty," adjoined by the bustling Quincy Market food hall and surrounding shops and street performers.
Boston Common
urban-park · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
The oldest public park in the United States (1634), a 50-acre green at the start of the Freedom Trail with the Frog Pond, monuments and seasonal events.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
art-museum · 4.8 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
One of the largest art museums in the US, with over 450,000 works spanning ancient Egyptian, Asian, European and American collections.
Freedom Trail
historic-walk · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · free entry
A 2.5-mile red-brick walking route through downtown Boston linking 16 historically significant Revolutionary-era sites, from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument.
New England Aquarium
aquarium · 4.6 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Waterfront aquarium centered on a four-story Giant Ocean Tank Caribbean coral reef, with penguins, seals and an IMAX theater.
Harvard University
university · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · free entry
The oldest US university (1636) in Cambridge; stroll historic Harvard Yard, see the John Harvard statue and visit the Harvard Art Museums and natural history collections.
Public Garden
botanical-garden · 4.8 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
America's first public botanical garden (1837), famed for its Swan Boats, lagoon, the Make Way for Ducklings statues and Victorian plantings.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
university · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
World-renowned science and engineering university along the Charles River, known for its bold modern architecture, the Great Dome and the MIT Museum.
Newbury Street
shopping-street · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Back Bay's premier shopping and dining promenade, eight blocks of brownstone storefronts with boutiques, galleries and sidewalk cafes.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
art-museum · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
A Venetian-style palazzo housing the personal collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner, arranged around a glass-roofed garden courtyard; site of a famous 1990 art heist.
Boston Public Library
library · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
The first large free municipal library in the US (1848); the McKim Building is a Renaissance-Revival landmark with the Bates Hall reading room and a courtyard.
Things to do
- Freedom Trail Walking Tour Walking Tour · 1.5 h · from USD 35 per person
- Boston Duck Tour Sightseeing Tour · 1.3 h · from USD 53 per person
- Boston Harbor Whale Watch Boat · 3.5 h · from USD 75 per person
- Fenway Park Guided Tour Guided Tour · 1 h · from USD 25 per person
- Boston Harbor Sightseeing Cruise Boat · 1.5 h · from USD 38 per person
- North End Italian Food Tour Food Tour · 3 h · from USD 75 per person
- Harvard & Cambridge Walking Tour Walking Tour · 1.3 h · from USD 18 per person
- Boston Bike Tour Cycling · 2.5 h · from USD 55 per person
Day trips and tours
- Salem Witch Trials Day Trip 7 h · from USD 95
- Cape Cod & Provincetown Day Tour 10 h · from USD 130
- Lexington & Concord Revolution Tour 6 h · from USD 90
- Plymouth & Plimoth Patuxet Day Trip 8 h · from USD 110
Where to stay in Boston
- Back Bay about USD 320 per night
Elegant Victorian brownstone district with upscale shopping on Newbury Street, walkable to most sights and well connected by the T.
- Beacon Hill about USD 330 per night
Historic gas-lamp-lit neighborhood with cobblestone streets, charming and central but pricey and short on large hotels.
- Downtown / Freedom Trail about USD 290 per night
Right on the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall; central for sightseeing with a mix of business hotels, can be quiet at night.
- Seaport about USD 300 per night
Modern waterfront district with new hotels, restaurants and harbor views; trendy but a bit removed from historic core.
- Fenway about USD 230 per night
Lively area around Fenway Park and the museums; good value, great for nightlife and baseball, slightly farther from downtown.
Hotels
- Four Seasons Hotel Boston 5-star · USD 600 to USD 1,200 per night
- The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel 5-star · USD 450 to USD 900 per night
- The Lenox Hotel 4-star · USD 300 to USD 550 per night
- The Verb Hotel 4-star · USD 220 to USD 420 per night
- Boston Marriott Long Wharf 4-star · USD 280 to USD 500 per night
- HI Boston Hostel 2-star · USD 50 to USD 160 per night
Where to eat
- Mike's Pastry Bakery, Italian, Dessert · about USD 12 per person
- Quincy Market Colonnade American, Food Hall, New England · about USD 18 per person
- Union Oyster House Seafood, American, New England · about USD 45 per person
- Regina Pizzeria Italian, Pizza · about USD 20 per person
- Giacomo's Ristorante Italian, Southern Italian · about USD 40 per person
- Legal Sea Foods (Harborside) Seafood, New England · about USD 45 per person
- Neptune Oyster Seafood, Raw Bar · about USD 75 per person
- Atlantic Fish Company Seafood, American · about USD 50 per person
Getting to Boston
Airport: Boston (BOS)
How visitors arrive in Boston
- Fly into Logan (BOS) By air from Logan International · common
Main gateway to the city and New England, linked downtown by the Silver Line. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Amtrak to South Station By train from Northeast Corridor · common
South Station handles long-distance Amtrak and commuter lines; North Station serves Maine. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Drive via I-90 or I-93 By road · common
The Mass Pike is the main route from outside the East Coast. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Intercity bus to South Station By road · possible
Nearly all intercity buses use South Station. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Ferry or cruise By ferry · possible
Long Wharf has ferries and Black Falcon Terminal serves cruise ships. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
From the airport to the centre
- MBTA Silver Line SL1 from Logan
SL1 buses serve all terminals and run to South Station with no transfer, where the Red Line is available. Source: massport.com
- Terminal shuttle to Blue Line
Shuttle buses carry passengers from the terminals to Airport station on the Blue Line, which connects to the Orange and Green lines downtown. Source: massport.com
Getting around
- Bus useful for some trips
MBTA buses serve Greater Boston on many routes, including the Silver Line bus rapid transit, and often get closer to destinations than the subway.
- Metro
The MBTA subway, known as the T, has Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines, and the Red Line reaches Cambridge.
- Ride Hail
Uber and Lyft can pick up and drop off passengers at Boston's Logan Airport.
- Walking
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake tour & ticket touts
Faneuil Hall, Boston Common, near Duck Tour stops
Touts sell "discount" duck tour, trolley or harbor-cruise tickets that are counterfeit or for non-existent departures, then disappear.
How to avoid it: Buy only from official operators' booths, websites or apps. Verify the company name and never pay cash to a street seller for a "deal".
Three-card monte / shell game
Tourist areas near Faneuil Hall and Downtown Crossing
A street dealer runs a fast card or cup-and-ball game with planted "winners" to lure bets; the game is rigged and you cannot win.
How to avoid it: Never play street gambling games — they are always a scam and often involve pickpocket accomplices in the crowd.
Airport taxi overcharging
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Some drivers quote a flat inflated fare, claim the meter is broken, or take long routes through tunnels to run up tolls from arriving tourists.
How to avoid it: Insist on the meter, use the official taxi queue, or book Uber/Lyft. Downtown should be roughly $25-45 including the tunnel toll and airport fee.
Aggressive street "donation" or CD hustle
Quincy Market, Newbury Street
Someone hands you a CD, bracelet or flyer "for free," then demands a donation or payment once it is in your hand.
How to avoid it: Do not accept unsolicited items. A firm "no thank you" and walking on is enough.
Overpriced pedicab rides
Faneuil Hall, North End, around Fenway on game nights
Pedicab drivers quote a low "per person" rate but charge per minute or per block, ending in a surprisingly large fare.
How to avoid it: Agree on the total price in writing/clearly before getting in, and confirm whether it is per person or total.
Best time to visit Boston
- Jan 0°C
- Feb 2°C
- Mar 6°C
- Apr 13°C
- May 19°C
- Jun 24°C
- Jul 28°C
- Aug 27°C
- Sep 23°C
- Oct 16°C
- Nov 10°C
- Dec 4°C
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Frequently asked questions about Boston
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Boston?
- The highest-rated places in our Boston guide are Fenway Park, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Harvard University, Public Garden, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
- Where should I stay in Boston?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Boston: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Downtown / Freedom Trail, Seaport.
- How do I get around Boston?
- Ways to get around Boston covered in our guide: City bus, Metro, Ride-hailing app, Walking.
- What scams should I watch out for in Boston?
- Scams reported to us for Boston include Fake tour & ticket touts; Three-card monte / shell game; Airport taxi overcharging. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.
- What is the weather like in Boston?
- Average daytime highs in Boston run from 0°C in Jan to 28°C in Jul.
- Which airport is nearest to Boston?
- The nearest airport to Boston has the code BOS.