Best Things to Do in Boston

Located in the northeastern US state of Massachusetts, Boston is one of the oldest cities in the country and was founded by British settlers in 1630. The city grew up around the Charles River and over the years has grown into a large city that has expanded thanks to trade in its port, one of the most important in the world. Trade was responsible for the city's growth, but it was not the only important factor. Boston is also one of the most important capitals in the world in education thanks to its universities, a pioneer in pharmaceutical and technological companies, a gastronomic capital, a national and world power in sports...

All these elements and many more make it one of the most visited tourist destinations in the United States thanks to the more than 12 million visitors it receives every year. If all these reasons are not enough to convince you to visit, don't worry. In this post I'll share with you the most important places and plans in Boston that will surely convince you to visit a unique city in the world.

If you ask what you can do to get to know Boston, it is quite likely that most of the answers you will receive will be to walk the Freedom Trail.

It is a marked route through the city of about 4 kilometres that passes through several of its main points and can be comfortably covered on foot in about half a day.

The trail is marked by a brick line and is completely free to follow, although there are several guided historical tours available to learn more about each point of the Freedom Trail.

The trail begins at Boston Common and winds through the city centre to the harbour area, where the flagship USS Constitution is the last stop. In total there are 16 tourist attractions along the trail, all of them related to the history of the city and the country.

The Freedom Trail stops are: Boston Common, Massachusetts State House Parliament, Street Church Park, Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel, Benjamin Franklin Statue at the Boston Latin School, Old Corner Book Store, Old State House Parliament, Boston Massacre Memorial, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere's House, North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Bunker Hill Monument and the USS Constitution ship.

Other things to do in Boston

There's a lot to see in Boston, so rather than going on your own, it's a good idea to book one of the Top 10 guided tours of Boston. They'll explain every detail of the city so you won't miss a thing. Although if you like to know the hidden side of the monuments and the corners of the places you visit, you might be more interested in these Boston ghost tours, they will tell you the spookiest stories.

Another very comfortable and fun way to get around Boston is with the tourist buses or the Boston Cruises and Duck Boats, the latter take you along the Charles River from where you can see the best views of the city of Massachusetts. Whichever option you choose, they will all have a knowledgeable guide who will be with you every step of the way to help you learn about Boston's history.

Boston Commonis a public park in Boston, but not just any park. It is the oldest public park in the United States.

It was opened in 1634 and throughout its history its grounds have been used for a variety of purposes such as grazing land and even as a gallows for the execution of criminals. But it is also a place with a lot of history.

During the British occupation of Boston, its grounds served as a military camp and in the park itself, illustrious figures such as Martin Luther King and Pope John Paul II have given some of their speeches.

Today it is a park with numerous green spaces for sports, walks and picnics and is home to several memorials, monuments and even an old cemetery. Boston Common is also home to the Freedom Trail visitor centre, which is the starting point of this famous route.

In addition, it is a place where concerts, shows and endless cultural activities are frequently held, especially if you travel to Boston in the summer.

This has made it one of the essential places to visit in Boston.

Boston is full of streets and neighbourhoods of Victorian origin that maintain that essence and are places worth visiting. The best known of these is the Beacon Hill neighbourhood, just north of Boston Common.

As its name suggests, the neighbourhood is built on a hill and is made up of a tangle of pretty streets with Victorian houses.

Of all its streets, there is one that stands out above the rest. Acron Street. This street is one of the most photographed spots in the whole city thanks to its unique charm.

It's a steep, cobblestone street lined with red brick Victorian houses and is a reminder of colonial Boston. As they say, it doesn't count as a visit to Boston if you don't leave the city with a photo on Acron Street.

Everyone knows about the fame and prestige of institutions such as Harvard University and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). But not everyone knows that both are located in Boston, well, more specifically in Cambridge, just a few kilometres from the city centre.

Figures as important as Barack Obama or Bill Gates have studied at Harvard itself and you have the opportunity to step on the same ground as them and get to know what one of the most important educational institutions in the world is like.

You can visit the Harvard campus and the institution itself even offers tours led by its own students. You can also do it on your own, and Harvard offers interactive maps on its website to guide you.

MIT is not as free to visit, but you can visit the MIT museum dedicated to the technology and discoveries that have been developed by the great minds that have passed through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In addition to history and avant-garde, gastronomy is also one of Boston's great attractions. Thanks to its location next to one of the most important ports in the world, its colonial origins and its influence from many countries, the city's gastronomic range is immense. And there is a perfect place to enjoy it in the city centre. Quincy Market in the Faneuill area.

Inside a historic building that played a leading role in American independence are three of Boston's best markets, South Market, North Market and Quincy Market, where you can sample all kinds of local and international food.

There's no better place in Boston to be at lunchtime, dinnertime or for a food tour.

There's no better place to get the best views of the city than from one of its highest points. That's the Skywalk Observatory observation deckat the Prudential Center.

At the top of this skyscraper, 228 metres high and on the 50th floor, there is a panoramic observation deck that offers the most complete and spectacular views of the entire city from all perspectives, as it is a 360-degree viewpoint. It costs about 19 dollars to go up to this point, which at the exchange rate is about 18 euros.

This is not the only place where you can enjoy the views. In the same building there is a restaurant even higher than the viewpoint and below it is the Prudential Centre, a shopping area full of shops and restaurantsperfect to complete the day.

The North End, also known as Boston's Little Italy, is one of the busiest areas of the city and one of the most attractive in its own right. This maze of narrow streets is the oldest neighbourhood in Massachusetts and has been inhabited since 1630.

Much of the Freedom Trail passes through it, with historic sites such as the Old North Church and Paul Revere's house, a symbol of the American War of Independence.

The neighbourhood is much more than history. Given its colonial origins and the fact that its inhabitants have been European immigrants for many years, the North End has a clear European influence, especially Italian.

Its streets are lined with Italian restaurants and cafés, mostly concentrated on the neighbourhood's main thoroughfare, Hanover Street. Any self-respecting traveller visiting Boston is almost obliged to visit this beautiful neighbourhood.

Boston is considered the cultural capital of the United States largely because of its wide range of museums. At this point I could tell you about any in particular, but the range is so wide that it is better to know them all and decide for yourself which ones you want to visit.

To do this you have this link with a list of the best museums in Boston and all the information you need to know about them.

To sum up, the most important one because of its connection with the history of the city and the country is the Tea Party Museum. This event, in which the American colonists rebelled against British taxes by throwing large quantities of tea overboard from ships, gave rise to the War of Independence.

The ship-shaped museum is the best place to learn about this history and perhaps of all the museums in the city, this is the most special and unique. But there are many others in the city, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Science Museum or the Children's Museum. In any case, visiting its museums is one of the best things to do in Boston.

One of the city's focal points is Copley Square, named after Boston-born painter John Singleton Copley, famous for his portraits.

The square is located in the Back Bay neighbourhood and its charm lies in its architecture and the number of illustrious buildings that surround it. An architectural blend of modernity and history makes it a must-see on any Boston itinerary.

Among these illustrious buildings are the Old South Church, Trinity Church, the famous and impressive Boston Public Library, the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, John Hancock Tower and the Bostix Kiosk. The streets surrounding the square are part of the Back Bay neighbourhood and are perfect for relaxing strolls, shopping in the many shops and franchises and stopping for a bite to eat in the many restaurants. It is also one of the best areas to enjoy Boston's nightlife.

Variety is the spice of life, and if you don't want to be saturated with history and museums, there's an infallible plan in Boston. Visit the New England Aquarium or Boston Aquarium. It is located on one of the waterfront piers, southeast of the North End neighbourhood.

The Boston Aquarium has been home to more than 20,000 marine species since 1969. Most of them are housed in a giant three-story fish tank where you can see all kinds of fish, turtles, sea lions and even sharks.

There is also space to see penguins, a special tank where you can dive in to touch mantas, rays and other species, a theatre where 3D films about marine wildlife are shown and even a service to go whale and dolphin spotting off the coast. If you want to know all about the opening hours, prices and other information about the Boston Aquarium, click here.

The aquarium is one of the most visited places in Boston and one of the best things to do, especially if you are travelling to Boston with children.

If you're lucky enough to spend several days in Boston, whether it's two days or three days, you can't miss one of the Top 10 excursions from Boston, such as the one to the exclusive island of Martha's Vineyard.

It's about 150 km from Boston and has some incredible beaches, making it one of the favourite destinations for tourists in Boston. That's why I recommend booking an organised tour to Martha's Vineyard from Boston, but there are several ways to get there.

But if you like the sea, you shouldn't miss Cape Cod, 112 km from Boston and another natural paradise to enjoy a few days at the beach if you go in summer or spring, when temperatures are still warm enough to enjoy a swim in the sea. Here's an article on how to get to Cape Cod from Boston.

Finally, I recommend another destination, New Hampshire, much closer, just 85 km from the city, and where a day trip to Boston will be enough to explore some of its incredible national parks.

You'll see spectacular scenery, so a good time to visit is in autumn or even winter. Here's how to get to New Hampshire from Boston.

Once you've booked your transfers from Boston Airport, it's time to organise your trip. As a tip I recommend you to get one of the Boston tourist passes, a very practical way to visit the most important parts of the city saving time and money. I leave you these posts to find out which one interests you more: the Boston City Pass or the Go Boston Card.

Also, be sure to read these itineraries that we have created in Hellotickets to know what to see in each month of the year:

• 10 things to see and do in Boston in January
• 10 Things to see and do in Boston in April
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in June
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in July
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in September
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in October
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in November
• 10 things to see and do in Boston in December