Take a look at our list of top 20 best things to do in Boston
Boston is nowhere near the largest or most populous city of the United States, but its history and current status are just as important. It has a long history since it’s one of the oldest cities in the country. It served as an important port and manufacturing town, which is true even now. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston. Today it is also a center for culture and education, and known as the first city with a public school and public park, as well as the first city with a subway system. Tourism and attractions are common, so we have collected a list of the top 20 best things to do in Boston.
- Boston Common
Although it wasn’t always a park, the Boston Common is today known as the oldest public park of the United States. It’s lush greenery is excellent for taking a stroll, having a picnic or just relaxing. Its statues and fountains provide a change of scenery and perhaps some fun for the children as well. You’ll also find a variety of activities and events, including theater and musical performances, hosted here throughout the year.
2. Boston Public Garden
The Boston Public Garden is right next to the Boston Common, but it’s a seperate place. Like the park, this is the first public botanical garden of the country. It’s a great place to see some native and exotic plants and trees, as well as animals in the garden or the lagoon. Those interested can also take a swan boat to traverse the beautiful lagoon.
3. Boston Children’s Museum
The Boston Children’s Museum offers an amusing way to educate children about various sciences, culture, art and health and wellness, among other subjects. The exhibitions are all interactive, like making huge soap bubbles, using construction equipment and playing in a Japanese house replica. If you have children, then going here is definitely one of the best things to do in Boston.
4. Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra started more than a hundred years ago, and today, they place around 250 concerts a year, including many classical and more traditional music. The accoustics of the Symphony Hall is excellent, so even if you can’t get a ticket for the BSO, consider buying one for another performance, or just take a tour around the hall.
5. Fenway Park
Sport and baseball fans have probably heard of the stadium of Fenway Park. It’s the home of the Boston Red Sox team, loved by many. Even if you are not into baseball or sports in general, it’s worth seeing at least once, or even better if you take the guided tour inside the stadium. Apart from baseball events, it has housed numerous other sport events, as well as cultural and political ones.
6. Faneuil Hall Marketplace
The Faneuil Hall Marketplace is actually composed of four buildings: Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market. THe oldest one, Faneuil Hall, is more than 250 years old, and served not only as a marketplace, but as a site for historical and political events, including a speech from Samuel Adams. Today the marketplace houses numerous stores and restaurants, which are all worth checking out.
7. Freedom Trail
Freedom Trail is a 4-km-long path going between 16 of the most historically significant buildings and sites of Boston, including the Faneuil Hall Marketplace and more. Visitors to Boston definitely want to see this historical path, as not only the places along it are beautiful, but the path itself as well. It’s an actual line going on the ground, which people can easily follow if they wish so.
8. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is what became of the collection of the art enthusiast. The building contains numerous beautiful furniture, photographs, sculpture and rare books straight from Europe, not to mention the works from such artists like Raphael and Titian, as the museum focuses on Italian art. The most recent addition includes a glass atrium, greenhouses and landscaped gardens.
9. Museum of Fine Arts
If you have any interest in art, even just a little, then be sure to go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, as it is an impressive large museum containing around 450 thousand works of art. It has pieces from such artists as Monet, Van Gogh, Copley and Sargent, as well as countless pieces and artifacts from Egypt, China and Japan, among others. It truly is an international gallery, with works from all around a world.
10. Museum of Science
If you are more interested in science and how the world works, then the Museum of Science is for you. Hundreds of interactive exhibitions provide fun ways to learn about the world both for children and adults. More kid-focused exhibits located here include the “Dinosaurs: Modeling the Mesozoic” and the “Science in the Park”. But there is also the Charles Hayden Planetarium and the Mugar Omni Theater, as well as live presentations nearly every day.
11. New England Aquarium
The New England Aquarium is and excellent place to see countless aquatic animals in different habitats. Green sea turtles, eels, baracuda, seals, penguins, sea jellies and seadragons, just to name a few of the variety. Feedings can also be watched on a schedule, but the main attraction is probably the the Giant Ocean Tank. This four-story tank includes a coral reef habitat that houses more than 1,000 underwater creatures.
12. New England Holocaust Memorial
The New England Holocaust Memorial is a breathtaking memorial to the victims of the holocaust. The memorial consists of six glass towers under which visitors may walk. Engraved on the outside walls of each tower are groups of numbers representing the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, the on the inside, quotes from survivors of each camp can be found. It’s a powerful memorial, but be advised that it may be disturbing for some.
13. Old North Church
The Old North Church is a historically important church of Boston. Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, when he rode through town to warn people about the arrival of British troops is well-known. He gave orders here, at this church. The church today tells the story of this, commemorating that night.
14. Paul Revere House
Speaking of Paul Revere, those who are interested in revolutionist era of the United States should see the Paul Revere House, his old home. It was left mostly as it was back then, showing how the houses of that time looked, and how people lived. It’s a small home, but one of the best things to do in Boston for those interested in such historical places.
15. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a series of parks in a line. It’s only a few years old, but already very popular due to the amount of activities there. Temporary public art displays, bubbling fountains, numerous food vendors and a carousel await visitors, but it also offers free weekly events, including food and art festivals, summer concert performances and seasonal fitness classes.
16. Samuel Adams Brewery
The Samuel Adams Brewery offers a great insight into the brewing facilities of the Boston Beer Company, of which the Samuel Adams is a flagship brand. Visitors can learn a lot about brewing, tasting and specialties, and those over 21 can get a free sampling and a small keepsake glass.
17. Mapparium
The Mapparium is an inside-out three-story-tall globe made of stained glass that is viewed from a 9.1 m long bridge through its interior. It’s an exhibit at the Mary Baker Eddy Library of Christian Science. It’s an interesting way to see the Earth and its continents, especially since you have to look upwards to see most of it due to their relative location. The map itself is of course out of date now, with many African colonies and the USSR still visible.
18. Metropolitan Waterworks Museum
The Metropolitan Waterworks Museum incorporates unique stories of one of the country’s first metropolitan water systems, located in Boston, through exhibitions and educational programs on engineering, architecture, social history, and public health. It’s out of use now, but it serves well in showing how it once worked.
19. Old State House
Surrounded by modern buildings, the Old State House was preserved for its historic importance to the city. It now serves as a museum to show the history of the city and its role in the revolution, especially since it was the location of the infamous Boston Massacre. The sad past of the beautifully designed building only makes it more worth visiting.
20. USS Constitution
The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned and fully functioning warship in the United States. Today the ship is berthed neatly at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard, at the end of the Freedom Trail in Boston. It was used for almost a hundred years either in battles, or for training and ceremonial events. It was retired and later renovated so that it may not deteriorate anymore. It is sometimes used for big events, like its 200th birthday in 1997, but most of the time it can be visited at the pier.
