What do in boston

Sailing packages of all sizes are available right on the Charles River. Enjoy a trail, hang out on a beach, or climb to the top of the lighthouse—whatever island and activity you choose to add to your list of things to do in Boston, the Boston Harbor Islands are sure to make a great, quick escape from the bustle of the city.

From the history of the Salem Witch Trials to the slightly-less-macabre history of Salem as a port city to plenty of fun restaurants and shopping, Salem is an easy and fun day trip Boston. Located less than an hour away by train, Salem is an incredibly simple day trip and well worth adding to your list of things to do in Boston! Piles and piles of fresh fruits and vegetables are sold at competitive prices—just as they have been since If your trip to Boston coincides with Haymarket, be sure to add this to your list of what to see in Boston!

The Boston Public Library including its awe-inspiring reading room, intricate architecture, and delightful courtyard is indisputably gorgeous and worth a visit.

Less well known is the fact that The Courtyard Restaurant, located on-site, serves a beautiful afternoon tea! Make reservations for Monday-Saturday, , for an unusual library experience. In the heart of downtown Boston lies the oldest continuously operating hotel in the United States, which is dripping with opulence and worth stepping inside just to see it. These historic markets and their surrounding area are about as touristy as you can get: high prices, gimmicky items for sale, questionable quality of food.

However, the buildings are beautiful and the history neat—since they are located right on the Freedom Trail, be sure to stop in and have a look! Want to try free beer? Why is it called a Duck Tour? Because the truck you ride in… is also a boat. Go on a basic group cruise to experience the sites, opt for a luxurious private, catered cruise at sunset, or anything in between!

For a less expensive harbor cruise, this sunset cruise is a great option! The New England Aquarium is now arguably our favorite aquarium in the world, and visiting it is one of our favorite things to do in Boston.

The New England Aquarium is home to 3 different species of penguins, and they are all absolutely adorable. Be sure to stop by at penguin feeding time AM and PM to see these guys get really excited! After, be sure to head up to the top of the 4 story Ocean Life tank—see if you can spot Myrtle the sea turtle while you do! Want to avoid waiting? Purchase a skip the line aquarium ticket before you get there! From elaborate theater productions to the ballet, to the symphony, Boston has no shortage of shows to see.

The Boston Opera House is incredibly gorgeous, more than I would have even imagined—it would not look out of place in any European capital city. We also hit the park one night for Shakespeare in the Park and saw for free!

Most Wednesday nights weather permitting , the Coit Observatory at Boston University opens to the public to let people learn about astronomy and observe the night sky using telescopes and binoculars available on location. Even better? This is a free event—providing you can get tickets. As the story goes, during the American Civil War, two brothers inherited some property. Head to Fenway Park for one of the most classic things to do in Boston: catch a game and eat a Fenway Frank. Be sure to check the game schedule and buy tickets before the day you plan to visit!

Boston is a walking city at heart—expect to be on your feet a lot when you are exploring things to do in Boston. Vibrant floral patterns were created using the very new techniques of hybridizing and propagating, eventually leading to the importing of exotic trees and plants. A popular attraction for all the family as you stroll past the famous Swan Boats operated and created over years ago, the lovely lake and fountains, and variety of trees.

There are plenty of benches on which to relax, too. It will make attending future games even more fun. Fenway Park is the oldest ball park in Major League Baseball history and, though relatively small and only able to seat 40, spectators, has certain seen plenty of exciting baseball, soccer and hockey action, not to mention political and religious campaigns.

Fenway has hosted the World Series ten times, its inaugural season starting from the World Series. A completely new type of museum, this is where the family can view not only artifacts of historical importance but also enjoy a multi sensory experience. This floating museum is made up of high tech interactive exhibits, restored tea ships, absorbing documentaries all about this famous event and knowledgeable actors bringing you a sense of how it all happened, with a perfect sense of flair and drama!

There is also the opportunity of throwing the tea overboard. Dedicated to the tragically brief life of John F. Within the church is also a bust of George Washington. A small but interesting historical church which the whole family will enjoy visiting. These fun tours offer both a day and evening option, and consist of a super time for the visiting adults of the family. Enjoy learning all about the making of beer, talk with some brewery owners, participate in either a lunch or dinner dependent on which tour you have chosen and the opportunity to sample between 15 to 20 award-winning pilsners, stouts and other beers.

Related tour : Craft Brewery Beer Tour. How does a culinary walking tour for all the family that includes plenty of mouth watering goodies sound? Next, enjoy several local artisanal caramels and chocolates.

And, if you still have room, a final stop to sample one of the best cannolo that you and your family will have ever tasted. Jillian Hammell is a contributor for Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Make Fun. Thrillist Serves. Enter your email address Subscribe. Social Media Links. It's not surprising then that its main sites have become a pilgrimage trail for Americans and for others who hope to get a sense of that history. But more than that, the Freedom Trail is a good introduction to today's city, connecting or passing close to some of its best loved tourist attractions.

Boston is easy to navigate on foot, as its major sights are relatively close, and America's first subway system, the T, connects its important neighborhoods. Across the Charles River, a watery summer recreation area whose Boston shore is reserved as the Esplanade park, is Cambridge. Although a separate and independent city, for tourist purposes, Cambridge is part of Boston and connected by the same transit system.

These and the many other universities and colleges in the area help keep Boston a youthful and vibrant place to be, with a lively cultural scene. With all the music, theater, and entertainment options, plus its abundance of restaurants, you'll never be at a loss for things to do in Boston at night. Decide on the best time to visit Boston and then make the most of your trip with this handy list of tourist attractions and things to do in Boston.

See also: Where to Stay in Boston. Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues. Freedom Trail.

The three-mile Freedom Trail leads you past - and into - 16 of the city's principal historic monuments and sites. It's easy to follow, by the line of red bricks in the sidewalk and by footprints at street crossings.

Begin by picking up brochures on the attractions at the Visitor Center in the Boston Common before heading to the State House. This is Boston's oldest public building and the site of the Boston Massacre. Official site: www. Rogers Photography. Known as "America's Most Beloved Ballpark", Fenway Park is one of the most fabled sports complexes in the country, and even if you're not a sports fan, a tour of it is both fun and interesting. The home of the Boston Red Sox looks much the same as it did when it opened on April 20, One of its most recognizable features is the Green Monster , the foot green wall in left field, and the park still maintains some of the remnants of "old time" baseball such as the hand-operated scoreboard.

It also has the lowest seating capacity in the Major Leagues holding only 33, spectators a fact that makes tickets exceedingly scarce. Faneuil Hall. Known as the "cradle of liberty," Faneuil Hall was built in by Huguenot merchant Peter Faneuil as a market hall and presented to the city on condition that it should always be open to the public.

The ground floor is still occupied by market stalls; on the upper floor is a council chamber, which in the 18th and 19th centuries was the meeting place of revolutionaries and later, of abolitionists.

On its fourth floor is the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Museum , with weaponry, uniforms, and paintings of significant battles. The adjoining Faneuil Hall Marketplace includes three long halls Quincy Market, North Market, and South Market , dating from the early 19th century, now occupied by a lively assortment of shops, restaurants, and exhibitions. In good weather, you'll find street performers and buskers putting on shows in the square around the market, and along with the numerous food stalls, there are also shops selling jewelry, clothing, gifts, and souvenirs.

The market stalls are some of the favorite places to eat lunch in Boston. Boston Public Garden Swan Boats. In this large green space, which is much used by locals year-round, are various monuments and the Central Burying Ground of You can rent skates to use on the Frog Pond from November through mid-March, enjoy the spring blossoms and fall foliage colors reflecting in its surface, and in summer, watch youngsters splash about in the wading pool.

Adjoining it on the west side of Charles Street, is the acre Public Garden, America's oldest botanical garden, as well as Victorian-style monuments and statues, including an equestrian statue of George Washington and popular modern bronzes of a family of ducks immortalized in Robert McCloskey's children's book Make Way for the Ducklings.

One of Boston's most iconic experiences for all ages is riding around the lake in the garden's center on the famous Swan Boats , first launched in the s.

One of the leading art museums in the country, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts excels in its collections of Impressionist paintings, ancient Egyptian treasures, Asian and Persian fine arts, and works from ancient Greece and the Middle East.

Its newest and crowning achievement is the construction of an entire American Wing to house, integrated in chronological order, outstanding collections of American paintings, furniture, decorative arts, folk art, silver, glassware, and design dating from pre-Columbian arts to the Art Deco and Modernist eras. Highlights elsewhere include a 12th-century lacquered-wood sculpture of a Buddhist Bodhisattva and Korean painted screens, the ivory and gold statue of the Minoan Snake Goddess from BC, and a statue of the Egyptian pharaoh Mycerinus and his queen from BC.

Set in a building its eccentric creator modeled after a 15th-century Venetian palace, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum displays its collections in rooms surrounding a four-story central courtyard filled with flowering plants and fountains.

The priceless 2,piece collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, tapestries, decorative arts, books, and manuscripts reflect the personal tastes and considerable expertise of Mrs.

Gardner herself, whose own flamboyance further adds to the charm of the museum. Behind the palazzo, a 70,square-foot glass-clad building designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano creates new viewpoints for the original palazzo and stunning spaces for music and visual arts, allowing the museum to showcase exceptional contemporary works and artists.

Rather than clash or compete with the original building, Piano's wing simply provides a new glass through which to view Mrs. Gardner's palazzo.