Historic Boston Attractions

Historic Boston Tours.

For a truly historic tour of Boston, take the Freedom Trail tour, which departs from either Boston Common or Faneuil Hall. A free 90-minute tour led by costumed guides will take you through more than a dozen nationally significant historic sites such as Bunker Hill Monument and Boston Common. Along the way, you’ll learn the stories of Revolutionary War figures such as Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock, www.thefreedomtrail.org. [Top]

Boston Duck Tours.

For a more unusual tour of historic Boston sites, try one of the Boston duck tours. You visit such Boston MA attractions and sites such as the State House, Bunker Hill, Boston Common, Copley Square, the Big Dig and fashionable Newbury Street... and all in a WW II style amphibious vehicle, www.bostonducktours.com.

Boston Common.

Wander around the U.S.’s oldest public park where British troops camped out during the Revolutionary War. The State House, Cheers Bar and Boston’s famed swan boats and Public Gardens surround Boston Common. At the Boston Common Visitor Information Center, you’ll also get all kinds of information and tips about historic Boston MA attractions. [Top]

Faneuil Hall Market Place.

Be sure to stop at the 250-year-old Faneuil Hall, one of the world’s most visited food halls and the site of numerous town hall meetings to protest British taxation policies. Try authentic Boston fare at more than 40 eateries, and shop for souvenirs at more than 100 shops, www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/.

African Meeting House / Abiel Smith School.

These important Boston historic attractions are located in the former heart of Boston's 19th-century African American community. The Abiel Smith School commemorates the history of African-Americans from slavery to the abolitionist movement with a gallery, classroom and museum store, www.afroammuseum.org/afmbeaconhill.htm. [Top]

Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum.

Uncover the story of the Boston Tea Party, one of the colony’s most famous incidents, with the exhibits, videos, and living history programs on the replicas of the three ships that took part in the Boston Tea Party, www.bostonteapartyship.com.
[Please note, the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum is currently closed for renovation and is set to reopen Summer 2010]

Bunker Hill Monument.

It’s not hard to recognize Bunker Hill today. A giant 221-foot granite obelisk looms above downtown Boston on the site of the first formal battle of the Revolutionary War. The National Park Service runs Bunker Hill Monument, and offers ranger talks where you’ll learn more about the battle known for the famous battle line “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” www.nps.gov/bost. [Top]

Paul Revere House and Boston’s North End.

Be sure to visit Boston’s North End, where you’ll find the Paul Revere House. It was from here the American patriot began his famous midnight ride to warn “The British are coming! The British are coming!” Today Boston’s North End is known as the city’s Little Italy, www.paulreverehouse.org.

Old North Church.

The oldest church in Boston is where lanterns were hung to warn Paul Revere and others of British troop movements before the eruption of the American Revolution. Today you can still attend services at this working Episcopal Church and visit the onsite gift shop, www.oldnorth.com.

For more information on historic Boston, visit www.bostonusa.com. [Top]