Ten Ways to Tour Boston
Between the Green Monster at Fenway Park, Paul Revere’s house in the North End, and the winding Freedom Trail, Boston boasts a seemingly unlimited supply of attractions. Whether you live in the city or you're just visiting for a few days, a tour will help you get the lay of the land — and there are plenty to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites.
The catch-all Upper Deck Trolley Tours offer an extensive tour of Boston and Cambridge, including Harvard Square. The basic package is ideal for short trips — one ticket is good for one two-and-a-half-hour tour on one day — while the premium package is good for up to three consecutive days and offers the option to get on and off at different destinations. The premium package also includes admission to the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Old South Meeting House, the MIT Museum, and the ICA.
The Super Duck Tour, offered by the same company, is a guided, narrated bus and boat tour hybrid that takes you from the city streets to the Charles River. The tour includes all of Boston's the greatest hits, including drive-by glimpses of famous movie sets and historical landmarks. One lucky patron will even get to drive the boat.
For a more unique and intimate guided tour — and the opportunity to be chauffeured around in the 1939 limousine made famous by The Godfather — check out Antique Limousine Tours. The in-character ‘30s drivers narrate the trip through narrow streets of the city that the trolley tours can’t quite fit into. They even offer customizable tours that will take you out to Boston’s surrounding destinations like Salem, Cape Cod, or whatever else your heart desires.
The Freedom Trail Foundation offers a walking tour guided by period actors that takes you through some of the most significant historical landmarks in the city, including the Bunker Hill Monument, the Old South Meeting House, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere’s House, Old North Church, the USS Constitution and more. But you don’t have to follow a guide if you prefer to go it alone — the Freedom Trail is fairly easy to navigate.
The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum offers an informative tour that takes you through the museum and gives you an in-depth glimpse at the famous event that shaped the city of Boston — and America. Walk through restored tea ships, experience a multisensory educational film, and at the end of the tour, reenact the protest by throwing your own “tea” into the Boston Harbor. This highly interactive tour is perfect for visitors with children.
Baseball fans and history buffs alike shouldn’t bypass the Fenway Park tours and packages. Tours include a general 60-minute overview of the park and an ultimate birthday package in which attendees can try on team jerseys and use the official MLB batting cages.
Looking for a way to experience the spectrum of culinary culture in Boston? The Sweet and Savory South End Food and Neighborhood Tour may be your ideal destination. This tour stops at six different eateries in the South End while teaching guests about the culture and history of this bohemian neighborhood. The tour departs at noon on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and lasts about three-and-a-half hours.
Still hungry? The Chocolate Tour is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. The first stop is the Top of the Hub, which, along with a decadent dessert that changes weekly, offers a breathtaking view of the city from the top of the Prudential Center. Take trolleys to the different destinations and learn everything you needed to know about chocolate along the way.
Get spooked while visiting Boston’s most historical gravesites on the Boston Ghosts & Gravestones Tour. Tours are guided by a range of characters — varying from deranged nannies to pyromaniac circus performers — who share their own creepy tales as they guide you through the haunts of Boston’s history. Each tour visits two out of three possible burial grounds: Copp's Hill Burying Ground, The Granary Burying Ground and King's Chapel Burying Ground.
To see the city from a different vantage point, check out Boston Harbor Cruises. The Charles River and Locks tour sails by the USS Constitution, Bunker Hill Monument, and Old North Church and gives an incredible view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines, while the Sunset Tour passes by the USS Constitution and sets off a cannon as a traditional end-of-day ritual at sundown.