Este sitio web utiliza cookies para mejorar su experiencia de navegación y analizar el uso del sitio web. Más información

Things To Do in Boston

Book A Guided Walking Tour

This post covers the best things you can enjoy in Boston, today, tomorrow, or whenever.

We include a top 10 list, nighttime activities, things to do with kids and top attractions, all updated for 2022. 

TOP EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON

This section will cover the top activities to do while you’re in Boston.

Whenever possible, we will note if any of these ideas are either family-friendly, free or great after dark.

Many of the items below are included for free or at a discount on one or more of the Boston tourist attraction discount passes, which could help you save money on entry fees. 

1. Go on a Sightseeing Tour

There are a lot of great ways to discover the city of Boston.

If you want to learn about the history of Boston, consider taking a pay-what-you-wish walking tour.

We offer several tours which cover a variety of subjects and neighborhoods:

Searching Availability...

A hop-on-hop-off bus tour is another great way to get around the city and see all of the most notable sites.

Thanks to all the water surrounding Boston, there are always plenty of boat tours and dinner cruises available in the harbor.

You can also learn more about the best eats in Beantown by taking a food tour.

2. Attend a Live Sporting Event

There are several professional sports teams in Boston.

No matter when you choose to visit, chances are you’ll be able to see one of the following teams play a home game:

Many of these teams will play night games during the regular season, so this could be an excellent activity to enjoy after dark.

For more things to do in the evening, please read our nighttime activities section.

3. Go to a Concert

Throughout the year, Boston attracts a lot of popular musicians from around the world.

If you’re interested in going to a concert, make sure to check and see what’s on at the following venues:

If you want to see who will be playing when you choose to visit Boson, please check our monthly things to do posts.

4. See a Musical/Play

No matter when you come to Boston, chances are there will be a great musical or play to attend.

There are usually at least one or two off-Broadway productions happening at any given time.

If you’re trying to figure out what shows are playing while you’re in town, check this list of Boston theater tickets to see what’s available.

Boston Opera House Photo Credit: Samantha Gilman

Alternatively, you can also check the calendars of these popular venues:

Some musicals take place during the day, and others at night.

As such, this could be both a great thing to do with your family and something fun to do after the sun goes down.

If you’re looking for additional ideas, check both our family-friendly and nighttime activities sections.

Boston Travel Tips

5. Visit a Popular Attraction

There are a lot of great attractions to see in and around Boston. Here are a few of the more popular locations to visit:

The Cheers Bar

If you’ve ever seen the hit television show Cheers, chances are you’ll jump at the opportunity to see the actual bar that inspired the series!

The USS Constitution

This historic ship is also known as Old Ironsides, and visitors can take a tour at the dry dock for a small donation.

Bunker Hill Monument

In addition to the landmark itself, there is also a free museum you can visit which provides access to the monument so that you can climb to the top for an excellent view of the city.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

With tons of shops, street performers and even free activities for children, this is a great place for families to visit during the day. There are also a lot of great restaurants in the area!

If you’re looking for even more great places to see, please check our list of the best attractions in Boston.

6. Discover the Neighborhoods of Boston

There are a lot of interesting neighborhoods in Boston, each with their own unique history.

Consider taking a walk through one of the following areas:

7. Find the Best Food in Boston

Beantown is known for restaurants specializing in a variety of different food. If you’re looking for something good to eat, consider one of the following options:

Secret Food Tours Boston Lobster Roll

Secret Food Tour

If you want some help finding the best dishes in Boston, consider taking this tour to taste a variety of food including a lobster roll, cannoli, brick oven pizza and more!

Pizza

If you’re looking for a great slice, head to this neighborhood for some of the best pizza you’ll ever eat.

Take our food tour to find some of the most popular Italian restaurants.

Chinese Food

Needless to say, you’ll find a lot of great Chinese food in this Boston's Chinatown. Our Chinatown tour covers some of the best restaurants in the area.

Lobster

Secret Food Tours Boston Cannoli

Thanks to its location next to the water, Boston is a pretty great place to find this delicious crustacean. Check our list of the best lobster restaurants for more details.

Kid-Friendly

If you’re trying to find a restaurant your children will enjoy, we have a helpful list of locations that are popular with family audiences.

Dinner Cruise

This is both a great way to see Boston from the water and an excellent dining option. Most dinner cruises offer a buffet including excellent local favorites.

8. Take a Day Trip

Although Boston is a bustling city with a lot of great things to see and do, there are other places you may want to visit nearby.

Consider taking a day trip to see one of the following locations:

If you’re looking for even more day trip ideas, make sure to check this list of Boston day trips.

9. Go on a Duck Tour

Sometimes it can be difficult to convince your children to go on a sightseeing tour.

If you’re having any trouble, consider taking a Duck tour instead.

 
These amphibious buses have more of a party atmosphere, providing plenty of great music while you travel around the city to see all the major landmarks – and even head out on the water for a bit!

Alternatively, you could also take a more traditional boat tour around the harbor.

During the warmer months, there are tall ship and sailboat tours that your children are sure to love.

Speaking of kid-friendly boat rides, the Swan Boats of Boston Common is a great activity that is perfect for younger audiences.

These activities may get your kids out on the water, but if you’re looking for other things they can enjoy, please read our family-friendly section.

10. Consider Getting a Tourist Pass

Some of the best attractions and activities in this city are included with Boston tourist passes.

These services provide some of the biggest discounts on general admission prices, up to 55%, and can save you time by allowing you to skip the ticket lines at select attractions.

Here are a few of the more popular things you can do and locations you can visit with a discount pass:

For more information on how to save money with these services, make sure to read our full post covering which Boston tourist pass offers the best deals.

FREE THINGS TO DO 

Even if you’re working with a tight budget, there are still a lot of great things you can do in this city without paying a dime.

Below is a list of the top 10 activities that you can enjoy for free in Boston, taken from our master post on free things to do in Boston, where you can find dozens of more ideas.

  1. Walk the Freedom Trail
  2. Go to a Free Museum
  3. Take a Sam Adams Brewery Tour
  4. Enjoy a Free Tour of Harvard
  5. Go Stargazing at Coit Observatory
  6. Visit Faneuil Hall Marketplace
  7. Climb the Bunker Hill Monument
  8. See the USS Constitution
  9. Take the Kids to a Playground
  10. See a Free Live Performance

Some of these attractions are also either family-friendly or great nighttime activities.

Learn more about free events that are happening during your trip to Boston by checking our monthly things to do posts or our full post covering free things to do in Boston.

NIGHTTIME ACTIVITIES

There are a lot of great things to do after the sun goes down in Beantown. This section will cover our top 10 list of the best nighttime activities in Boston.

For additional evening ideas, please read our full post covering things to do at night in Boston.

  1. Take our Beacon Hill Crime Tour
  2. Visit the Skywalk Observatory
  3. Go to the Original Cheers Bar
  4. Take a Haunted Bus Tour
  5. Go on a Sunset Cruise
  6. Visit a Museum After Dark
  7. Take a Night Shift Brewery Tour
  8. Go Stargazing at Coit Observatory
  9. See a Show at the Hatch Shell
  10. Get Great Local Food After Dark

As you may have noticed, some of the attractions listed above are family-friendly and others are free to enjoy.

You can find more information about nighttime events taking place during your trip to Boston with our monthly things to do posts.

For additional evening ideas, please read our full post covering things to do at night in Boston.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY

Parents will find no shortage of fun activities and attractions for kids in Boston.

In this section, we’ll offer our own top 10 list of the best family-friendly things to do in Boston.

You’ll find even more family fun on our full post providing dozens of great things to do with kids in Boston.

  1. Go to a Kid-Friendly Museum
  2. Visit the New England Aquarium
  3. Take a Trip to the Franklin Park Zoo
  4. Go to Six Flags New England
  5. See the Curious George Store
  6. Visit the Mapparium
  7. Go to a Playground
  8. Have fun at LEGOLAND
  9. Check out Faneuil Hall
  10. Visit the Esplanade

Keep in mind that some of the attractions listed above are also either free to enjoy or fun after dark.

If you’re looking for details about family-friendly events you can attend during your visit, make sure to read our monthly things to do posts.

You’ll find even more family fun on our full post providing dozens of great things to do with kids in Boston.

MONTHLY THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON 

In addition to all the great activities and attractions we’ve already mentioned in this post, there are several great events that only take place during a specific time of the year.

If you want to see what’s going on when you plan to visit the city, check this list of monthly things to do in Boston.

BEST ATTRACTIONS TO VISIT IN BOSTON

There are a lot of great places to see and experience in Boston. This list will provide some of our favorite locations to visit throughout the year.

Y mucho, mucho más

Join our free FTBF travel community! As a thank you, you'll receive our free itinerary planner.
Back to Top
cross