Boston: what's actually worth it
Boston’s cobblestone streets still echo with the revolutionary spirit that forged a nation, yet the city now feels like a lively university town where history and modernity blend seamlessly. You will notice how locals wear their intellect with pride, engaging in spirited debates over coffee or beer while navigating the charming, hilly neighborhoods. It is a walkable metropolis that rewards curiosity, offering world-class museums and historic sites just steps away from bustling cafes, making it an ideal base for exploring New England’s rich past without sacrificing contemporary comfort.
Top things to do in Boston
Boston Common
City Park · ★ 4.7 (38,661 reviews)
Storied, nearly 50-acre urban park that hosted British troops during the American Revolution.
Check tours & tickets →Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Market · ★ 4.5 (48,958 reviews)
Shopping center with many stores & restaurants comprising 3 historic market buildings & a promenade.
Check tours & tickets →Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Art museum · ★ 4.8 (19,872 reviews)
Neoclassical & modern wings house a vast collection from ancient Egyptian to contemporary American.
Check tours & tickets →Museum of Science
Museum · ★ 4.7 (23,360 reviews)
Venerable institution with interactive exhibits, dome-shaped IMAX/3-D film theater & a planetarium.
Check tours & tickets →Public Garden
City Park · ★ 4.8 (18,707 reviews)
Placid, verdant, circa-1837 city park with a lagoon, boat rides, fountains & other sights.
Check tours & tickets →Trapology Boston
Amusement Center · ★ 5 (9,215 reviews)
Interactive escape room game center offering several room themes, plus team-building workshops.
Check tours & tickets →New England Aquarium
Aquarium · ★ 4.4 (28,548 reviews)
A giant glass tank spiraled by a multilevel walkway is the main draw at this waterfront attraction.
Check tours & tickets →Boston National Historical Park - Charlestown Navy Yard
Historical Place · ★ 4.7 (11,282 reviews)
The 43-acre park with 2 visitor centers offers ranger-guided tours & talks about the city's history.
Check tours & tickets →Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Art museum · ★ 4.7 (11,112 reviews)
Evocative of a 15th-century Venetian palace, this museum houses a world-class art collection.
Check tours & tickets →USS Constitution Museum
History Museum · ★ 4.7 (8,463 reviews)
Interactive museum near the 1797 wooden frigate made famous as "Old Ironsides" in the War of 1812.
Check tours & tickets →Where to eat
STK Steakhouse
Steak House · ★ 4.8 (21,626 reviews)
Website →Regina Pizzeria
Pizza Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (7,347 reviews)
Circa-1926 local chain for thin-crust, brick-oven pizzas in a no-frills setting.
Website →Cheers
Pub · ★ 4.4 (10,088 reviews)
Tourists visit this classic bar with iconic facade for pub grub, pints & nostalgia.
Website →Boston Sail Loft
Seafood Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (6,550 reviews)
Waterside maritime mainstay with floor-to-ceiling windows & seafood staples, plus bar scene.
Website →Union Oyster House
Seafood Restaurant · ★ 4.3 (11,192 reviews)
Historic eatery serving chowder & other New England seafood standards since 1826.
Website →The Friendly Toast
Brunch Restaurant · ★ 4.5 (5,585 reviews)
Trendy hangout serving all-day breakfasts in quirky surroundings, with vegan options.
Website →James Hook & Co
Seafood Restaurant · ★ 4.5 (4,793 reviews)
Classic Boston lobster restaurant & showroom on the historic waterfront with live lobsters & prepared shellfish, plus takeout.
Website →Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf
Seafood Restaurant · ★ 4.3 (6,513 reviews)
Specializing in upmarket seafood, this contemporary chain also serves steaks & cocktails.
Website →Tours worth booking ahead
Boston Harbor City Cruises
Tour Agency · ★ 4.5 (3,467 reviews)
Boat tour company specializing in water taxis, ferries, harbor cruises & whale watch tours.
Check tours & tickets →Landry's Bicycles Boston
Bicycle Shop · ★ 4.8 (1,249 reviews)
Spacious, employee-owned bike sales & service center with fittings & frequent group rides.
Check tours & tickets →Get outside
Middlesex Fells Reservation
State Park · ★ 4.7 (5,512 reviews)
2,575-acre natural haven including hiking trails around a pond, plus areas for dog-walking & biking.
Website →Blue Hills Reservation
State Park · ★ 4.7 (4,057 reviews)
Massive park with views of Boston from the 635-ft-high Great Blue Hill, plus hiking & biking trails.
Website →Purgatory Chasm State Reservation
State Park · ★ 4.7 (2,918 reviews)
Quarter-mile rift between ancient granite formations provides climbing space & picnic sites.
Website →Halibut Point State Park
State Park · ★ 4.8 (2,182 reviews)
Coastal area on 440 million year old granite offers spectacular views, wildflowers, visitors center.
Website →Breakheart Reservation
State Park · ★ 4.7 (2,316 reviews)
This forest with hiking trails, lakes & a river offers activities such as fishing & swimming.
Website →After dark
Cheers
Pub · ★ 4.4 (10,088 reviews)
Tourists visit this classic bar with iconic facade for pub grub, pints & nostalgia.
Website →Marcelino’s Seaport
Tapas Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (2,248 reviews)
Website →Apex Rooftop Bar and Lounge
Bar · ★ 4.8 (1,291 reviews)
Website →Wicked Craft Co.
Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (1,661 reviews)
Sandwiches, cocktails & craft beers served in an easygoing, plant-filled hangout with a terrace.
Website →More guides
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