One day in Boston, what to see?

[mom@shiloh]

We'll be visiting Boston for one day in late May.  What should we see?  TIA.

[EmilyGF]

Freedom Trail (leave out the monument at the end).

 

Old North Church (on the Freedom Trail).

 

Mike's Pastry Shop - get the cannoli.

 

Emily

[Matryoshka]

There's so much to do - what are you most interested in, will you have kids with you, and what ages?

[MrsWeasley]

We definitely loved the Freedom Trail, but we walked it over a few days. If I only had a day, I would start at Boston Common, walk to the Boston Massacre site and visit the Old State House, have lunch at Fanuiel Hall, go to Old North Church (and take the tour of the bell tower), and end the day at the USS Constitution Museum. 

[Lucy the Valiant]

We definitely loved the Freedom Trail, but we walked it over a few days. If I only had a day, I would start at Boston Common, walk to the Boston Massacre site and visit the Old State House, have lunch at Fanuiel Hall, go to Old North Church (and take the tour of the bell tower), and end the day at the USS Constitution Museum. 

 

Yep! For 1 day, never seen it before, want a taste of the city, this is exactly what I'd do.

 

If you have specific interests (sports, science, animals, sailing?), there are lots of options available!

 

Bring a jacket and really good walking shoes. :)

[slackermom]

If you are not up for walking a lot, the duck tour drives by many sights, and heads right into the Charles river.

 

http://www.bostonducktours.com

 

It leaves from either the Museum of Science, or the Prudential Center, which are also worth a visit.

[slackermom]

If you ARE walking, this company does some good walking tours.

 

http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/catalog

[whitestavern]

If you are not up for walking a lot, the duck tour drives by many sights, and heads right into the Charles river.

 

http://www.bostonducktours.com

 

It leaves from either the Museum of Science, or the Prudential Center, which are also worth a visit.

 

I'm a New Englander and visit Boston a lot. We took an extended family trip about 15 years ago and everyone wanted to do the duck tour. I kind of thought it sounded "touristy" but everyone from little kids to grandparents really enjoyed it. It was fun but we learned a lot too.

 

Personally I'd skip Fanueil Hall. I just don't get the attraction to it.

 

Paul Revere's house is pretty cool to visit.

[Storygirl]

I would walk the Freedom Trail but skip the Constitution at the end, unless that is important to you. It is very far away from the other sites on the Trail. If you want to go there, you can save some time and walking by taking a water taxi to and fro. You can hire a guide to take you on the Trail, but you can also just walk it yourself, following the red line on the sidewalk and reading free tour information. A few of the sites have an admission fee if you want to go inside. You can read ahead of time online to determine what you are most interested in spending time on and what you will just walk by with a shorter glance.

 

If you have children, read Make Way for Ducklings before you go and then visit the duckling statues in the Public Gardens (which is adjacent to Boston Common). You can also ride the Swan Boats for a nominal fee in the Public Gardens, which is charming.

 

Children would also be interested in re-enacting the Boston Tea Party near the harbor.

 

If you aren't interested in historical sites, you could spend part of the day at the Aquarium and half the day going on a whale watch.

 

Have some chowder!

 

If you have car, plan to pay a premium for parking or park elsewhere and ride the subway (called the T) to the Boston Common, where you can start the Freedom Trail tour. Finding your way through the streets to a parking garage will be as much of a hassle as taking the T (more, actually).

 

We are going to be in Boston for two days in June, and we plan to spend them as I listed above. I lived in the Boston/Cambridge area for three years, and I'm looking forward to showing some things to my children.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Storygirl

[mom@shiloh]

Thank you.  It all sounds great!

 

Yes, we will be taking children, ages 11-18.

 

[Carol in Cal.]

The main historical sites are all on the Freedom Trail, so that's what I would do.  It's very convenient.

 

If you have a little more time, Lexington is not far away, it's a nice historical place to visit also if you're into the Revolutionary War period.  Concord is farther, but it also has Louisa May Alcott's house, which is totally recognizable as the setting for Little Women, and Fruitlands, which is the basis for Plumfield.  And Walden Pond is there, of course.  So while it has Revolutionary period sites, it also has sites from the post-Civil War era.

[Squawky Acres]

We have always enjoyed the free Freedom Trail tour given by the National Park Service.  The guides are excellent, and it gives you a good overview of the historic section of Boston.  I also do not understand the appeal of Fanueil Hall.  It is historic, of course, but really a glorified mall food court.  It is good for cheap, quick food, though.

 

https://www.nps.gov/bost/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm

[Lucy the Valiant]

The appeal of Faneuil Hall (for people who did not grow up in New England) is the variety and diversity of food types available - if you come from a more homogenous area of the country, the seafood & Greek food & varieties of Asian food all in one place are just amazing. :) Plus, it is centrally located and cheaper than many nearby restaurants. :) 

[MEmama]

I agree, the Freedom Trail makes a great day. If your younger kids are interested they can pick up a Jr ranger guide, which also provides some good information about what you'll see, iirc. I'd skip the ship too--actually, I think it's under renovation right now anyway. We avoid Faneuil Hall like the plague--it's crazy crowded, and the foods are unremarkable. I don't get the appeal at all. Boston Common is beautiful, and a stroll through Beacon Hill is always lovely. Boston is very walkable; if you can avoid driving there I'd definitely recommend it.

 

Lexington/Concord are great, but if you only have a single day you might want to stick to the city instead of the 'burbs.

 

Have fun! It's a great city.