Boston · Massachusetts, USA
Things to Do in Boston: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Boston, ranked by real traveller reviews: walk the Freedom Trail with a costumed guide, splash into the Charles on a Duck Tour, sail out to Stellwagen Bank for whales, eat cannoli in the North End, tour Fenway Park, then take the ferry to Salem or a day trip to Plymouth, Cape Cod or Newport. Compare 480+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
482 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Boston
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Boston
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Boston by interest
Whatever brings you to Boston — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Freedom Trail
Revolutionary history.
ExploreHarbor & whales
Cruises & whales.
ExploreDuck & sightseeing
Amphibious fun.
ExploreFood & North End
Italian & seafood.
ExploreSalem & day trips
New England.
ExploreCambridge & Harvard
Historic campuses.
ExploreAttractions & fun
Fenway & more.
ExploreSunset cruises
Evening on the water.
ExploreWhat to see
Top attractions in Boston
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Freedom Trail
Historic route.
110+ toursView tours
Boston Harbor
Cruises & sails.
90 toursView tours
Whale Watching
Stellwagen Bank.
70 toursView tours
Duck Tour
Land & river.
80 toursView tours
Fenway Park
Historic ballpark.
50 toursView tours
Harvard
Cambridge campus.
50 toursView tours
Salem
Witch history.
60 toursView tours
North End
Italian quarter.
70 toursView tours
3 days
Boston in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Freedom Trail
- 2Day 2: harbor & whales
- 3Day 3: Salem
- 4North End food
History
Boston Freedom Trail
- 1Boston Common
- 2Old State House
- 3Paul Revere’s house
- 4Bunker Hill
Day trips
Best day trips from Boston
- 1Salem witch trials & historic port
- 2Cape Cod & Provincetown by ferry
- 3Plymouth, Mayflower II & the Pilgrims
- 4Martha's Vineyard island escape
Food & harbor
Boston food, seafood & harbor
- 1North End Italian food tour
- 2New England seafood & the Fish Pier
- 3Boston Harbor sightseeing cruise
- 4Historic pub crawl to finish
30 min by train or ferry awaySalem
Witch trials & history walks.
from $32View trips
~45 min awayPlymouth
Mayflower II & Plimoth Patuxet.
from $139View trips
~30 min awayLexington & Concord
Where the Revolution began.
from $35View trips
90 min by fast ferry awayCape Cod & Provincetown
Beaches, dunes & galleries.
from $69View trips
Full day awayMartha’s Vineyard
Island escape by coach & ferry.
from $113View trips
~90 min awayNewport
Gilded Age mansions & Cliff Walk.
from $44View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Boston visitor asks before booking.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Warm and lively, perfect for harbor cruises, whale watching and outdoor sights.
Fall (Sep–Oct)
Crisp days and stunning foliage make autumn a classic and beautiful time to visit.
Spring (Apr–May)
Fresh and blooming, a pleasant time for the Freedom Trail and city walks.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Cold and snowy but festive, great for museums, food and indoor attractions.
Whale season
April to October is best for whale-watching cruises off the coast.
Fall foliage
Late September and October bring spectacular New England foliage tours.
One day
The Freedom Trail and a harbor cruise.
Three days
Add whale watching and Salem.
Five days
Add Cambridge, the islands and Newport.
History buffs
Deeper time on the Freedom Trail sites.
Foodies
North End and seafood food tours.
With kids
Duck tours, the aquarium and harbor.
On foot
Boston is very walkable; the Freedom Trail and downtown are best explored on foot.
The T
The MBTA subway (the "T") is an easy way to reach Cambridge, Fenway and the neighbourhoods.
Tours & trolleys
Hop-on hop-off trolleys and guided tours are handy for the main sights.
Ferries & cruises
Ferries and harbor cruises reach Salem, the islands and offshore whale grounds.
Rental car
A car helps for New England day trips, though city driving and parking are tricky.
Getting there
Logan International Airport is close to downtown, linked by subway, bus and water taxi.
US dollars
Boston uses the US dollar; cards are accepted almost everywhere, with tipping customary.
Book ahead
Duck Tours, whale watching and Fenway tours sell out in summer — reserve in advance.
Dress for the season
Winters are cold and summers warm; pack layers and comfortable walking shoes.
City passes
A Boston attraction pass can save money if you plan several visits.
Fall foliage
For autumn colour, plan New England foliage tours in late September and October.
Comfy shoes
The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walk — wear comfortable shoes.
Duck Tours
The famous Duck Tours sell out in summer — book ahead.
Whale watching
Peak-season whale cruises fill up — reserve early.
Freedom Trail tours
Guided walks are popular — book ahead.
Fenway Park
Ballpark tours have limited places — reserve early.
Salem trips
Salem tours fill up near Halloween — book well ahead.
Food tours
North End food tours sell out — reserve early.
Freedom Trail tour
Around $30–50 for a guided Freedom Trail walking tour.
Duck Tour
About $45–55 for a Boston Duck Tour.
Whale watching
Roughly $60–75 for a whale-watching cruise.
North End food tour
Around $65–90 for a North End food tour.
Salem day trip
About $60–120 for a Salem or day-trip tour.
How to save
Use a city pass, join group tours and travel midweek.
When to visit
Boston through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Harbor & whales.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book ahead.
Fall (Sep–Oct)
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Foliage & history.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Beautiful, busy.
Spring (Apr–May)
Apr–May
- Best for
- Blossom & walks.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Nov–Mar
- Best for
- Museums & food.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold, festive.
People also ask
Boston travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Boston?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) a guided Freedom Trail walk, 2) the Boston Duck Tour, 3) whale watching at Stellwagen Bank, 4) a North End food tour, 5) a Fenway Park tour or Red Sox game, 6) a harbor or sunset cruise, 7) the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, 8) the Museum of Fine Arts or Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 9) Harvard Yard and a student-led campus tour, 10) a day trip to Salem.
How many days do you need in Boston?
Two days for the city — the Freedom Trail, North End and harbor, then Fenway, a museum and Cambridge. A third day for Salem, Plymouth or Lexington and Concord, and a fourth for Cape Cod or Newport. Three to four days is ideal for a first visit.
What to do in Boston for free?
Walk the Freedom Trail yourself (the red line is marked the whole way), Boston Common and the Public Garden, the Esplanade along the Charles, Harvard Yard, the Boston Public Library, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, the USS Constitution in Charlestown and the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Free concerts run at the Hatch Shell in summer.
What are the best day trips from Boston?
Salem (30 minutes, commuter rail or summer ferry), Plymouth and the Mayflower II (45 minutes), Lexington and Concord (30 minutes), Cape Cod and Provincetown (90 minutes by fast ferry), Martha’s Vineyard by coach and ferry, Newport’s mansions (90 minutes) and White Mountains foliage tours in October. See our day trips page for bookable tours.
What to do in Boston at night?
A sunset harbor cruise, a Red Sox night game at Fenway, a ghosts-and-gravestones tour of the old burying grounds, Italian dinner and cannoli in the North End, a historic pub crawl along the Trail, live music in Cambridge, or the view from the View Boston deck at the Prudential Tower.
What is there to do in Boston in winter?
Museums are the draw — the MFA, the Gardner, the Science Museum and the Aquarium — plus the Tea Party Museum, Fenway tours and Duck Tours (they run on land in winter). Frog Pond on the Common has ice skating from November, the Public Garden and Beacon Hill look their best under snow, and the North End is cosy for food tours. Whale watching and harbor cruises pause until spring.
What are the best things to do in Boston with kids?
The Duck Tour, the New England Aquarium, the Boston Children’s Museum, the Museum of Science, the Tea Party Ships where kids throw tea overboard, Swan Boats in the Public Garden, the Make Way for Ducklings statues, a Fenway tour and a whale watch for children over five.
When is the best time to visit Boston?
September and October are the best months: mild days, foliage and all tours running. May and June are pleasant and quieter than summer. July and August are hot and busiest; whale watching runs April to October. Winter is cold but cheap.
Is the Freedom Trail worth a guided tour?
Yes for a first visit — the sites are free to walk past, but a costumed guide turns 16 stops into the story of the Revolution in about 90 minutes for around $30–45. Go on your own afterwards for the Charlestown end and the USS Constitution.
482 Boston experiencesfrom $30 · free cancellation
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