A Boston Vacation
Five Ways To Experience Beantown
A Boston vacation is a journey through the nation’s past and a vibrant celebration of its future. You can stand where the Revolution began, explore world-class universities, and discover cutting-edge art and science, all within a walkable, welcoming city.
To make the most of your trip, I highly recommend starting with an orientation tour. You’ll save time and see more by getting your bearings first.
Then, hit the pavement. Boston is best explored on foot. Stroll the Freedom Trail to experience the start of the Revolutionary War. Wander through the hallowed campuses of Harvard and MIT, centers of excellence where history meets tomorrow. Find unexpected wonders, from a glowing coral reef at the New England Aquarium to the novel experience of a “duck boat” tour, a bus that sails on the Charles River.
You’ll find the city itself a refreshing mixture: historic brick beside modern glass, cozy pubs next to innovative kitchens. Discover it all here, and plan a trip that’s perfectly your own.
THE FAMOUS DUCK TOUR
One of Boston’s most unique and popular tours is the Duck Tour, an 80-minute ride perfect for first-time visitors.
Conducted in a renovated World War II amphibious vehicle, the tour travels by land and water, offering a fun introduction to the city’s highlights.
A word of advice: during summer, tours often sell out by lunchtime, so be sure to reserve in advance.
Tickets can be purchased at two locations:
- The Museum of Science
- The Prudential Center in Boston’s Back Bay
You get to not only experience Boston from the streets of the city, but also from the Charles River... and without getting wet! That’s right, during the tour, the bus you’re on will become a boat, and you’ll see the beautiful Boston skyline from the river that separates Boston from Cambridge. It’s a great tour and you’d have to be "quackers" not to do it! Sorry couldn’t resist it.
THE FREEDOM TRAIL
Boston’s Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walking route that weaves through the city’s historic heart. Marked by an easy-to-follow red brick line, it connects 16 of Boston’s most significant landmarks, from the Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, and exploring it is completely free.
The trail begins at the Boston Common and winds past iconic sites including the Massachusetts State House, the Boston Massacre Site, Paul Revere’s House, and the USS Constitution. To walk the entire route, allow at least 2–3 hours, more if you wish to linger at the attractions. Better still, take a full day to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.
A highlight of the trail is Boston’s famed North End, where the atmosphere turns distinctly Italian. You’ll likely want to return here later in your trip to savor its superb restaurants or simply stroll through this charming “little corner of Italy.”
THE NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM As San Diego has its world famous zoo, Boston has the New England Aquarium. New England and its coastline have a history of fishing and whaling. But today instead of harpooning whales, New Englanders spend most of their time saving them. And the aquarium is a vital link in the area’s ocean preservation movement.
The attraction of the aquarium is the giant tank. The floors of the aquarium run around the tank and up four levels. At the top you get to peer down into a coral reef and listen as the staff explains about the tank and the fish that live in it.
You’ll get the answer to questions such as: "Why don’t the big shark fish eat the little tasty fish?" or "How old are those huge sea turtles swimming around down there?" Your ticket will include a visit to the Discovery next to the main building, where you can see and learn about sea lions during an amazing show.
A few years ago the Aquarium opened an IMAX theater that shows a mixture of sea-related and general science films. A word of warning - this is a favorite Boston vacations attraction for families so it can get really crowded. But you’ll always get in, even when the ticket line seems to stretch for miles.
BEACON HILL Beacon Hill is a popular walk for people on a Boston vacation. Here just off Boston Common you can stroll around Louisburg Square and admire the picturesque block of perfectly preserved residences. This quiet and bewitching area is full of alleys and narrow red brick cobbled streets, where time has stood still for the last century. It’s a sheer delight to walk. You’ll find walled gardens and an authentic 19th century neighborhood feel. Even the original gas lights remain on streets lined with ancient elms. While many tour buses and trolleys drive through Beacon Hill, the only real way of experiencing it, is by foot. So put on some comfy shoes, take out your camera and breathe in the scenery... its fine.
THE CENTER OF LEARNING Boston has a strong traditional universities. MIT and Harvard are perhaps the best known worldwide, but with other great colleges such as Tufts, BU, Boston College, and of course Northeastern. Harvard and MITare just a short train ride across the river. Take the Red Line to Harvard Square and hang-out in the Harvard campus and stroll the grounds, and if everything seems familiar to you, it probably is. Many movies - including Love Story - were filmed here. And come back and visit at night when on a summer’s evening, street performers are everywhere and you don’t have to pay a nickel for some of the best entertainment on your Boston vacation.
AND THERE'S MORE... Other places to visit on your Boston vacation are THE J.F.K Library and Museum at Columbia Point in South Boston - and the Boston Harbor Islands, tours to the islands leave from Long Wharf and Rowes Wharf, both located near the aquarium. Boston has tons of things to do and see, and I’ve really just started to scratch the surface for you. The rest is yours to discover.
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