46 Joy Street, Boston (617) 742-1853

Built in 1806, the African Meeting House is the oldest black church building still standing in America. Interactive exhibits in the free museum tell of its vital role as a community meeting place. The Abiel Smith School, constructed in 1834 to educate many of the black children in Boston, focuses on educational equality efforts.

Self-guided or through the National Park service, a tour of the trail explores the history of Boston’s 19th century all-free African American community as it passes by 14 pre-civil war structures, many of which were stops on the “Underground Railroad.” The trail begins at the Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial on Beacon and Park Streets across from the Massachusetts State House.

308 Congress Street,  Boston (617) 426-6500

Across the Congress Street Bridge, just a short walk from this stop, is a not-to-be-missed Boston attraction for children. Exhibits ranging from A to Z focus on arts, culture and science. Kids don’t just look, they enter exhibits, participate, and explore! They can rock climb, work in a child size construction zone, paint in an art studio, and even act in a short play!

Between Boylston, Park, Tremont and Beacon Streets.

Boston Common is America’s oldest public park and is the anchor of the Emerald Necklace, a system of parks connected through Boston. The park is nearly 50 acres large and has been used as a grazing area for cattle, campground for British troops and place for public hangings. The Boston Common is the starting point for the Freedom Trail.

63 Long Wharf, Boston (617) 227-4321

See Boston by sea on the 1 hour Boston Harbor Cruises. Or, experience the excitement of observing whales on 3 and 5 hour whale watching cruises.

Devonshire and State Street intersection.

A cobblestone circle in front of the Old State House marks the site of this key event leading to the American Revolution.

666 Boylston Street, Copley Square, Boston
(617) 536-5400

As the oldest large free-lending library in America, it was designed as a “palace for the people.” Not to be missed is the awe-inspiring Bates Hall, the library’s magnificent reading room. It is the only public library that holds a Presidential Library, that of John Adams, the second president of the United States of America.

(617) 522-1966

The landscaped 24-acre Public Garden contains lovely manicured paths and the charming “Make Way for Ducklings” statues. Here you can also enjoy a leisurely ride aboard the famous Swan Boats, pedal-powered gondolas operating in the summer months since 1877.

Congress Street Bridge on Harbor Walk, Boston
(617) 338-1773

Located alongside the Fort Point Channel Bridge, the Boston museum will offer an exciting immersion into the most important event leading to the American Revolution. Guests will relive this act of rebellion aboard replicas of the ships on which the event occurred. On display in the interactive museum will be one of only two existing tea chests tossed into the sea on that famous night.

84 Beacon Street, Boston (617) 227-9605

The historic landmark pub was transformed from a long-standing neighborhood gathering spot for locals into one of Boston’s must-see attractions for visitors after gaining notoriety as the location of the popular 1980s TV sitcom, Cheers.

Monument Square, Charlestown (617) 242-5641

At the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775 – one of the Revolutionary War’s earliest confrontations - British troops incurred heavy losses as Americans held back their fire with inaccurate muskets until the last possible “whites of the eyes” moment. Just a short walk up the hill from our USS Constitution stop, climb the 294 steps of the obelisk honoring the famous battle that helped turn the tide of the American Revolution. View exhibits depicting the battle and stroll the park setting.

70 Charles Street, Beacon Hill, Boston

Currently used for commercial purposes, the cupola topped, symmetrically constructed, Federal style building was built as a meeting house in 1807 by the white Third Baptist congregation and was the site of many abolitionists’ speeches. It next served the African Methodist Episcopal Church followed by a Unitarian congregation.

287 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (617) 824-4273

Walk south down Charles Street, take a right on Beacon, go past Cheers, and at the corner of Arlington there is a footbridge crossing over Storrow Drive to the Charles River Esplanade; yet another example of land set aside in Boston for public enjoyment. While on a summer stroll in the long park edging the banks of Charles River Basin, watch the rowers practicing their skill in rhythmic cadence or catch a free concert or play at the famous Hatch Shell.

Three blocks down Stuart Street, the most densely populated area of Boston is a busy place with most of the traffic being pedestrian. The many markets offer rows of fresh vegetables, mounds of seafood or sweet-tasting delicacies. Try Chinese, Cambodian, Thai, Vietnamese or Japanese restaurants and pose for photos at the Chinatown Gate.

210 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston

Fourteen spacious and serene acres, paved in brick and granite with orderly rows of trees, buildings, stone benches, a large reflecting pool and circular fountain, are centered by the imposing First Church of Christ, Scientist, one of the largest churches in New England.

300 Congress Street, Boston (617) 426-2800

Located conveniently next door to the Children’s Museum, the Computer Museum has nearly 200 exhibits including a two-story walk-through computer and a software gallery.

Hull Street, Boston

The gravestones in Boston’s second oldest burying ground, established in 1660, tell the story of the population of the North End in colonial times: artisans, merchants and free African-Americans.

South Market Street, Boston (617) 523-1300

Erected in 1742 as a public market and place for town meetings, this festival marketplace offers over 150 shops, restaurants and merchant carts. Central Market is a great gathering spot and place for lunch with over 35 stands offering a global food selection. Summer months feature lively street entertainers. Adjacent is Quincy Market, another colonial landmark.

617-357-8300

The Freedom Trail is a 5 mile red-brick walking trail that leads you to 16 nationally significant historic sites; every one an authentic American treasure. Preserved and dedicated by the citizens of Boston in 1958, when the wrecking ball threatened, the Freedom Trail today is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution. Rangers give free 90-minute Freedom Trail tours departing the National Park Service Visitors Center hourly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April through September.

137 Beacon Street, between Arlington and Berkeley Streets, Boston (617) 267-6338

The Gibson House offers visitors a glimpse into 19th century living in Boston’s Back Bay. As one of the Back Bay’s first residences, the Gibson House was built in the mid-19th century and remains the unspoiled residence of a well-to-do Victorian Boston family. Kitchen, scullery, butler's pantry, and baths, as well as formal rooms and personal quarters are filled with the Gibsons' original furniture and personal possessions.

Tremont Street, Boston (617) 635-4505

The third oldest burying ground in Boston is the final resting place of three signers of the Declaration of Independence.

141 Cambridge Street, Boston (617) 227-3956

Built in 1796 by Charles Bulfinch for Harrison Gray Otis and his wife Sally, the house is the last surviving home in what was once Boston’s most exclusive neighborhood. As a developer of Beacon Hill, Otis made a fortune, and he later served as a Representative in Congress and Mayor of Boston. The Federal Style is emulated in the home’s classic architecture and elegant furnishings.

280 The Fenway, Boston (617) 566-1401

A short walk from the MFA, works by some of the most recognized artists in the world are housed in the enchanting atmosphere of a replica of a 15th century Venetian style palazzo, enhanced by a flower filled, glass covered courtyard.

Harvard Square, Cambridge (617) 495-1573

Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest university in the United States. Among its graduates are seven U.S. Presidents of the United States: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rutherford B. Hayes, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. The campus is distinguished by a diverse collection of historic buildings and the acclaimed Harvard University Museums.

100 Northern Avenue, Boston (617) 478-3100

An influential forum for multi-disciplinary arts, the ICA has been at the leading edge of art in Boston for seventy years. Like its iconic building on Boston's waterfront, the ICA offers new ways of engaging with the world around us. Its exhibitions and programs provide access to contemporary art, artists, and the creative process, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the excitement of new art and ideas.

Columbia Point, Boston (866) JFK-1960

Designed by I.M. Pei, the John F. Kennedy Library was dedicated by President Jimmy Carter and the Kennedy Family in 1979. Located on a ten acre park, the museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of the 35th president of the United States. The library also hosts the Profiles in Courage award, given annually to honor elected public officials.

Tremont and School Streets. (617) 523-1749

The first Kings Chapel was built as an Anglican church in 1688 on a portion of a Puritan cemetery seized by the British. This King’s Chapel, built in 1754, is America’s first Unitarian Church. Look for the names of well known Puritans on gravestones in the adjacent burying ground, Boston’s oldest.

The most prestigious of Boston addresses, homeowners, not the city, own the square and manicured oval park located on Beacon Hill.

200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston (617) 450-7000

Inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library, the Mapparium is a one of a kind experience created as light, music, art and architecture come together. Walk along a 30’ bridge through the incredible, glass-paneled sphere and see how the world has changed since the glass globe was created in 1935. The Monitor & Quest Galleries, the Hall of Ideas and interactive exhibits are also open to the public. For bibliophiles, the Library Reference Room offers a comfortable place for reading.

24 Beacon Street, Boston (617) 399-1681

In the distinctive gold-domed building atop Beacon Hill, the past meets the present. On weekdays, glimpse Massachusetts history on a free tour of the center of state government since 1798.

25 Carleton Street, Cambridge (617) 253-4481

The campus of this world renowned science and technology institution extends more than a mile along the Charles River Basin. The original central group of interconnecting buildings was dedicated in 1916; additional landmark buildings were designed by leading architects. Well-known works of art are placed throughout the campus.

Building N51 - 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
617-253-5927

Located just a short walk from this stop, the MIT Museum is a window into the world of some of the latest and most exciting research at MIT. Visitors can explore over 150 years of education and research in the forefront of science, engineering, and technology. The Museum presents an exciting array of exhibitions, covering everything from artificial intelligence and oceanography, to architecture, three-dimensional holograms and the largest collection of the much loved kinetic sculptures by Arthur Ganson.

465 Huntington Avenue, Boston (617) 267-9300

The MFA is New England’s largest museum. Offering a fine permanent collection from the masters of American painting as well as a vast selection of works of art from all important periods, it also hosts special exhibits on loan from around the world.

Science Park, Boston (617) 723-2500

Embracing all the sciences in a multitude of exhibits, the museum on the Charles River Basin is accessible via a short ride on the Green line subway from the nearby North Station.

Central Wharf, between Central and Milk Streets, Boston
(617) 442-8614

The giant cylindrical 200,000 gallon ocean tank with over 2,000 species of fish is the centerpiece of this popular aquatic facility. Surrounding pools hold penguins, sea lions and otters. Numerous galleries feature themed exhibits, and an IMAX theater offers changing large format films of incredible animals and habitats, 3-D movies and first-run features.

55 Mount Vernon Street, Boston (617 )227-6993

Experience the life of genteel Beacon Hill in the late 1800s and early 1900s through a room by room tour of this four-story row house decorated in original furnishings.

193 Salem Street, Boston (617) 523-6676

The oldest church in Boston, built in 1723, is most famous for the signals sent from its steeple the night of Paul Revere’s legendary ride. The active Episcopal congregation holds regular services in the impressive church which is also open daily for public visits. The steeple is 191 feet tall, making it Boston’s tallest.

310 Washington Avenue, Boston (617) 482-6439

The largest building in colonial Boston stands as a symbol of the right to free speech and assembly. Its most notorious meeting, called by the Sons of Liberty on December 16, 1773, to protest the British tax on tea, led directly to the Boston Tea Party, the most famous act of American rebellion.

206 Washington Street, Boston (617) 720-1713

Dwarfed by contemporary structures of glass and steel, the low scale and vintage brick of Boston’s oldest surviving public building stands out in contrast. The site of colonial oratory, it was from its balcony that Bostonians heard the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. It is now a superb museum dedicated to Boston history.

Park and Tremont Streets, Boston (617) 720-3290

Recognizable by its tall, graceful steeple, the evangelical congregational church was built in 1809 on the site of the old town granary. Its large and active congregation has a strong tradition of social service dating back to a famous 1829 speech against slavery delivered there by William Lloyd Garrison.

19 North Square, Boston (617) 523-2338

Dating back to 1680, the unimposing wooden house is the oldest house remaining in downtown Boston. In the early 1770s, it was the home of Paul Revere, silversmith and patriot. It later served the Italian immigrant community for commercial purposes. Saved from demolition in 1902, it has been restored to its original appearance.

Huntington Avenue & Boylston Street, (617) 859-0648

Boston’s first unified business, residential and civic complex has 28 acres of hotel, restaurant, shop, and plaza space, plus parking and covered walkways. On a clear day you can see forever from the 50th floor observatory atop the Prudential Tower. From that vantage point you can see the scope of your travels along the route of your Old Town Trolley tour. The Skywalk offers a state-of-the-art antennae audio tour and special exhibits on Boston history and architecture.

301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (617) 638-9390

Opening in 1900 to rave reviews for acoustical perfection, it has since hosted a wide range of significant performances and is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. Free tours are available during Symphony season on a limited basis.

206 Clarendon St., Boston (617) 536-0944

Located on the east side of the Square, this impressive church is the bold, massive masterpiece of American architect H. H. Richardson, with an exterior of dark multi-hewed stone, magnificent stained glass windows and a breathtaking interior.

Charlestown Naval Yard, 5 Constitution Road, Charlestown (617) 242-5601

Berthed next to the USS Constitution, the WWII destroyer has seen distinguished service and is designated a National Historic Landmark.

Charlestown Naval Yard, 5 Constitution Road, Charlestown (617) 242-5601

As the world’s oldest floating commissioned ship (and far better known as Old Ironsides), the USS Constitution, launched in 1797, is docked adjacent to the museum. Climb aboard the storied decks of “Old Ironsides,” in proud service from 1797 until 1934, as a warship, blockade runner, training ship and goodwill ambassador.