Located along the East Coast, Boston, the capital city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is one of the oldest cities in the USA. The city is steeped in early American history as this is the setting of many historic events that led up to the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre. Besides, the capital of New England is a place where the new and the old are in constant conversation, where historic landmarks share streets with award-winning restaurants, multistoried sports stadiums stand next to star-studded concert venues, world-renowned theaters brush shoulders with trendy nightclubs and sprawling urban parks intersect vibrant neighborhoods. Apart, the city is equally renowned for its prestigious institutes of higher education including Harvard and MIT. If you are planning a trip to Boston on your next vacation, then here is the list of some of the top places to visit in Boston as part of USA Tour Packages.
Freedom Trail
Established in 1951, the Freedom Trail is a famous 4 km long path that passes by 16 of Boston’s most important Revolutionary War sites. Marked by a line of red paint, the trail starts at Boston Common in downtown Boston and is America’s first historic walking tour. From meeting houses and burying grounds to Churches and Chapels, the Freedom Trail has a lot to offer for every visitor, especially history buffs. Maintained by Boston’s Freedom Trail Commission, the main highlight of this area includes the Faneuil Hall, Bunker Hill monument, Boston Massacre, the Benjamin Franklin Statue, Boston Latin School, the USS Constitution, Old State House Museum, and the Old North Church. Visitors can opt for guided tours to explore the trail that gives you lifetime memories. Attracting millions of visitors every year, it is one of the top places to visit in Boston.
Boston Common & Public Garden
The Boston Common is a central public park built in 1634 and was declared a Boston Landmark in 1977 by the Boston Landmarks Commission. Located on the southern end of the Freedom Trail, it is one of the oldest parks in the country, and among the must-include places in Boston tour packages. It is a 50-acre piece of land that is home to many memorials, burial grounds, a playground for children, the Frog Pond, a fountain and a spray pool for children, a bandstand gazebo, and a Visitor’s Center. Situated right next to the popular Boston Common, Boston Public Garden was established in 1837 and is the first public botanical garden in the country. This 24-acre public park is home to pretty paths, ponds, plants, and flowerbeds. The park also has many Victorian-style monuments and statues, including an equestrian statue of George Washington, and the popular modern bronzes of a family of ducks immortalized in Robert McCloskey’s children’s book Make Way for the Ducklings. Riding around the lake in the garden’s center on the famous Swan Boats is one of the most memorable experiences for all age groups.
Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall was a large market building as well as a meeting hall located in downtown, Boston. Often called ‘the Cradle of Liberty’, Faneuil Hall was built in 1740-42 by Huguenot merchant Peter Faneuil as a market hall and also served as a meeting place for revolutionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries. Built in the Georgian style, this has been used for several debates, protests, meetings, and also for political shows throughout the history of the city including a town meeting in the aftermath of the Boston Massacre in 1770, a tea tax protest in 1773, and Julius Caesar Chappelle, a black Boston legislator, delivered a speech here in 1890, supporting the Federal Elections bill that argued for the right of black people to vote. It was here that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy declared his Presidential candidacy in 1979 and former President Barack Obama defended the Affordable Care Act in 2013.
Fenway Park
A trip to Boston is incomplete without visiting Fenway Park, one of the most iconic landmarks of Boston, and among the most fabled sports complexes in the country. Also known as ‘America’s Most Beloved Ballpark’, this 108-year-old park has been home to Boston’s Red Sox baseball team since 1912. Covering an area of around 9 acres, the main highlight here is the Green Monster, a 37-foot green wall in left field, and still maintains some of the remnants of ‘old time’ baseball such as the hand-operated scoreboard. It has the lowest capacity of seating in the major leagues with only 33,871 spectators. If you wish to watch a game, buy the tickets in advance or else take a guided tour that happens every hour between 9 am – 5 pm to admire its architecture.
New England Aquarium
The New England Aquarium is the oldest and largest non-profit aquarium located at the Central Wharf in Boston. Opened in 1969, the aquarium showcases several exhibits of sea life, from exotic jellyfish and stingrays to playful seals and penguins. The aquarium houses more than 20,000 fish and aquatic animals representing over 600 species. Among, the main feature is a 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank that represents the coral reef environment. A walkway around the tank gives a close view of sea turtles, barracudas, sharks, and schools of small fish. In addition, the aquarium area also has educational programs and whale-watching tours. It is a great place for all age groups to enjoy in Boston.
Museum of Fine Arts
Founded in 1870, the Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world and the fifth-largest museum in the USA. Located in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood, the museum excels in its collections of Impressionist paintings, ancient Egyptian treasures, Asian and Persian fine arts, and works from ancient Greece and the Middle East. The museum is particularly renowned for its amazing Art of the Americas Wing which covers everything from pre-Columbian and colonial-era art to contemporary pieces too. In addition, its gigantic galleries also house fabulous Asian and Persian fine arts, ancient Egyptian mummies, masterpieces by European artists, and much, much more. Highlights elsewhere include a 12th-century lacquered-wood sculpture of Bodhisattva and Korean painted screens, the ivory and gold statue of the Minoan Snake Goddess from 1500 BC, and a statue of the Egyptian pharaoh Mycerinus and his queen. Besides, visitors can spend a day walking through the art exhibitions or participating in one of the many programs of the museum.
JFK Presidential Library & Museum
Opened in 1979, The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum located at the end of Columbia Point overlooking Boston Harbor. The museum is dedicated to the memory of the 35th President of the US. Made out of marble, the museum is housed in a beautiful modern building that was specially designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. The museum is home to several amazing artifacts and exhibits on his life and legacy with three theaters that show educational films also located on-site. Aside from exploring its galleries, visitors can also learn about his time in the Oval Office and important issues and moments that shaped his presidency.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is one of the oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods in Boston. Founded in 1795, the south side of Beacon Hill has traditionally been the home of Boston’s “old money” families, and has fine Federal-style rowhouses and free-standing mansions set alongside its narrow cobbled gaslit streets, and at its heart is Louisburg Square, where homes face onto a leafy private park. The major attractions here are the gold-domed Massachusetts State House, the Nichols House Museum, a Federal-style home by Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, Suffolk University, and many more. On the western side of Beacon Hill, Charles Street is lined with boutiques and shops that have traditionally catered to the neighborhood and are popular with visitors as well. Aside from snapping photos of its charming houses, streets, and gardens, visitors can also explore the various historic sights and monuments that are dotted along the Black Heritage Trail.
Museum of Science
Situated on the banks of the Charles River, the Museum of Science is one of the largest and most visited museums in Boston. Founded in 1830, this extensive science museum is not only a dynamic science museum but also an indoor zoo that has been created to spread knowledge and develop science amongst visitors. The museum houses more than 700 interactive exhibits related to fossils, mounted animals, rocks, models of space capsules, minerals as well as the human body. The museum has permanent exhibits on natural mysteries, the evolution of dinosaurs, colossal fossils, electricity, computers, the human body, etc. There is also a small zoo, a planetarium, and a domed film theatre for guests to enjoy. The most exciting part of the museums is the live presentations that attract audiences who wish to feel science. One can watch movies and planetarium shows, learn how vaccines are made, and participate in fun activities at the Children’s Discovery Centre.
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is a floating history museum located just on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston. The museum is known for its exhibits, interactive reenactments, display of historic artifacts, and restored tea ships, all of which tell the story of the 1773 protest- an iconic episode of the American protest in which more than 300 chests of tea were thrown from ships into the Boston harbor to protest against the tax payments and the monopoly of the East India Company that eventually led to the American Revolution. The museum enables visitors to go back in time to experience the historic events, and delicious food, all at a very reasonable price.
Quincy Market
Quincy Market is a historic building and one of the top markets near Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston. Constructed between 1824 and 1826, the building was named in honor of mayor Josiah Quincy, who organized its construction without any tax or debt. It is a rectangular shaped edifice built in Greek Revival style that includes a grand and ornate domed pavilion. Famous for its dining and shopping options, there are more than 20 restaurants and 40 stalls inside that serve delicious cuisines. Visitors can spot many street artists, who come and dance with you for entertainment and also can find some symphonic concert happening in this place. Today, it is one of the best places in Boston where tourists and locals can grab a quick bite on the cheap.