• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic illness blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About
    • As Seen On
    • Tags & Topics
    • Popular Posts
  • Blogging Resources
  • Freebie
  • Shop the Blog
    • Products for the Chronically Ill
  • Work with Me
    • Ads and Sponsoring
  • Follow
  • Holiday
    • Gift Guides

in Lifestyle · January 10, 2018

Cheap Things To Do in Boston

Boston is a great city for a variety reason, but I also think it’s great because there is so much to do and there’s so much history. But whether you’re visiting the city or you live near it, it can be difficult to find things to do that aren’t super expensive. To help you sort through your options, I’ve pulled together a list of free or cheap things to do in Boston. The cheap list is broken down by price per ticket, and I’ve listed the costs for adults, students, and children. I hope you have a great time in my city, regardless of what you decide to do!

All Boston posts

Coming to Boston but don't want to spend a ton of money? Check out these free or cheap things to do in Boston. You'll have a great time!

Free Things To Do in Boston

Boston Public Garden & Common – These two large parks are next to each other and they’re gorgeous. The Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in the nation, and the Common is oldest city park in the nation.

Freedom Trail – This is a 2.5 mile trek through Boston that goes to various historical sites in the city. It is free to walk this on your own, but there are tours that require purchasing tickets.

New England Holocaust Memorial – This is a beautiful memorial, and if you have the time to swing by it, I suggest you do.

Boston Public Library – I love the library! It’s a gorgeous building, and tours of it are free. I’ve done the art and architecture tour, and I strongly recommend it.

Cheap Things To Do in Boston

Under $25

Skate on the Boston Common Frog Pond: $12 for adult skate rentals + $4 for renting a locker + $6 adult admissions = $22 per person – This seems like a really fun winter activity! (I am not exactly able to skate.) And if you already have your own skates, this would only be $10 per person.

Museum of Fine Arts: $25 for adults, $23 for students, free for students from participating universities – I looooove the MFA. They have such a gorgeous collection, including exhibits about New England history and impressionist art, my favorite section. Plus, wheelchairs and rollators are free, which makes it even better in my book.

Museum of Science: $20 for adults, $15 for ages 13-19, $10 for ages 4-12, free for under age 3 – The Museum of Science was always my favorite place to visit when I came to Boston when I was growing up. There are so many different exhibits, so there is sure to be something that your family will enjoy.

Fenway Park Tours: $20 for adults, $14 for children – If you like the Red Sox, you have to go on a Fenway tour at some point in time. We did this for my birthday one year and it was awesome.

Under $20

Prudential Center Skywalk: $19 for adults, $15 for students, $12 for people under 12 – This is the best view of the city because it’s the only sky-high, 360 degree vantage point.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: $15 for adults, $5 for students, free for people under 18, free if your name is Isabella (I’m serious), free if it’s your birthday – While I’ve never been, my mom and sister rave about it.

Institute of Contemporary Art: $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for students – This museum “strives to share the pleasures of reflection, inspiration, provocation, and imagination that contemporary art offers through public access to art, artists, and the creative process.”

Planning a trip to Boston or just trying to find something new to do? Check out these 23 cheap or free things to do in Boston.

Under $15

JFK Library & Museum: $14 for adults, $12 for students, $10 for people 13-17, free for children 12 and under – Not only does this museum show the life and impact of John F. Kennedy, but it also has a collection of historical materials related to mid-20th century politics.

Museum of African American History: $10 for adults, $8 for students, free for people under 18 – This museum is “dedicated to preserving, conserving and accurately interpreting the contributions of African Americans in New England from the colonial period through the 19th century.” It has the African Meeting House (the oldest black church in America) and the Abiel Smith School (the oldest public school created entirely for educating black children).

Old State House: $10 for adults, $8.50 for students, and free for people under 18 – This is “the birthplace of the American Revolution in Boston”. They two tours available, the tour of the Old State House and the Boston Massacre tour.

USS Constitution: suggested donation of $5-$10 for adults, $3-$5 for children, and $20-$25 for families – Want to see a ship that was launched in 1797 and is still in the water? It was commissioned by George Washington himself. The museum teaches the Navy’s role in war and peace.

Under $10

Old South Meeting House: $6 for adults, $5 for students, $1 for children 5-17, free for children under 5 – If you’re not familiar with this by name, I have a question for you: You know the Boston Tea Party? This is where it started.

Paul Revere House: $5 for adults, $4.5 for students, and $1 for children – Learn all about Paul Revere and his midnight ride!

Historic Old North Church: suggested $3 donation – Speaking of Paul Revere’s ride, this is the place where the lamp was that told him whether the British would come by land or sea. It’s a cool place to check out!

Swan Boats: $3.50 for adults, $2 for children up to 15, free for children under 2 – A classic Boston thing to do, especially if you have kids. This is done in the Boston Public Garden.

Price Depends

Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market – This is a great area for shopping and food. Faneuil Hall was built in 1742 and was a marketplace and meeting house. There are some shops on the first floor, a meeting room on the second floor, and a museum on the third floor. Quincy Market has sooooo many food options that it’s a great bet if you have multiple people who all like different types of food. There are also restaurants in Quincy Market, and shops in the North and South Market.

North End – If you like Italian food, you have to go to the North End. There are a ton of Italian restaurants, big and small, and I’ve never gone to a bad one.

Mike’s Pastry – You haven’t gone to Boston if you haven’t gone to Mike’s. They have amazing desserts, especially cannoli (their website’s title is literally “Home of the Cannoli”).

Cheers Boston – The famous bar where everyone knows your name!

What are your favorite things to do in Boston?

Like this post? Check out:

 Best Places To Go in Boston, What To Do in Boston This Fall, A Weekend in Boston

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

Share this with your family and friends:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Related

Previous Post: « How To Create a Dating Profile That Gets Responses
Next Post: Steps to Writing a Book: Pre-Writing »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Kate the (Almost) Great | Boston Lifestyle Blog - Fun Things To Do in Boston: A 3-Day Guide | Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    October 23, 2018 at 7:30 am

    […] Cheap things to do in Boston […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. Best Coffee Shops in Boston - Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    February 3, 2024 at 4:44 pm

    […] Cheap Things To Do in Boston, Best Places To Go in Boston, What To Do in Boston This Fall, A Weekend in Boston […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  3. 12 Boston Small Businesses To Support | Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    October 25, 2024 at 6:36 am

    […] A Bostonian’s Favorite South End Restaurants, Fun Things To Do in Boston: A 3-Day Guide, Best Coffee Shops in Boston, Cheap Things To Do in Boston […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  4. What To Do When in Boston says:
    January 20, 2025 at 9:27 am

    […] Cheap Things To Do in Boston […]

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Kate the (Almost) Great® is a chronic illness lifestyle blog. It is a resource for chronic illness patients and their loved ones.

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Health
Lifestyle
Writing & Blogging

Pages To Start With

  • About Kate the (Almost) Great®: Meet the Health Blogger
  • As Seen On
  • Follow
  • Health Blog Resources I Actually Use + Recommend
  • Newsletter
  • Popular Posts
  • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer Policy
  • Products for the Chronically Ill: My Recommendations
  • Shop
  • Start Here
  • Tags & Topics
  • Work with Me

Search

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This blog uses affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for sign up!


Bluehost.com Web Hosting $3.95

Health Union Patient Leader Certification

Support KTAG

If you like what I do, please support me on Ko-fi.




Footer

Sign Up for FREE Instagram Challenge

Get 25 FREE Instagram prompts for chronic health creators!

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Get your FREE Instagram challenge here 

and 

For just $5 get your copy of my ebook Take Your Blog (And Income!) to the Next Level with code "greatest".

.

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

Lets Go!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Learning about my body: Wow, it’s incredible how Learning about my body: Wow, it’s incredible how much we know about the human body!⁣
⁣
Also learning about my body: Do we know anything at all about the human body?⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Screenshots of a thread post written by katethealmostgreat. The text reads what's about the first black box.⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #rheumatoidarthritis #arthritis #spoonielife #healthblogger #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicallyill #healthblog #dysautonomia #fibro #fibromyalgia #endo #chronicallyill #disability #disabled #invisibleillness #DisabledAndCute #spoonielife #healthblogger
Live for yourself 💖 _______ Video: a series Live for yourself 💖 

_______ 

Video: a series of videos featuring Kate. This includes her working on a laptop, drinking, showing off her dress, and opening her kindle.
Week 20 of #2025Weekly ⁣ ⁣ I did very little l Week 20 of #2025Weekly ⁣
⁣
I did very little last week! So little I forgot to schedule this post. I the week at my parents’ while recovering from my infusion. Thankfully I had a fluffy nurse to help! And then I spent the rest of the week catching up from what I missed while dealing with my infusion. ⁣
⁣
▪ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
▪ ⁣
⁣
ID: a golden retriever walks towards the camera on a red rug. There’s a dog toy in his mouth and another one on the rug. ⁣
⁣
 #AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #SpoonieLife #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Autoimmune #ButYouDontLookSick #AutoimmuneDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #RetrieversOfInstagram
I don’t think health problems are “deserved” I don’t think health problems are “deserved” or a punishment but I do think if I didn’t have mine I would have the time and energy to take over the world, so … 

_______ 

Video: Kate runs a hand through her hair. White text reads “How I feel knowing that God gave me chronic health issues because I would be too powerful without them”. The audio says “cause I’m too messy and I’m too fuckin clean they told me to get a job”. Kate is a redheaded white woman wearing a green dress with white flowers on it, a black shawl, a silver Celtic knot necklace, and round tortoiseshell glasses 

#AlmostGreatLife #SpoonieHumor #InvisiblyIll
The most common question I get about sharing my ex The most common question I get about sharing my experience with chronic illness is "How do you deal with it?" These 3 quotes are sources of inspiration and indicative of how I do it. ⁣
⁣
1. "Guard your time fiercely. Be generous with it, but be intentional about it." - Davd Duchemin⁣
I am SO intentional with my time. Even when I (rarely) do spur-of-the-moment fun things, I'm doing mental calculations of how to make it happen. ⁣
⁣
2. "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." - Dolly Parton⁣
That's what my blog and advocacy work is. I figured out who I am: someone who helps other patients, who shares her story, who tries to change the world. And I'm doing it on purpose. ⁣
⁣
3. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but power, love, and self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7 ⁣
I will be afraid some times (we all will) but my spirit is not one of fear or timidity. My spirt of power, love, and self-discipline enables me to keep fighting for myself and others. ⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshots of Bluesky posts written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat.bsky.social. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. The text on each post is one of the quotes mentioned above.
Click the link in my bio to get my medical appoint Click the link in my bio to get my medical appointment freebie! 

_______ 

Video: a series of videos. The first 2 are from doctor’s offices. The most important one is the 3rd which is a screen share of the document. It shows space for medical history, current medical problems, medications, family history, and more. There are captions. 

#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Fibro #Endometriosis #Endo #POTS #Dysautonomia #SjogrensSyndrome #Sjogrens #Fibromyalgia
Here are just some of the things that make me happ Here are just some of the things that make me happy. Share yours in the comments!⁣
⁣
▪ Being home in Maine⁣
▪ Spending time with family ... especially when we get to dress up!⁣
▪ Baking. It's really nice to make a finished product that then gets to be enjoyed! (Not to mention that when I cook or bake I can make meals and donuts and cookies that I can eat)⁣
▪ Medieval stuff but ESPECIALLY weird medieval stuff⁣
⁣
Obviously I know that I'm more than my illnesses - just because I don't have a ton of followers doesn't mean that this isn't a curated account with a purpose - but this is who I am outside of the Internet.⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
IDs: ⁣
▪ A dock over a lake ⁣
▪ Kate, Kathy, Tricia, David, and Emily stand in front of a stone wall.⁣
▪ Looking down at a counter where Kate is mixing ingredients and other ingredients are ready to be used.⁣⁣
▪ Kate holds the book Weird Medieval Guys⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatLife #MaineLife #207 #MaineTheWay #MaineThing #BakersOfInstagram #GlutenFreeBaking #GlutenFreeLife #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness
Week 19 of #2025Weekly ⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ CT scan rea Week 19 of #2025Weekly ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ CT scan ready ⁣
2️⃣ Hours after having a panic attack because, among other things, I need another root canal. ⁣
3️⃣ Infusion time, thank God⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣
⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣
IDs: ⁣⁣
1️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. She's a brunette white woman wearing black leggings, a black t-shirt, a jean jacket, a black cross-body bag, aviator sunglasses, and an orange mask. ⁣
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She looks unhappy. She's wearing a yellow t-shirt and round tortoiseshell glasses.⁣
3️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in an infusion chair. She's wearing a blue t-shirt, white blanket, round tortoiseshell glasses, and orange mask. ⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Autoimmune #ButYouDontLookSick #AutoimmuneDisease #SpoonieLife #DisabledAndCute
Some things I've done for this so far:⁣ ▪ Gett Some things I've done for this so far:⁣
▪ Getting professional haircuts on a regular basis⁣
▪ Got a Kindle and therefore reading more⁣
▪ Making bread regularly, even though I'm bad at it ⁣
▪ Doing my best to keep houseplants alive⁣
▪ Regularly looking for more recipes to try making and not relying on the ones I already have⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshots of thread posts written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is here, with one paragraph per image:⁣
"I realized recently that, big picture, this is the best my health has been since I got sick. When I got my infection in 2018 that impacted my whole body until 2023, I wasn’t diagnosed with one of my illnesses and 3 of my diagnosed ones weren’t controlled to the level they are now.⁣
So this year my quasi-resolution is being nice to myself and focusing more on thriving than existing. Because I can, for the first time maybe ever, thinking about thriving *and* existing."⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatLife #AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #SpoonieLife #ChronicallyAwesome #InvisibleIllness #ButYouDontLookSick #LivingWithIntention #Disability #Disabled #Spoonie
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Kate the (Almost) Great · Design by Studio Mommy

%d