As of 2022, I’ve lived in Boston for 8 years. But before I lived here, my family lived here for a few years, and we’ve been coming to Boston my entire life. That means that I’ve done a lot of things in the city and I have plenty of recommendations for people looking for what to do when in Boston. To that end, I’m going to share attractions to check out, restaurants to eat at, places to shop, and so much more. 

What To Do When in Boston: Touristy 

Take a Duck Tour – This is a special kind of tour around Boston! According to their website, “The fun begins as soon as you board your ‘DUCK’, a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle. […] You’ll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden-domed State House to Beacon Hill and the TD Garden, Boston Common and Copley Square to the Big Dig, Government Center to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. […] And just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s more. It’s time for “Splashdown” as your captain splashes your DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines, the kind of view you just won’t get anywhere else” (x). These are a great way to see different parts of the city and is fun even for Boston residents.

Check out Cheers – There are 2 locations of the famous bar where everyone knows your name. The original is on Beacon Street, and the replica is at Quincy Market. “You’ve seen the TV Show. You know and love the characters. Now experience the Boston pub that inspired it all – Cheers on Beacon Hill, previously known as the Bull & Finch Pub. This really is the place where everybody knows your name. Just step inside and see why. Founded in 1969 as the Bull & Finch Pub, Cheers Beacon Hill became the original inspiration for the setting of the TV show Cheers. In fact, the year that the Cheers show premiered on television (1982) Boston Magazine chose the Bull & Finch Pub as the ‘Best Neighborhood Bar’ in Boston. We’re still an intimate neighborhood bar – our neighborhood has just gotten a little bigger!” (x).

Take a Tour of Fenway Park – If you like the Red Sox or baseball, you have to go on a Fenway tour. We did this for my birthday one year and it was awesome. You go when the park is basically empty, so you get to see a really interesting view. More specifically, “Fenway Park is a place where dreams are made, traditions are celebrated and baseball is forever. See the home of Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk and Rice. Visit Pesky’s Pole and sit atop the world famous Green Monster which stands 37 feet 2 inches high overlooking leftfield. Our experienced tour guides will provide a thrilling, one hour, walking tour of Fenway Park. Bilingual tours are available in Spanish and Japanese with advance notice. We welcome all fans to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and the pulse of Red Sox Nation” (x).

Ride swan boats – A classic Boston thing to do, especially if you have kids. This is done in the Boston Public Garden.

Boston Public Garden & Boston 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 the oldest city park in the nation.

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What To Do When in Boston: Where To Eat 

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”). They can be very full due to their well-earned reputation, so don’t plan to just pop in quickly. “Founded in 1946, Mike’s Pastry is located in Boston’s historic North End on Hanover Street. Michael Mercogliano (the “Mike” behind the famed Mike’s Pastry) created the one-of-a-kind cannoli that keeps loyal Bostonians and tourists coming from around the world to enjoy” (x). 

The North End – If you like Italian food, you have to go to the North End, as this is the Italian section of the city. There are a ton of Italian restaurants, big and small, and I’ve never gone to a bad one. As the North End website says, “where else can you get a caffe latte, an Italian newspaper, an American history lesson, a great dinner and a moonlit harborside serenade all in the same evening? No where else but in Boston’s North End” (x).

Restaurants on Newbury Street – I’ll talk about Newbury in the shopping section, but in addition to shops, they also have a TON of restaurants. 

I also want to talk a bit about my favorite restaurants, as I’ve lived here since 2014. 

Aquitaine – This is easily my most-visited restaurant in Boston. I love it! Their website says, “This restaurant was designed in the ‘Bistro Moderne’ movement. The 1990s saw traditional bistros reinvented by chefs who had been formally trained in France’s more formal kitchens. They brought with them new, more advanced techniques and ideas and succeeded in reversing the decline of these old establishments. With our hearts rooted in historical french cooking techniques and our minds flying free with the contemporary cuisine of the future you are assured a meal that satisfies all your desires” (x). I go most frequently for brunch, at which I order a collection of sides due to my food sensitivities. My friends and family frequently go with their Prix Fixe Brunch, which includes a cinnamon roll and choice of omelet or French toast. As for dinner, I pretty typically order their steak frites. It’s divine.

Frenchie – Right across the street from Aquitaine on Tremont Street, Frenchie “is a sit down, easy-going neighborhood wine bar accompanying people in their everyday lives all day long. It is a space to meet, share and savor life, designed for people to relax while enjoying a French inspired menu” (x). They are French in a more traditional way; many of their staff are French and I wouldn’t be surprised if their owners were French. A few years ago, we went there for brunch coincidentally when the World Cup was happening and France was playing, and they had brought in a TV to show the game. But I digress. They also have delicious brunch! They have an extensive variety of egg dishes, as well as French toast and several cold brunch options. This is also the restaurant we went to to celebrate my grad school graduation; that’s how much I like them.

Cheap Things To Do in Boston

What To Do When in Boston: Museums 

There are so many museums in Boston! You’re bound to find something for everyone. 

I looooove the Museum of Fine Arts. 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. 

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. It is in general more kid-focused but it’s entertaining for people of all ages.

And if you have kids, you definitely need to check out Boston Children’s Museum. Their website says, “The Museum’s exhibits and programs emphasize hands-on engagement and learning through experience, employing play as a tool to spark the inherent creativity, curiosity, and imagination of children” (x). 

Also, while it’s not really a museum, you should check out the Boston Public Library. The central location in Copley Square is absolutely gorgeous and does tours. This location “features notable architecture spanning three centuries, as well as treasured art and decorative installations within” (x). As of April 10, they have not resumed their art & architecture tours, but you can go on a self-guided tour with a booklet at the library.

And while I’ve never been, my mom and sister rave about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It’s another art museum and is also beautiful. It was established by Isabella Stewart Gardner at the turn of the century, and it started as “one of the finest private art collections in America” (x).

There’s also the great New England Aquarium! The aquarium “is a catalyst for global change through public engagement, commitment to marine animal conservation, leadership in education, innovative scientific research, and effective advocacy for vital and vibrant oceans” (x). In addition to cool fish, there are also sea lions, sea turtles, penguins, and more.   

Like contemporary art? Then check out the Institute of Contemporary Art! 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” (x). This is actually a sister museum of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. 

Museum of African American History – 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” (x). 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).

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What To Do When in Boston: History

Did you really come to Boston if you don’t see some history? As a whole, the city is absolutely filled with history. There are so many historical locations that I absolutely can’t share even half of them here. If you are coming to the city, I really suggest googling historical locations around your hotel in addition to seeing the ones below. There are so many churches, meeting houses, and previously private homes that now do tours. 

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. “Preserved and dedicated by the citizens of Boston in 1951, the Freedom Trail 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 and beyond” (x).

Old State House – This is “the birthplace of the American Revolution in Boston”. There are two tours available, the tour of the Old State House and the Boston Massacre tour. And if you’re in Boston for July 4, they read the Declaration of Independence, the same place it was read in 1776.

USS Constitution – 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.

Old North Church – You know 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!

Faneuil Hall – Faneuil Hall “was home to merchants, fishermen, and meat and produce sellers, and provided a platform for the country’s most famous orators. It is where colonists first protested the Sugar Act in 1764 and established the doctrine of ‘no taxation without representation’” (x). It is also where “Samuel Adams rallied the citizens of Boston to the cause of independence from Great Britain in the hallowed Hall, and George Washington toasted the nation there on its first birthday” (x). Check out this historical place, go shopping, eat at the restaurants, and more.

Best Places To Go in Boston

What To Do When in Boston: Shopping

There’s so much shopping in Boston! 

Let’s start with Quincy Market, as it’s at the same location as Faneuil Hall. Faneuil Hall is one of a four-building setup which includes Quincy Market, South Market, and North Market. (When locals say they’re going to Quincy Market or to Faneuil Hall, they’re referring to the whole setup.) There are hundreds of stories, including big names like Sephora and Urban Outfitters as well as Boston souvenir stores

If you’re shopping in Boston, Newbury Street is the most famous. It’s “Eight blocks filled with salons, boutiques, and fabulous dining. Boston’s Newbury Street has something for everyone” (x). 

Another famous shopping center is the Prudential Center, which has shopping and restaurants. And “Here you’ll find unique shopping, including places like Vineyard Vines, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, and Vera Bradley. Plus you’ll find a variety of popular activities, and restaurants such as wagamama and 5 Napkin Burger, and it’s all under one roof” (x). 

Connected to Prudential is Copley Place, “Boston’s most distinctive shopping destination with 75 fabulous stores including Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Tiffany & Co., Jimmy Choo, Rigby & Peller, Legal Sea Foods, Yves Saint Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, David Yurman, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Burberry, and Versace” (x). 

If you’re here on a Sunday in May through October, then you should check out SoWa Open Market. SoWa has art, a farmers market, food trucks, and a vintage market. The vintage market is “Boston’s weekly destination for antiques, collectibles, vintage goods, and other one-of-a-kind curiosities” (x). The open market is open from 10 to 4, and the vintage part of SoWa is open from 11 to 4.

Finally, Charles Street in Beacon Hill also has great shopping. It’s at the bottom of said hill and it connects the area by Massachusetts General Hospital to the Boston Public Garden. There are boutiques, chains, antique stores, and so much more. Before my family lived in Boston, when I had to come down for medical appointments, my mom and I would make a day of it since we were already driving 4 hours round-trip and we would go shopping on Charles Street since it’s right by MGH. There are so many great things there!

A Weekend in Boston

What are you going to do in Boston? 

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