Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States, and offers plenty of historic attractions and sights for visitors. The town does not live in the past, though, because you can also enjoy modern museums, sample the local beer and explore the city on one of the many tours for visitors.
The Freedom Trail is a tour of historic Boston that you can follow yourself, or you can join a guided tour. If you decide to go it alone, you can print the map from Freedom Trail website. Themed tours and events, such as on piracy or the Boston Tea Party, are held regularly. View the city's sights from land and water by taking a Boston Duck Tour, during which you can take in Boston Common and Copley Square via a World War II-style amphibious landing vehicle before the vehicle splashes into the Charles River.
The Freedom Trail Foundation
99 Chauncy St., Suite 401
Boston, MA 02111
617-357-8300
thefreedomtrail.org
Boston Duck Tours
4 Copley Place, Suite 4155
Boston, MA 02116
617-450-0065
bostonducktours.com
A city with as much history as Boston is bound to have some good ghost stories. You can check out some of the scarier ones by joining a Ghosts and Gravestones Tour. Visit haunted hotels and burial grounds, and look out for the staff dressed up as figures from the past. Part of the tour is on foot and, due to the nature of some of the tales, may not be suitable for younger children.
One specialty tour that people of all ages can enjoy is the Boston Movie Tour, a guided bus trip around the city's most recognizable buildings from film and TV. Movies such as "Good Will Hunting" and "The Firm" were filmed in the city, while TV shows "Boston Legal" and "Cheers" were set there.
Historic Tours of America, Inc.
201 Front St., Suite 224
Key West, FL 33040
888-920-8687
ghostsandgravestones.com
Boston Movie Tours
9A Hamilton Place, First Floor
Boston, MA 02108
866-668-4345
bostonmovietours.net
You can even visit the bar that was the inspiration for the long-running comedy series, "Cheers." The pub's real name is the Bull and Finch, and you can find it on Beacon Street. You will recognize the exterior from the series' opening credits, but the interior looks very different. A replica of the bar where Sam and Woody used to hang out has now been set up in Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
Bull and Finch
84 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02108
617-227-9605
Cheers Bar
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Quincy Market, South
Boston, MA 02109
617-227-0150
cheersboston.com
The Museum of Science in Boston has plenty that will keep the children entertained, as they learn. You can watch IMAX and 3-D movies, take in a show at the Planetarium or experience flying through space in the simulator. The museum features interactive exhibits and daily demonstrations by staff, which are all included in the admission fee, and you can visit every day of the week, with a later closing time on Friday evenings.
Museum of Science
1 Science Park
Boston, MA 02114
617-723-2500
mos.org
