Boston Common

Boston Common: Our most recommended tours and activities

• 

  1. Boston: Old Town Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour

  Climb aboard Boston’s charming orange and green Old Town Trolley and visit more than 100 points of interest in the city at your own pace. Enjoy the freedom to hop on or off all day and discover the Cradle of Liberty’s many sights and attractions. From December to March, choose between the 1-day (silver), 2-day (gold), or 3-day (platinum) ticket options. From April until November, choose between the 1-day (silver), 1-day with harbor tour (gold) or 2-day with harbor tour (platinum) options. What better way to see Boston than by both land and sea? The Boston Trolley tour covers all the major areas including downtown, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, the theater district, and the waterfront. Friendly conductors narrate the tour, offering a fun mix of trivia and humorous stories. There are 18 stops conveniently located close to over 100 points of interest in Boston, these are: • New England Aquarium/...

  We loved the tour! It hit many of the key spots we wanted to visit. Liked the fact we could get on and off. We had 3 guides in total. Uncle Steve was fantastic. Wiggles was fun and energetic. Rocky needs some work. All in all a great tour.

  Reviewed by Deborah, 9/14/2021
• 

  2. Boston: Freedom Trail Tour

  Start the tour from the official Visitor's Center on America's first public park, The Boston Common. Meet your colonial-costumed historical interpreter and guide before embarking on a journey through Boston's colonial history. Following the trail, pass by the Park Street Church, the Granary Burial ground where American Fore Fathers are buried, the site of the world-famous Boston Massacre, America's first public school, the site of The Boston Tea Party, Old State House, Old South Meeting House, and finally Boston's most visited attraction, Faneuil Hall. See lots of incredible historical sites along this short 1.2-mile stretch between The Boston Common and Faneuil Hall.

  Dr. Joseph Warren did a great job of entertaining and informing events from beginning to end. Great tour

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 9/26/2021
• 

  3. Boston: 1.5-Hour Ghosts and Gravestones Tour

  Explore Boston’s sordid past on this “frightseeing” ghost tour of Boston. Prepare yourself for an evening of fun, scares, and ghost stories guided by a 17th-century gravedigger. Your tour guide is dying to tell you tales of Boston’s dead in their own unusual way. On this tour visit the streets where the Boston Strangler once prowled and hear local tales of murder and mayhem, ghosts and ghouls. At Copp’s Hill Burying Ground and Granary Burying Ground, depart from the trolley and explore Boston’s two oldest burying grounds on foot.

  Be warned, you never know what kind of ghoulish creatures you may encounter as you explore the gravesites of John Hancock, Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and others. Travel back in time and learn about the spirits of notorious characters who lived and died in Boston.

  This tour is so much fun and informative. The crew is amazing and very interactive.

  Reviewed by Joanne, 9/22/2021
• 

  4. Boston: Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley 1-Day Ticket

  Tour Boston on board an enchanting hop-on and hop-off trolley to see all the historic sights at your own pace. The 1-day hop-on hop-off open-air trolley ticket gives you access to 9 stops, all conveniently located close to the city’s premiere attractions. Friendly tour guides are on board, ready to narrate your tour, and you can join and end the tour at any of the stops along the route. Jump off in neighborhoods such as North End and Beacon Hill to explore further. Take the full 1-hour circuit non-stop to get a great orientation of downtown Boston, or spend the day exploring in your own time. Trolleys run from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, every 10-30 minutes, depending on the season. So you’ll never have long to wait when you are ready to continue your journey. Hop-on and hop-off trolley stops: • New England Aquarium - Shuttle and Ferry - Quincy Market – Fan...

  Our tour guide Johnny Boston was awesome. Learned so much about the history of Boston and he made it fun! Hopping on and off the trolley is definitely the way to tour the city!

  Reviewed by Bonnie, 9/15/2021
• 

  5. Boston: 2.5-Hour Freedom Trail Walking Tour

  See all 16 of Boston's Iconic Freedom Trail sites in a single 2.5-hour tour with an experienced guide. Learn about icons like Paul Revere and John Hancock, along with lesser-known stories of women, African Americans, and immigrant patriots and pioneers. Discover tales of rebels, gangs, and Midnight Riders, with a few cheap dad jokes for good measure. Gain an understanding of Boston's role in the American Revolution and how the city became a pioneer in the fields of abolition, American education, and immigration. Start your tour opposite the Massachusetts State House and finish in the North End with the best view of the Charlestown Freedom Trail sites. Along the way, experience the explosive events of the American Revolution like the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre in the places they happened.

  This tour was really great. Our tour guide, Mark, was outstanding. He was full of information and delivered it in a way that was fun, funny, and entertaining. I enjoyed this tour so much I would do it again! Highly recommend

  Reviewed by Julie, 9/27/2021
• 

  6. Boston: Freedom Trail Self-Guided Tour

  Embark on an adventure through the United States' history and discover fascinating stories about Colonial America and the Revolutionary War. On this self-guided tour, led by GPS, explore Boston’s Freedom Trail at your own pace and learn about this fascinating period of history. Begin the experience in the center of the city at Boston Common. Hear stories about the common’s history and how the first settlers founded the city. Next stop is Massachusetts State House followed by the 54th Regiment Memorial where you’ll learn about the Civil War. Continue to Park Street Church and discover the importance of this landmark, then find out about the iconic figures buried at the Granary Burying Ground. Arrive at the Latin School next, one of the city’s most notable attractions due to its impressive alumni. From here, reach the Old South Meeting, built in 1729, then explore the Boston Massacre sit...

  Great information. Very helpful to have text and audio. The red brick path was easy & fun to follow. It also provided confidence that we wouldn’t get lost in an unfamiliar city.

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 9/1/2021
• 

  7. Boston: Historic After Dark Ghosts and Spirits Tour

  Embark on a unique after-dark tour and explore downtown Boston’s most haunted hotspots. Discover both the paranormal and historical worlds of each carefully selected tour site and listen to researched, authentic, and up-to-date accounts that ensure you have the best, most chilling experience possible. Highlights of the tour include: Omni Parker House Haunted by its first owner and other notable ghostly guests, the Omni Parker House is considered Boston’s most haunted location. One room in particular has caused so much trouble, terror, and grief that the hotel was eventually forced to convert it into a storage room, lest they risk another guest suffering from a grisly night’s stay in the cursed room. What could possibly drive a hotel to permanently retire an otherwise perfectly good guest room? Discover the details on our tour. Boston Common

  Cute little tour. Don't expect to hear anything too scary, just more of some odd history around Boston.

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 9/12/2021
• 

  8. Boston: 2.5-Hour City View Bike Tour

  The Urban AdvenTours Boston City View Bicycle Tour offers a classic ride for those looking to get a great overall introduction to the city. During the 2.5-hour tour you’ll get to know the city and find neighborhoods that you can explore in greater depth later. Discover the unique character and charm of each area you visit up close, in person, and only possible by bicycle. This comprehensive tour covers all of Boston’s best sites, including: • Historic Fenway Park • The Christian Science Center • Boston Common • The beautiful brownstones in Back Bay and the South End • The Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston’s newest public park • The Charles River Esplanade • The North End, Boston’s oldest residential, Italian neighborhood • Copley Square, where you’ll see the Boston Public Library, Trinity Church, and the John Hancock building The City View tour includes an individually-fitted bike, helmet...

  Our guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable about Boston. Also felt very safe with him as our biking leader.

  Reviewed by Marianne, 9/23/2021
• 

  9. Boston: 2-Hour Back Bay and Freedom Trail Walking Tour

  Your tour begins in the affluent neighborhood of Back Bay. Walkthrough Back Bay and see many of Boston's most famous architectural sites. Learn about the neighborhood and its development since the 19th-century. Continue your tour towards the stately Beacon Hill, once home to Boston's Aristocracy. during the 18th and 19th-centuries. Afterward, proceed to Boston's downtown area to see the major attractions of Freedom Trail. Visit Fanueil Hall and the Quincy Market Area, where you can later shop or eat to your heart's delight.  On this 2-hour tour see the beauty and grace of Copley Square, the Boston Public Garden, cobblestone drives and gaslights of historic Beacon Hill, the quirky, vibrant architecture and streets of old Downtown Boston, and walk along Freedom Trail from Boston Common to Faneuil Hall.

• 

  10. Boston, Harvard & Cape Cod Self-Guided Audio/Driving Tour

  Start in the city of Boston and walk in the footsteps of Revolutionary War heroes. Hear the story of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and relive the fight for American Independence with a self-guided walking tour of Boston’s Freedom Trail. Immerse yourself in the stories of the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party, and the Sons of Liberty as you stroll along Boston’s scenic Harborwalk. Uncover Boston's historic and storied past while enjoying its beautiful harbor views between South Station and Long Wharf. Then, travel to the city of Cambridge outside Boston and explore the heart of Harvard University's campus at Harvard Square. Use the app to take a self-guided walking tour that covers must-see campus sights like the John Harvard Statue, Widener Library, and former dorm rooms of famous alumni like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman, and more. Next, discover Cape Ann with a s...