Chart No. 01 · Boston Proper & Cambridge Three hundred and ninety-six years of streets worth walking, and where to eat, sleep and wander between them. By the editors · Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Independent guide Legend · Hover a mark to open its guide Culture & sport Now in season October Mid-October Head of the Charles Regatta Three days of rowing races on the Charles, free to watch from the bridges and riverbanks. Head of the Charles Regatta Three days of rowing races on the Charles, free to watch from the bridges and riverbanks. Mid to late October Peak foliage Color in the city peaks later than in the mountains. The Arnold Arboretum and the Emerald Necklace are the places to see it. Mid to late October Color in the city peaks later than in the mountains. The Arnold Arboretum and the Emerald Necklace are the places to see it. All month Salem in October Haunted Happenings runs all month, about thirty minutes by commuter rail from North Station. Salem in October Haunted Happenings runs all month, about thirty minutes by commuter rail from North Station. § 01 · Latest dispatches Latest Boston articles Freedom Trail · 20 Oct 2026 · 14 min read Old North Church: The Lanterns, the Crypt and the New Tickets The North End church where the two lanterns were hung in 1775: its history, what is inside, the 2026 Discovery Pass and bell chamber tour, the crypt, hours and services,… Freedom Trail · 19 Oct 2026 Paul Revere House: Tickets, Hours and the Truth About the Ride Freedom Trail · 18 Oct 2026 How Long Is the Freedom Trail? Distance, Times and Six Schedules Freedom Trail · 17 Oct 2026 Freedom Trail Tours Compared: Costumed, Free, Evening and Self-Guided Freedom Trail · 16 Oct 2026 Freedom Trail Stops: All 16, and Which Are Worth Going Inside Freedom Trail · 15 Oct 2026 Freedom Trail Map: The Route Stop by Stop, With Walking Times § 02 · Things to do Things to Do in Boston Things to Do in Boston: What’s Worth Your Time A working guide to the best things to do in Boston: what each attraction costs, how long it takes, when to go, and the… The Most Instagrammable Places in Boston, and When to Shoot Them Twenty of Boston's best photo spots, from Acorn Street and the Public Garden to the Longfellow Bridge, the Zakim at night and Graffiti Alley,… The Emerald Necklace: Boston’s Seven-Mile Olmsted Park Walk Frederick Law Olmsted's chain of parks, from the Common through the Fens, Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum to Franklin Park: what each one… Boston Ghost Tours: Which to Book, What They Cost, What You’ll Hear Ghosts & Gravestones, independent lantern walks, pub crawls and a free self-guided route through Boston's burying grounds, with prices, age limits, the real stories… Things to Do in Boston When It Rains: The Best Indoor Picks The museums, libraries, markets and indoor Freedom Trail stops that make a wet Boston day worth having, with prices, closed days, four ready-made plans… Is Boston CityPASS Worth It? The Math, Attraction by Attraction What Boston CityPASS includes, what each attraction costs at the gate, which combinations save $70 and which save nothing, the catches in the fine… § 03 · The Freedom Trail The Freedom Trail, in sixteen stops Two and a half miles of red brick line from Boston Common to Bunker Hill. Walk it in three hours, or take all day. 01 Boston Common 02 Massachusetts State House 03 Park Street Church

04 Granary Burying Ground 05 King’s Chapel & Burying Ground 06 Boston Latin School Site 07 Old Corner Bookstore 08 Old South Meeting House 09 Old State House 10 Boston Massacre Site 11 Faneuil Hall 12 Paul Revere House 13 Old North Church 14 Copp’s Hill Burying Ground 15 USS Constitution 16 Bunker Hill Monument § 04 · Ports of call A directory of Boston neighborhoods 01 Beacon Hill Known for: Gas lamps & brick lanes Nearest T stop: Charles/MGH (Red Line) Guide → 02 Back Bay Known for: Brownstones & Newbury Street Nearest T stop: Copley (Green Line) Guide → 03 North End Known for: Cannoli, espresso & Paul Revere Nearest T stop: Haymarket (Orange Line) Guide → 04 South End Known for: Victorian rowhouses & brunch Nearest T stop: Back Bay (Orange Line) Guide → 05 Seaport Known for: Harbor views & the ICA Nearest T stop: Courthouse (Silver Line) Guide → 06 Fenway–Kenmore Known for: The ballpark & the MFA Nearest T stop: Kenmore (Green Line) Guide → 07 Charlestown Known for: Old Ironsides & Bunker Hill Nearest T stop: Community College (Orange Line) Guide → 08 Cambridge Known for: Harvard, MIT & Central Square Nearest T stop: Harvard (Red Line) Guide → 09 Jamaica Plain Known for: The Arboretum & the Pond Nearest T stop: Green Street (Orange Line) Guide → 10 Chinatown Known for: Dim sum & the Theater District Nearest T stop: Chinatown (Orange Line) Guide → § 05 · Plan your visit Notices for the visitor Getting here Logan Airport to downtown The SL1 Silver Line bus runs free from every terminal to South Station. For the waterfront, a free shuttle links the terminals to the Blue Line. Airport transfer guide → Logan Airport to downtown The SL1 Silver Line bus runs free from every terminal to South Station. For the waterfront, a free shuttle links the terminals to the Blue Line. Getting around Ride the T like a local Four subway lines and the Silver Line reach nearly every sight. Tap a contactless card at the gate. Boston transit guide → Ride the T like a local Four subway lines and the Silver Line reach nearly every sight. Tap a contactless card at the gate. When to go The best time to visit September and October bring crisp days and foliage. May and June are mild. Winter is cold, quiet and cheaper. Weather by month → The best time to visit September and October bring crisp days and foliage. May and June are mild. Winter is cold, quiet and cheaper. On a budget Boston for less The Freedom Trail, the Common, the Public Garden and the Harborwalk cost nothing to enjoy. Free things to do → Boston for less The Freedom Trail, the Common, the Public Garden and the Harborwalk cost nothing to enjoy. § 06 · Questions Questions, answered How many days do you need in Boston? Three days covers the Freedom Trail, Back Bay, the North End and a museum or two. Add a fourth for Cambridge or a day trip to Salem. When is the best time to visit Boston? Late September to late October, for warm days, cool nights and foliage. Late April to early June is almost as pleasant and noticeably cheaper. Is Boston a walkable city? Yes. Most central sights sit within two miles of each other, and the T fills the gaps. Do I need a car in Boston? No. Parking is expensive and the streets are tight. Use the T, the commuter rail and the harbor ferries instead.