15 Outstanding Boston Travel Attractions

Swan Boats of Boston (photo by Eric)
The good news about taking a Boston, Mass., vacation is that there's no shortage of wonderful travel attractions. The bad news:  there's no way you'll be able to see all of them during your stay, given the city's seemingly infinite rich historical and modern offerings. While the following list is by no means exhaustive, these low and moderate cost attractions represent the best of Boston travel:

 Boston Duck Tours - This educational and entertaining excursion allows you to discover  Boston and its incredible history on a World War II style landing craft on the streets of Boston -- and then into the Charles River for great views of Boston and Cambridge.

New England Aquarium  This world class museum seems to get better every year and features the Giant Ocean Tank spanning four floors and featuring more than 1, 000 animals. including Myrtle, a 550 lb green sea turtle.

Fenway Park Tour Knowledgeable and often humorous guides take you through one of Major League Baseball's most historic and cozy parks. From the famous Green Monster wall to stories on Babe Ruth, Ted Williams Carl Yastrzemski and David Ortiz, this tour hits its out of the park!

Prudential Building Skywalk Observatory Amazing 360 degree panoramic views of the Boston skyline and all the way up to New Hampshire (on a clear day) give a height advantage to this Boston attraction.

Museum of Science  More than 700 interactive exhibits make the Museum of Science an obvious choice for a morning, afternoon or day long destination. Not your basic, garden variety science museum, it seems like the adults can learn just as much as the kids from visiting the Museum of Science!

Old State House If you are going to walk the Freedom Trail and had to choose one stop along the way, the Old State House would probably be the best choice.  Interactive guides and staff dressed in Revolutionary period characters offer fun through tours (with a vast display of artifacts) and performances in this stately, historic building

Museum of Fine Arts  Almost 450,000 pieces of art from just about any genre make this a must-stop Boston attraction for all walks of life. One of the most spectacular sections of the Museum is the Art of the Americas, showcasing fifty-three galleries of art and artifacts that have haven't been displayed for decades.

Freedom Trail Walking Tour This one-mile, red brick stretch of Boston featuring 11 national historic sites will give you an great introduction to the American Revolution. Guides go into great detail of this important time in history through the official tour.

Franklin Park Zoo  A good zoo that has become better through the years, the Franklin Park Zoo offers a fine mix of animals that is well worth the price of admission.  Not a world class zoo, but certainly a vital part of one's family visit to Boston.

Paul Revere House As the oldest building in Boston, the Paul Revere House is a popular tourist attraction for those interest in colonial history -- and specifically the story behind Paul Revere's famous "Midnight Ride." Beautiful home, well-maintained, and a national landmark.

Boston's Children's Museum This old yet updated museum prides itself on hands-on exhibits that focus on  science, culture, environmental awareness, health and fitness, and the arts for children and families.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum  A well laid-out and defined mix of artifacts and exhibits (including videos) masterfully tell the story of JFK. The waterfront building is stunning in appearance and located on 10 acres with terrific views of the Boston skyline and islands.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Located in  the Kenmore-Fenway section of Boston, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum might be Boston most charming museum with its 15th century Venetian palazzo architecture, beloved courtyard garden and surrounding galleries. Those galleries feature "significant examples of European, Asian, and American art, from paintings and sculpture to tapestries and decorative arts."

Swan Boats of Boston  Perhaps Boston's most beloved attraction, the traditional Swan Boats take visitors on an affordable 15 minute tour of the scenic Boston Public Garden with its open green lands, spectacular landscaping and serene pond.

Boston Movie and TV Sites Tour Over the past 20 or so years, Boston has evolved into a movie and television hot spot. The Boston Movie and TV Sites Tour takes you on a comprehensive excursion, including neighborhoods that featured Good Will Hunting, Cheers, The Departed, Ally McBeal, Fever Pitch and many more.

Editor's note: The Go Boston Card is a great way to package these Boston attractions, and many more at an excellent discount rate -- and often skip the line!

Booking.com

Related articles and resources:
Wicked awesome Boston travel tips 
Visiting Faneuil Hall in Boston
Best Boston pizza destinations
Free and inexpensive museum admission in the Boston area
Boston Red Sox tickets
Find the best deals on hotels in Boston
20 classic New England family travel attractions
12 reasons to love Central Massachusetts

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Eeeevening!: A Perspective on New Hampshire Meteorologist Al Kaprielian

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Somewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the viewer laughing, yet enervated at the same time. In this world of slick, Ken and Barbie television meteorologists, Al Kaprielian has been the antidote to the standard, unctuous television personality. Twenty-five years later, Al is still going strong on MyTV New England with his unique style --perhaps validation that he really loves his job. No doubt, Al has always been an unconventional, unique-looking a
Read more

Visiting My Grandmother Had That Antiques in Wrentham, Mass.

Image
My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past. Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also didn't have -- like a web address, Facebook fan page or any hint on the Internet that this place exists! Unless you're a Wrentham native, one familiar with the antiques industry, have driven by the red barn on South St., or somebody that just reads maps of Wrentham all day, My Grandmother Had That...Antiques is as hard to find as the rarest antique. You won't even find the name, "My Grandmother Had That," on the building, just a sign that states "Antiques." The My Grandmother Had That name is on
Read more

Where To Live In Connecticut That Has A Small Town Feel?

Image
Noank, Conn. Editor's note: We recently received an email from one of our readers looking to possibly move to Connecticut. Here is her inquiry, followed by our response... Hi, my name is Courtney and I found your website completely truthful and helpful. I talked to my cousin who lives in the northern part of the east coast and she described exactly what you did! I am currently in Orange County, California, and don't like the "ingenuinity" (we're assuming the word is"disingenuous") and mindset of the people. I have found that Connecticut is a place with great weather and has a lot if cities with a small town feel. I was wondering if there was any way that you could help me specify my search in CT? I would like a city with a small town feel where your neighbors are sweet, but it still has a high quality of life. Essex and Stonington caught my eye, but I've never been so I can't say! Thank you for your time. Thank-you for your inquiry. We d
Read more