Whether or not you’re a fan of Infinite Jest, something’s drawn you to Boston that you can’t really describe. And now you’ve started to find rooms for rent in Boston, or maybe you’ve already found your new home, or maybe you’re just visiting. Whatever the reason, now that you’re here, you need to know about all the best things to do in Boston. So let’s get to the deep crooks of ‘Beantown’ and make a list of super cool things to do in Boston.
Related: Find Rooms For Rent In Boston
Go outside
1. The Charles River Esplanade
When looking for the best things to do in Boston, head to the 17 mile stretch of land along the Charles river banks: the Esplanade. With beautiful paths that people use for walking, jogging, rollerblading, biking, you can just sit around soaking in some sun on the grass. This is one of the places to visit in Boston that you must visit for a relaxing day out.
Costs: Free
Timings: Open 24*7
2. Fenway victory gardens
Gardeners, rejoice! The Fenway Victory Gardens holds the purpose of maintaining and encouraging urban gardening for the benefit of all residents of Boston. So when looking for the best things to do in Boston when you live here, you can grow fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers, and more with the many workshops and communities at this beautiful gem of Boston tourism.
Membership Fee: $40 per plot
Timings: 06:00 am – 11:00 pm
3. Boston Harbor Cruises – Whale Watching
When looking for seriously cool things to do in Boston, hop onto the high-speed catamaran vessels to experience a three-hour whale watch cruise with the Boston Harbor Cruises. The cruise offers a climate-controlled cabin, tables, and food.
Costs: $34 – $37 per person
Timings: 07:00 am – 08:00 pm
Enjoy sports
4. Baseball & Tours at Fenway Park
If you’re a baseball fan, Fenway Park should be on your list of places to visit in Boston. Home to the American League baseball team, Boston Red Sox, you can head here to enjoy baseball matches, Boston style, or enjoy a public tour of the place.
Costs: Varies with the event and seating area. Check detailed costs here.
Timings: 09:00 am – 05:00 pm
5. Basketball, Hockey & Sports Museum at TD Garden
The sports museum is one of the best places to visit in Boston if you like sports. Along with being a museum with exhibits celebrating sports in the area, it also provides character-building, transformative educational programs that positively impact at-risk kids in the area through sports culture.
Costs: Public tours: $15/person
Private tours: $30/person
6. Boston Marathon
One of the things to do in Boston, you can enter, volunteer, or watch the Boston Marathon with family or friends. An annual marathon inspired by the first marathon in 1896, it is traditionally held on the third Monday of April every year.
Explore museums
7. Harvard Museum of Natural History
With a mission to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the natural world, this is truly one of the best places to visit in Boston to celebrate the spirit of curiosity and discovery inherent in our species.
Costs: $15.00
Timings: 09:00 am – 05:00 pm
8. Museum of African American History
The largest museum that preserves, conserves, and interprets the contribution of African Americans, the Boston branch preserves two historic sites and two Black heritage trails that tell the story of the past culture of the black communities. You can discover exhibits, programs, and educational activities as some of the best things to do in Boston.
Costs: Free entry
Timings: Monday – Friday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
9. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum
Preserving the vision of seeking a better world through politics, the JFK library and museum is one of the best places to visit in Boston. Located in a ten-acre park overlooking the sea, the museum offers tours on his life and work and the library can be used by students and scholars for research.
Costs: $9.50 – $13.25
Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Experience the culture
10. Boston Public Library
The first large free municipal library in the country, a majestic reading room, Bates hall awaits you at the Boston public library. Stunning architecture and an amazing collection, this is one of the best things to do in Boston if your idea of vacation is traveling through books.
Costs: Free
Timings: Monday – Thursday: 10:00 am – 06:00 pm | Friday & Saturday: 10:00 am – 04:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
11. Brattle Book shop
One of the largest antiquarian book shops in the country owned by the Gloss family, this one’s a wonderful place to visit in Boston. With a stock of over 250,000 books, maps, prints, postcards, and more, it also is home to first editions, collectibles, and antique items.
Timings: Monday – Saturday: 09:00 am – 05:30 pm
12. Harvard Square
When looking for cool things to do, look no further than Harvard square. A place of history, books, ideas, and learning, this is one place you must add to your list of places to visit in Boston. Home to bookstores, coffee houses, shopping spots, theaters, music, and more, you can also stay here when you visit.
Costs: Free entry
Timings: 24*7
Eat, drink and shop
13. Faneuil Hall Marketplace
A site of meetings, protests and debates, and many recreation spots, Faneuil Hall is a must on your list of places to visit in Boston for a taste of Boston culture and American liberty in its best form.
Costs: Entry free
Timings: 10:00 am – 07:00 pm
14. The Baldwin Bar
The Baldwin bar is one of the justified entries in Esquire’s 2017 list of best bars in America! And our opinion is, that a ‘cool things to do in Boston’ list would be incomplete without the Baldwin bar.
And Bostonian Luke O’Neil’s description of the bar for Boston magazine makes it more convincing!
Picture the best Chinese-takeout restaurant you’ve been to: dumplings and thick-cut bacon in garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppers. Now put that inside a New England Colonial mansion built in 1661. When you tack on one of the best cocktail bars in Massachusetts, it’s almost an embarrassment of riches… Cocktails come in meticulously stage-dressed vessels: brown and bitter recipes in flasks served in cigar boxes, or a glass egg filled with Aperol, absinthe, and grapefruit served on a bed of flowers.
Timings: Sunday – Thursday: 05:00 pm – 09:30 am | Friday & Saturday: 05:00 pm – 11:00 am
15. Tatte Bakery & Cafe
And ending on a sweet spot, this is one of the best places to visit in Boston to experience the sweetness of the city. Founder Tzurit Or wanted Tatte to be a place for the community to gather, to feel welcomed, to create a sense of home and belonging. Now she has 18 bakeries in Boston and Washington, with the original intention staying intact.
Timings: 07:00 am – 08:00 pm
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