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Area of Boston, Massachusetts
Photo: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Downtown Boston is really the heart of the city. Boston City Hall is here, and many powerful companies and agencies are headquartered in the area. Since urban planning was done here before the advent of the automobile, this area of town has secured a decidedly European flavor. Here you'll find pedestrian focused streets, large public green spaces, street performers, and historic sites all connected by an efficient public transit system. If you're looking for the adjacent Italian American neighborhood with great food, head on over to the North End. If you want the Boston Common, the State House and the tallest buildings in the city instead, start exploring Back Bay & Beacon Hill.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
City Hall Plaza
This area used to be known as Scollay Square and was demolished in the 1960s to build a new city hall for the city of Boston. The Hall is a hulking Brutalist architecture and an expansive brick plaza, contrasting sharply with the Fanueil Hall facade directly behind it. Some people love the bold choice of color, form and materials. Everyone else hates it, and considers it to be an eyesore of the first degree. The windswept plaza was mostly deserted until the city began holding seasonal events, festivals, and sports viewings here. Life is slowly creeping back to the center after Government Center station was rebuilt, and plans to make the area more pedestrian friendly are ongoing.
Home of a 200,000-gallon (757,000-L) fish tank, the New England Aquarium offers a riveting museum experience which showcases an incredible variety of fish and other types of animals. It has a humongous IMAX theatre, whale-watching tours operating from its pier, and a marine mammal arena out back. It also is known for its penguins, which are a fascinating experience even on their own. It's well worth a visit.
Old City Hall, unlike the current city hall, is undeniably beautiful. This Second Empire style building was built in 1865 and served as Boston's City Hall until 1969. It has since been converted to office space and also houses an expensive steak house. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and is a much touted example of adaptive re-use in architecture.
Many transit routes go through this station, notably several Amtrak and MBTA train routes. The building was built in 1899 and once had a train shed that was the largest in the world. Architectural features inside the station include the coffered ceiling, the Ionic columns, a hand-operated clock which is the largest of its kind in New England and its curved entrance.
The Cradle of Liberty
It was built in 1742 as a market building adjacent to a busy waterfront dock. Town meetings held here between 1764 and 1774 heard Samuel Adams and others lead cries of protest against the imposition of taxes on the American colonies. The building was enlarged in 1806. Social justice leaders like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Lucy Stone brought their struggles for freedom here in the 19th century. A museum and gift shop dominate the first floor. Most people pronounce it with two syllables like "FAN-yull", while a minority prefer the three syllable "fan-YOU-ull" pronunciation. You'll be fine as long as you don't say anything crazy like "fa-KNEW-lee".
Founded as an Anglican congregation in 1686, the first King's Chapel was built of wood around 1688. Today's stone building dates from 1754 and was built encasing the original wooden structure. Once complete, the wooden frame was disassembled and removed through the stone windows. The beams were shipped off to Lunenburg and reused in a new church. The church bell was forged in England and hung high in the belfry during 1772. Cracked in 1814, it was recast by Paul Revere and would be the largest—and final—bell ever to make its way out of his foundry. The bell is still rung during church services today.
Built in 1729, this church has been an important meeting place for centuries. Famous today due to events during 1773, when colonists used the space to organize what would become known as the Boston Tea Party. Almost destroyed by the fire of 1872, Bostonians saved the structure and it's now an important stop on the Freedom Trail.
Construction financed by the King of England in 1713, this was the longtime seat of government in Boston, and remains its oldest public building. The Boston Massacre took place just in front of the State House, and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians from the balcony. Saved from demolition in 1882, the building has housed numerous tenants and seen many faithful restorations over the years. For example the lion and unicorn statues—symbols of the monarchy—were replaced after being burned during a period of revolutionary zeal in 1776. Every 4th of July, the Declaration of Independence is read aloud once more from the same balcony.
Imported from England in the 17th century by a painter, today you can see the Boston Stone embedded in the foundation of a building in the Historic Blackstone District. No one really knows its exact function, or why it was placed there. The current theory is that it's 18th-century advertising for the shops and stores along this historic street; or a sort of London Stone copycat.
Paifang Gate
Found at the corner of Beach Street and Surface Road this is the most visible symbol of Chinatown for tourists. The urban plaza on the east side of the gate was built as part of the Big Dig highway project.
Walk up these oddly placed steps just as British Royal Governors would have done 300 years ago. At one time they led up to a sumptuous governor's mansion, although George Washington put a stop to that in 1775. Today you'll find the Marliave's al fresco dining patio awaiting you in summer, and an unsightly dumpster or two when it's cold. Check the plaques for more information.
Two statues commemorate the 1845 Irish Famine, depicting a starving Irish family on their knees, and a well fed family walking away. The natural rise of the land here is used to great effect by the sculptor. As you walk up or down from the statues, it's easy to empathize with the predicament of either family. The physical pain of starvation and the emotional pain of leaving loved ones behind are each masterfully rendered in bronze.
Until August 1775, a beautiful old elm tree graced this spot. During the Revolutionary era, Bostonians met in the shelter of the tree, or as they called it: "Liberty Hall". Here they discussed new ways to flummox, humiliate, and resist the British at every opportunity. The tree—and the events that transpired here—became so popular in the minds of colonists that folks from Rhode Island to South Carolina soon christened liberty trees of their own. This particular tree was so hated by the British that it was quickly chopped down and used for firewood once the Redcoats captured Boston. Over the centuries the importance of this rebellious symbol has waned, and today it's been all but forgotten. The site's primary theme of overthrowing the government was deemed too incendiary for inclusion with the popular Freedom Trail. There is, however, a bronze plaque fixed in the ground nearby. You can also look above the Chinatown station entrance, as there's another marker for the Liberty Tree embedded within the brickwork. It's not much of a remembrance considering the site's import, but it's there and always worth a visit.
A glass memorial built in a small park near Fanueil Hall, inspired by survivors who resettled in Boston.
Get off the Freedom Trail for a second and spend a minute reading plaques in this narrow alley. Beneath your feet once flowed clean spring water used by the residents of Boston for hundreds of years. The lane runs parallel to Water Street so you know it's for real. Several other notes relating to Boston's history adorn adjacent building walls, if you're interested. Use caution during the evening, however, as the homeless sometimes use this semi-protected area as a campsite.
Check out the cool trellis and free Wi-Fi.
Predating King's Chapel, this cemetery was founded in 1630, and is the oldest in Boston. Notable figures buried here include: John Winthrop, first governor of Massachusetts, Mary Chilton the first European woman to step ashore in New England, and Elizabeth Pain, whose headstone supposedly inspired the book The Scarlet Letter.
Norman B. Leventhal Park
Post Office Square is a tranquil oasis in the middle of Downtown. In the late 1980s, a decrepit parking garage was torn down and a public park was created on the site, funded by a privately operated parking garage underground. A hub of activity during the day, office workers take their lunch beneath the trees, while yoga classes and other activities make use of the open greenspace. The square is not very crowded in the evening and on weekends, but you may run into a wedding photography shoot.
The Greenway
The Greenway is a public park running along the route of the former Central Artery, the road that was buried during the big dig. Instead of developing the land freed up by the new tunnel, the city turned it into a public park running in an arc around Downtown. There are numerous art installations and seating areas, fountains for kids to play in, and even a carousel.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
A free open-air walking tour with eight interpretive pillars that describe Boston's transformation from a maritime port to a modern city.
Opened in 1928 as a movie theater, it was rededicated as a performing arts venue in 1980, and was restored in 2004. The Boston Ballet is the primary offering here.
Performances of the Blue Man Group and Shear Madness play here. The building first opened in 1839 as a church, and was converted to a performing arts space in 1957.
Performing arts owned by Emerson College. Originally designed for opera performances in 1903.
Built in 1852, The Orpheum is one of the oldest theaters in America and was the original home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Seats 2,700 after many substantial rebuilds, including in 2009.
Performing arts theater owned by Emerson College. This is the Art-Deco one opened in the 1930s as a movie theater. Two smaller spaces are here as well, the 150-seat Black Box Theatre, and a 170-seat screening room.
Boch Center
Boch Center
Opened in 1925, it seats over 3,600 people.
Comedy and music venue.
An institution in their own right, these modified World War II DUKWs give a great, breezy, 80-minute tour of the city by land and sea, all in the same vehicle. One of the most famous, or at least most visible, tours in Boston. Visitors will sing songs, quack like a duck, and irritate passing Bostonians going about their business. It doesn't get any more touristy than this. Tours also depart from the Prudential Center and the Museum of Science.
Boston Harbor Cruises is the only real seagoing commercial compliment to the MBTA. They partnered with the New England Aquarium to offer a 90-minute whale watch cruise for $53. If that sounds too tame, they also have something called Codzilla. It's kind of a harbor tour, except you're on a jet engine with seats. Go fast and get wet for $29. Finally they offer a bunch of different harbor cruises. Check out the USS Constitution from the water, investigate a few of Boston's lighthouses, or just watch the sun go down. Costs range anywhere from $23-66 depending on which one piques your interest. Special events are usually a bit fancier and more expensive, in 2017 some cruises touring the Tall Ships cost over $300!
Everyone looks cool on a Segway. Right? Ticket price includes complimentary gloves (for your hands) and also water.
Another good option to meet your harbor cruise needs. This company is a little fancier, with two ships for you to choose from. One is a sort of steamboat-inspired art-deco vessel, or opt instead for a schooner and head into the harbor under good old fashioned sail power.
Another good option for harbor cruising.
Little touristic trollies that make the rounds to all the major sights downtown. You can hop on and hop off all day with your ticket. They also offer a "haunted" trolley tour during evenings.
Bicycle tours of Boston for families, students and visitors. Also offers a bicycle shop for repairs and sells various necessities for your two-wheeled vehicle.
Art in the park during the beginning of September.
Fancy spot for doughnuts and coffee.
Kind of like Chipotle, but for falafel and gyros. There's a basic price depending on your protein and you can get it as a wrap or a salad. There are lots of toppings to customize your order and you can add a side of chips and hummus. Fast and cheap food so you can get back to sight seeing, you can see King's Chapel across the street.
Busy Lebanese falafel shop.
The perfect spot for breakfast or lunch on the go. Several creative versions of burgers with tongue tickling flavor profiles. The fries are "smashed" and not the sticks you're probably expecting.
Some of the best lunch oriented Italian fare in the city. Stop in if the lines don't look too bad. Almost everything on the menu is homemade.
Fantastic burritos, tacos and tortas. Surprisingly authentic. Another popular spot with the lunch crowd.
Absolutely legendary. A fixture in Boston's late night scene since 1947. It's the quintessential American greasy spoon diner experience. The subject of a documentary in 2012, it's been a setting in a few other films. Celebrities have been known to make appearances here once in a blue moon, but you are more likely to find police and firemen taking a load off and enjoying whatever is coming off the grill.
Belgian style poutine slathered in delicious sauces. Everything made in house from scratch. Offers a changing selection of quality beers on draft and in cans. Excellent value for the quality here, especially considering the location.
One of the city's most famous sandwich joints. Delicious and huge, but pricey. Serves up classic deli fare like pastrami and corned beef sandwiches.
Dirt cheap bánh mì, i.e. Vietnamese submarine sandwiches on baguettes and boxed lunches. No tables, but you can walk over to the Boston Common and eat your lunch there.
An assortment of Chinese styled cakes. Chinese styled cakes often incorporate fruit and aren’t too sweet. Also, this shop offers some specialty drinks, i.e., milk teas. There’s a small eat-in area.
Another cheap, but delicious bakery stocked with pastries, buns, and tarts.
Hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant with a few curated dishes specializing in hand-pulled noodles. The doughy noodles and spicy lamb soup base is best exemplified by option #16. Get your face close to the bowl and don't wear white! Potentially the best dollar to flavor ratio in the city.
Great food, great value, has many loyal patrons. Particularly well known for its dim sum: some regard this as the best place for dim sum in Chinatown. If you come during peak time (Sundays from 11AM-1PM), expect at least a half hour wait.
Chinatown pushes south, venture a little off the track to find large portions of cheap and tasty Chinese food. Everything comes in styrofoam containers whether you're dining in or not. People like the wonton soup and the crispy salt and pepper pork. Save room for dessert and walk across the street to May's Cake House and their sweet selections.
A dream come true for vegetarians, as the entire menu is vegetarian here. Features fake meat dishes (e.g. "chicken", "pork") as well as arguably more authentic vegetarian creations. Also check out the acclaimed vegan sandwiches at Cuong's right next door.
Another restaurant with well priced authentic comestibles. The "mini-steamed pork buns" are a notable specialty, and are similar to those at the Taiwan Cafe which was founded by ex-employees of the former.
Just outside of Chinatown proper... but only just. Hei La Moon is relatively new on the Chinatown restaurant scene, but it has already established itself as a worthy competitor, particularly in the area of dim sum.
Despite its proximity to Faneuil Hall, tourists sometimes overlook this location. Try the seared scallops–plump, juicy, very fresh. Excellent deals on lobster too. Live acoustic Irish music with authentic Irish musicians. Much appreciated by the local crowd early on a Sunday evening; fathers dancing with small children and regulars calling for their favorite songs. Waitstaff efficient and friendly.
A hip afterwork hangout with very good "new American" food and the best macaroni and cheese in town, right near Tremont Street and the Boston Common.
Authentic. Chefs will make a custom dish from something you select from the live tank.
Small, meat focused menu that serves late into the night. Also has alcoholic milkshakes and a decent beer list. For something more exclusive, there is a secret steakhouse in the back.
Oldest continuously operating restaurant in the US. Comfortable atmosphere. Raw bar.
Cozy Italian place with constantly updating menu.
Fancy cocktails and French bar food. This is a reincarnation of the original Restaurant Marliave, founded in 1885 and a spot where Boston's elite took their mistresses.
Omni Parker House
Where the Boston Cream Pie originated.
The swanky sibling in the Legal Seafoods empire. Instead of the slightly kitschy standard Legal, Legal Crossing has sleek modern decor and fancier dishes. There is a full bar with an extensive cocktail menu.
After the shuttering of Locke-Ober—one of Boston's oldest and poshest restaurants—Yvonne's opened in 2015 as a modern reinterpretation of the supper club. Some of the space was converted into luxury condos, but much of the old world charm here remains.
Boston Harbor Hotel
"Vineyard-to-table" fare in a swanky waterfront hotel.
Considered one of the best wine bars in the country, Troquet serves a variety of half and full glasses along with bottles of wine paired with its French menu. The food is fabulous as its atmosphere.
Boston's quintessential sushi restaurant, serving Wagyu beef and a James Beard Award. Reservations recommended.
Millennium Tower
Sushi bar and a modern take on Izakaya style dining. Helmed by Michael Mina; holder of a James Beard award, he was also voted Bon Appétit and San Francisco Magazine's Chef of the Year in 2005.
Established in 1795, the bar (falsely) claims to be the oldest continuously operating tavern in the country. It also functions as far more of a club than a tavern. Downstairs is generally packed on weekends, upstairs is a multi-room club.
The last dive standing downtown.
If you need to get away from the glitz and glamour, head over to this respectable bar near the bus station.
A relaxing place to stop in and take a break from the freedom trail. A replica of the original 1657 Green Dragon Tavern, where the Sons of Liberty met and discussed political revolution. British officers also frequented the original pub and were spied upon by American patriots. Modeled after the “Headquarters of the Revolution”, the Green Dragon was rebuilt in the Blackstone Historic District after a major fire. Featuring lively entertainment and lovely food in an Irish pub atmosphere.
Stoddard's is also a restaurant, but it is better known as a place to drink. Has a respected take on the Moscow Mule and an extensive draft selection. The bar is a slightly modern spin on the late 19th century with lots of dark woods and brass fixtures.
A good old fashioned faux-dive bar downtown in the theatre district. It used to be a real dive, but that was decades ago. Friendly bartenders, cheap prices for beer, and an all around fantastic atmosphere complete with video games, karaoke, trivia, and old-style jukeboxes make for an enjoyable night for drinkers of all ages. Cash only.
Gay dance club.
The Good Life is a hidden gem, located in Boston's financial district. They offer an oft-changing menu of high quality food in their simple/chic dining room. Guests can also enjoy visiting their unique downstairs vodka lounge that features over 150 types! Various music acts featured nightly downstairs. No cover charge.
Dance club next to Faneuil Hall selling "scorpion bowls" and meat sticks of questionable provenance.
W Hotel
Coffee shop dedicated to paying its employees a livable wage, and it donates all its profits to local charities chosen by customers.
Provides a comforting atmosphere. A great place to get fresh coffee, soups and salads, and fresh pastries.
The first U.S. location of a popular British coffee chain
Not only your morning java, but lots of great soups and sandwiches. Fresh cookies and other delicious treats are baked on site daily.
Featuring a standing espresso bar, this shop features two takes on the drink daily. They also offer drip coffee, and a few snacks from local bakeries. Gracenote roasts their own, and sells the product to a number of local restaurants.
First U.S. location of an upscale Japanese coffee chain.
Also a maker space with laser cutters, 3D printers and a CNC machine for rent.
A great place to get a cup of coffee. The staff is young and hip, but they are always very friendly, upbeat, and professional. They offer an array of sandwiches and baked goods.
This Dorchester-based company is a great place to get fresh coffees from around the world. Most of their coffees are certified Organic, Shade Grown and Fair Trade.
Communal kitchen, common areas, laundry facilities, meeting rooms and luggage storage. There is a maximum stay of 14 nights per calendar year.
A furnished apartment rental agency offering an alternative to a hotel room. These rentals are private homes, condos or apartments in residential buildings within the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, South End, and Financial District neighborhoods. There are monthly, weekly and nightly rentals available. The homes range in size from smaller studios to one- or two-bedroom apartments, and all have fully equipped kitchens and private bathrooms. This is a unique way to experience the city like a Bostonian, in a brownstone home. Rental paperwork is required and most credit cards are accepted.
Built in 1877 as the Sumner Hotel. The previous incarnation was the Milner Hotel. Amenities include: 24-hour front desk, ticket service, luggage storage, safety deposit box.
Pleasant, remodeled in the boutique style (exposed brick, modern furniture without being uncomfortable). Rooms are a decent size, comfortable bed, no desk, nice TV, wireless internet free in all rooms, clean. Very quiet - no street noise at all. Coffee available in the lobby all day for free. No restaurant or room service. Basic travelers' hotel - no gym. Close to Fanueil Hall, Aquarium, many restaurants within walking distance.
Trendy boutique hotel. For a real splurge stay in the Cloud Nine Suite with views of Boston Common.
Near Boston’s theatre district, 235 modern guest rooms all with the signature W bed. The hotel also features the restaurant Market, from celebrity-chef Jean-Georges and the W lounge in the lobby.
Guests gain complimentary access to the adjoining YMCA fitness center (complete with indoor pool, basketball court and group classes). A full-service Starbucks is on the lower level of the hotel.
This accessible hotel has 403 rooms and a fitness center. This property is dog-friendly (for a $75 fee) which is waived for service animals. No other animals are allowed.
424 guest rooms & suites in this 5 star hotel.
Boston Custom House
If you're going to throw down coin, you may as well do it here. This was once the customs house for the city of Boston, where all items unloaded from the nearby docks were tracked and taxed. The building dates from the early 1800s, the tower was added about 100 years ago, and the hotel remodel happened in the 1990s. It's got charm, a great location and all the modern conveniences you'd expect.
This 4-star hotel is across the street from the Wang Theatre.
The oldest hotel in America, although the current building dates from the 1920s. Located in downtown Boston on the Freedom Trail, the venerable Omni Parker House Hotel opened its doors in 1855. If you want to surround yourself in history in the heart of Downtown Boston, this is the place to stay. However, many of the hotel's rooms are small and over-crowded with furniture. Ho Chi Minh & Malcolm X are former employees. Bonus: if you eat in the dining room, ask to sit in the booth in which John F. Kennedy asked Jackie Onassis to marry him.
In the Theater District across the Common from the original Riz-Carlton. Relatively new hotel with a very modern design.
Wake up to the sunrise over the harbor. Big swimming pool, fitness center.
Big luxury hotel.
It's on Boston Harbor at the historic Long Wharf in downtown Boston. This hotel features 400 hotel rooms, 11 hotel suites, a concierge lounge with harbor views, and Oceana Restaurant that serves fresh seafood cuisine.
It was built for the Federal Reserve Bank. This AAA four-diamond Boston hotel is now a national architectural landmark. The hotel overlooks the gardens of Post Office Square and is steps from Boston's shops, restaurants and attractions such as Faneuil Hall, Newbury Street, the Freedom Trail, and the financial district. Cafe Fleuri inside is now known as one of Boston's finest restaurants and is known for its Saturday Chocolate Bar Buffet and Sunday Jazz brunch.
This year-round market features vendors of high quality goods and comestibles from across New England. It's a great place, but with this location and quality be prepared to pay a little extra. Some of the stalls here sell a fantastic assortment of old fashioned Yankee craftsmanship. American Stonecraft is an artisanal producer of dishes, coasters, food slates and such. All made from stones pulled from farm fields in the region. A producer of fine wood products, Peterman's Boards and Bowls are made from fallen or discarded timber. While Hopsters Alley features a selection of New England beer, wine and spirits. This store is run by a brewery of the same name, and offers growler fills here as well. Explore the rest of the Market for more local and organic produce, artisanal tea shops, noodle houses, chocolatiers, bakers, cheesemongers and butchers.
Three floor used and rare book store with an outdoor bargain area set up in a neighboring alley. Brattle Book Shop was founded in 1825 and is one of the oldest book shops in the country.
Fantastic bookstore downtown selling antique, rare, used, and new tomes. Particular emphasis on subjects like: the arts, architecture, history, literature, philosophy, and religion. You can also find other exclusive treasures here, like old maps, engravings, and manuscripts. Even just walking down this street and looking around is an experience.
Come to America to buy cheap clothes from an Irish retailer who sells products made in Mauritius and Bangladesh! In all seriousness, these fast fashions are cheap. Like eerily cheap. You'll get a great deal, but don't expect these clothes to last for years.
Fulfill all your surplus military needs at this branch of the Army/Navy store. You'll find the usual run of pants, shirts, uniforms, boots and outerwear. What really makes this place special is the odder items, like flame retardant jumpsuits (including face mask!), army rations, various nettings, and empty ammo canisters.
Classy jewelry, watches, crystal, and other high end items. A relative "newcomer" on the scene, this place offers a better selection than the storied E.B. Horn just down the street.
Headquarters of an upscale menswear shop in the Leather District.
Custom fitted bespoke menswear. Suits, jackets, vests, trenchcoats, you name it.
By public transit
Downtown is easily the best connected area in the city. Boston operates on a "hub and spoke" philosophy, and this is clearly the hub for a variety of modes of transport.
By car
You'll find a car to be more liability than boon here. Do not drive downtown unless you know exactly what you're doing, where you're going, and how you're parking.
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