Skip to content
visitorfun
BusinessesGrow
SightseeingIconicHistory BuffFamily Favorite

The Freedom Trail

Starts at Boston Common Visitor Center, 139 Tremont St · Boston, MA

Why you should go…

This 2.5-mile red brick line is the single best introduction to Boston, stringing together 16 landmarks including Paul Revere's House, Old North Church, and Faneuil Hall. Walk it free on your own or join a costumed 18th-century guide for the full story. It is quite simply the most famous walk in America.

  • #walking tour
  • #history
  • #landmarks
  • #self-guided
  • #revolutionary war

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to The Freedom Trail, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Revolutionary Spaces

    Under $25

    Boston's Old State House and Old South Meeting House, twin landmarks of the American Revolution.

    0.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Boston Public Garden & Swan Boats

    Free

    America's first public botanical garden, weeping willows, the Make Way for Ducklings statues, and famous Swan Boats.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Eat & Drink
    Iconic

    Cheers Beacon Hill

    $25–$50

    The real Beacon Hill bar whose exterior inspired the TV sitcom Cheers, tucked beneath the historic Hampshire House.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Faneuil Hall Marketplace & Quincy Market

    Free

    Historic 1742 marketplace packed with food stalls, street performers, shops, grab chowder where revolutionaries rallied.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Old North Church & Historic Site

    Under $25

    Boston's oldest surviving church, where two lanterns in the steeple launched Paul Revere's ride in 1775. Crypt and bell-tower tours dig deeper.

    0.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square

    Free

    A free 1895 'palace for the people', Bates Hall's barrel-vaulted reading room, Sargent murals, and a serene Italianate courtyard in Copley Square.

    0.9 mi awayMore like this