4 days in Boston

Day by day

1. Day 1: Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

   Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market and Boston Common and Public Garden, then Fenway Park in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Freedom Trail

      Allow 3–4 hours (free). Walk it north from Boston Common in the morning and break for lunch in the North End; most sites can be seen from outside for free, and a few charge entry.

   2. Late morning

      Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

      Behind it, the 1820s granite colonnade of Quincy Market is a long food hall, and the cobbled plazas between the market buildings fill with street performers.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: New England clam chowder

      Union Oyster House near Faneuil Hall, open since 1826 and among the oldest restaurants in the US, and seafood restaurants all over the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Boston Common and Public Garden

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). The Swan Boats run from spring to late summer; in winter, the Frog Pond on the Common becomes an ice rink.

   5. Evening

      Fenway Park

      Arrive early to walk Jersey Street and Lansdowne Street, which fill with food stands and bars before the first pitch.

2. Day 2: Beacon Hill and Acorn Street and Museum of Fine Arts

   Beacon Hill and Acorn Street, Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, then Fenway and Lansdowne Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Beacon Hill and Acorn Street

      Cobbled Acorn Street and Louisburg Square are the classic photo stops, and the Black Heritage Trail traces the 19th-century free Black community on the north slope, including the African Meeting House of 1806.

   2. Late morning

      Museum of Fine Arts

      Allow 3 hours (mid-priced). Look up in the rotunda and main staircase at the murals Sargent painted for the museum in the 1920s.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lobster roll

      Neptune Oyster in the North End is known for its warm buttered version; seafood shacks on the waterfront and in the Seaport serve the cold style.

   4. Afternoon

      Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

      In 1990 thieves stole 13 works, including Vermeer's The Concert, and empty frames still hang where they were, because her will required the galleries to stay as she arranged them.

   5. Evening

      Fenway and Lansdowne Street

      Sports bars, the House of Blues and the MGM Music Hall around Fenway Park, packed on game and concert nights.

3. Day 3: Old North Church and Paul Revere House and New England Aquarium

   Old North Church and Paul Revere House, New England Aquarium and USS Constitution, then Faneuil Hall and the Financial District in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old North Church and Paul Revere House

      Allow 1.5 hours (low cost). Visit the two back to back, then walk to Hanover Street for a cannoli.

   2. Late morning

      New England Aquarium

      Harbour seals and sea lions live in an outdoor marine mammal centre, and whale-watching trips leave from the wharf in the warmer months.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fried clams

      Clam shacks on the North Shore, especially in Essex and Ipswich, and seafood counters in the city in summer.

   4. Afternoon

      USS Constitution

      Allow 1.5 hours (free). Adults need photo ID for the security check at the ship; the MBTA ferry from Long Wharf to the Navy Yard doubles as a short, cheap harbour cruise.

   5. Evening

      Faneuil Hall and the Financial District

      Irish pubs with live music and after-work bars near Quincy Market.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Salem

   About 30 minutes by train each way. Getting there: Commuter rail from North Station; seasonal ferry from Long Wharf.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Salem

      About 30 minutes by train (Commuter rail from North Station; seasonal ferry from Long Wharf); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Salem

      Known for the witch trials of 1692, Salem has the Witch Trials Memorial, the House of the Seven Gables that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne, a historic maritime waterfront and the Peabody Essex Museum, one of the oldest continuously operating museums in the US. October brings huge Halloween crowds.

   3. Evening

      Back in Boston

      Dinner: try Oysters.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Fenway Park and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Back Bay keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Beacon Hill ($$$$) suits couples, quiet stays and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–23 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.1 hours in December to 15.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Boston
• 2 days in Boston
• 3 days in Boston
• 5 days in Boston
• 7 days in Boston

Questions travellers ask