7 days in Boston

Day by day

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

   Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, then Fenway Park in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Freedom Trail

      Downtown · 3–4 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

      Downtown · 1 hour · free.

   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. 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: Boston Common and Public Garden and Beacon Hill and Acorn Street

   Boston Common and Public Garden and Beacon Hill and Acorn Street, then Fenway and Lansdowne Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Boston Common and Public Garden

      Beacon Hill · 1–2 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Beacon Hill and Acorn Street

      Beacon Hill · 1.5 hours · free.

   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. 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: Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

   Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, then Faneuil Hall and the Financial District in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museum of Fine Arts

      Fenway–Kenmore · 3 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

      Fenway–Kenmore · 1.5–2 hours · mid-priced. Entry is by timed ticket; book online for weekends.

   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. 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

      October brings huge Halloween crowds.

   3. Evening

      Back in Boston

      Dinner: try Oysters.

5. Day 5: Old North Church and Paul Revere House and New England Aquarium

   Old North Church and Paul Revere House and New England Aquarium, then Seaport District in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old North Church and Paul Revere House

      North End · 1.5 hours · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      New England Aquarium

      Downtown and the Waterfront · 2–3 hours · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Oysters

      Raw bars across the city, from Union Oyster House's historic counter to Seaport and South End restaurants; many have weekday happy-hour deals.

   4. Evening

      Seaport District

      Rooftop bars, waterfront terraces and lounges in the new towers along the harbour.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Lexington and Concord

   About 40 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car, or commuter rail from North Station to Concord.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Lexington and Concord

      About 40 minutes by car (Car, or commuter rail from North Station to Concord); about 30 km.

   2. Day

      Lexington and Concord

      Minute Man National Historical Park includes the Old North Bridge and the Battle Road, and Concord also has Walden Pond and the homes of Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

   3. Evening

      Back in Boston

      Dinner: try North Shore roast beef.

7. Day 7: USS Constitution and Harvard Yard

   USS Constitution and Harvard Yard, then Cambridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      USS Constitution

      Charlestown · 1.5 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Harvard Yard

      Cambridge · 1–2 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: North Shore roast beef

      Kelly's Roast Beef on Revere Beach, open since 1951, a short walk from the Blue Line.

   4. Evening

      Cambridge

      Central Square's music venues and bars and Harvard Square's late cafés, with a student and academic crowd.

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 7 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 20–25 hours of visiting over 7 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
• 4 days in Boston
• 5 days in Boston

Questions travellers ask