by King of Hearts (cropped)  / [CC BY-SA 2.0

An Exciting Cosmopolitan Metropolis Shaped by Its Universities and Its Location by the Sea

A. About Boston

 Nickname: Beantown

Boston is an exciting cosmopolitan metropolis shaped by its universities, its ethnic and social diversity, and its location by the sea.

Today a world city of science, Boston was the center of the American Revolution.

Best Things to do in Boston

The Good: 

Boston enjoys, first of all, a scenic harbor-side location on the Atlantic Ocean.

Furthermore, the city is safe and clean.

Finally, Boston delights visitors with numerous interesting sights.

The Not-So-Good: 

Boston is a rather expensive city.  


B. Best Things to Do in Boston in 2024 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)

In total, we count more than sixty sights in Boston. The following sights and attractions contribute to a score of 6.70/10 in this most important category:

# Museum of Fine Arts 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Housed in a grand neo-classical building built in 1909, the Museum of Fine Arts covers all parts of the globe and all eras, from the ancient world to contemporary times. Marvel at ancient Egyptian treasures, Asian and Persian fine arts, and works from ancient Greece and the Middle East.

The museum is home to 8,161 paintings, surpassed among American museums only by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Highlights include European Old Masters, Impressionists, and the Art of the Americas section with renowned works by John Singleton Copley and John Singer Sargent.

      • Important Masterpieces: 6
      • Highlight: Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? Paul Gauguin (1897), 139 cm Ă— 375 cm (55 in Ă— 148 in)

Show top 10 artworks (click here)

Fine Arts Museum Gallery Space: ca. 5,000 m2 | Galleries: ca. 35 | Artworks on Display: ca. 350 | Established: 1902

(Click on images to open in lightbox)

# Freedom Trail 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) red-marked path through downtown Boston, that passes by sixteen locations significant to the history of the United States.

Trail

Best Things to do in Boston

by MamaGeek / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Originally the home of Isabella Stewart Gardner, this Venetian style palazzo with an auxiliary wing from 2004 by architect Renzo Piano is home to famous works of Titian, Rembrandt, Botticelli, and Sargent.

In 1990, thirteen of the museum's works were stolen; the crime remains unsolved and the works, valued at an estimated $500 million, have not been recovered.

      • Important Masterpieces: 4
      • Highlight: The Rape of Europa by Titian (1560-1562), 178 Ă— 205 cm (70 Ă— 80.7 in)

Show Top 5 Paintings (click here)
Show Museum Score (click here)

Arts Museum Gallery Space: ca. 4,000 m2 | Galleries: ca. 20 | Artworks on Display: ca. 2'500 | Established: 1896 | Visitors (2019): 345,000

(Click on images to open in lightbox)

# Harvard University and Harvard Art Museums (in Cambridge) 6 3.1 out of 5 stars

Situated only six miles from Boston in Cambridge, Harvard University is the first college established in America in 1636 and is widely considered one of the world's leading academic centers. 

Adjoining Harvard Yard is the Renzo Piano-designed home of the Harvard Art Museums, including three formerly separate outstanding collections (Fogg Art, Busch-Reisinger, and Arthur M. Sackler Museum).

University 

Best Things to do in Boston

by Chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0

# Boston Common and Public Garden 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

Boston Common is one of the most popular green spaces in the city, famous for its stylish swan boats.

Park 

Best Things to do in Boston

by Beyond My Ken / CC BY-SA 4.0

# Faneuil Hall Marketplace 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

Four attractive buildings all located around a cobblestone promenade near the waterfront – the historic Faneuil Hall from 1742, Quincy Market (indoor food court built in 1826 with Greek-Revival architecture), North Market, and South Market – constitute Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

Market 

Best Things to do in Boston

by Daderot / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Science Museum 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

The world of science is shown here in a fascinating way and provides insights into scientific fields such as chemistry, biology, and technology. A total of more than six hundred stations invites you to experiment and marvel.

Museum 

Best Things to do in Boston

by Daderot / Public domain

# Prudential Tower and Skywalk Observatory 5.5 2.5 out of 5 stars

From its 50th-floor skywalk, you can enjoy a spectacular bird’s-eye view of Boston.

Skyscraper Total Height: 228 m | Observation Deck: 213 m | Constructed: 1964

Best Things to do in Boston

by Satire Getaway / CC BY-SA 4.0 

# Public Library 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

With a magnificent facade, murals by John Singer Sargent and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, among others and the splendid Bates Hall Reading Room, the Public Library of Boston is a spectacular architectural and intellectual monument

Library

Best Things to do in Boston

by Hari Krishnan / CC BY-SA 4.0

# New England Aquarium 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

Overlooking the waterfront, New England Aquarium is home to more than 40,000 animals representing more than 750 species of fish, invertebrates, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Compared to other more recent aquariums, the New England Aquarium from 1969 with its relatively small 0.7-million-liter Ocean Tank seems not so impressive. 

Aquarium Biggest Tank: 0.7 million liters | Opened: 1969 | Rank in Our List of the Best Aquariums in the World: No 50

Best Things to do in Boston

by Beyond My Ken / CC BY-SA 4.0

Scoring and Icons Legend (Click here for detailed information)

10 = top-10 sight in the world

9 = world-class  

8 = outstanding

7 = excellent 

6 = impressive

5 = interesting

4 = decent

3 = mediocre

2 = bad

1 = abysmal

= World Heritage Site

= Excursion


C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Boston

- Trinity Church 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

Church

Best Things to do in Boston

by Daderot / CC BY-SA 3.0

    • Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum 5.5
    • John F. Kennedy Library and Museum 5.5
    • Charlestown Navy Yard with USS Constitution 5.5
    • Old State House 5.5
    • Old North Church 5
    • Beacon Hill 5
    • Quincy Market 5
    • Copley Square 5
    • Institute of Contemporary Art 5
    • Fenway Park 5

D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Boston

Salem 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars

City Distance from Boston: 25 miles

by Daderot / CC BY-SA 3.0

Newport Mansions (Rhode Island) 5.5 2.7 out of 5 stars


E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Boston (including close-by excursions)

To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Boston for at least three entire days:

Museum of Fine Arts 6

Freedom Trail 6

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 6

Harvard University and Harvard Art Museums 6

Boston Common and Public Garden 5.5

Faneuil Hall Marketplace 5.5

Science Museum 5.5

Prudential Tower and Skywalk Observatory 5.5

Public Library 5.5

New England Aquarium 5.5