Boston Duck Tours
One of Boston's most popular tour opportunities is the legendary Duck Tours, showing the best of Boston from land and sea. World War II vehicles take you on a scenic drive around the most famous sites and attractions in the city, and then onto the Charles River for a delightful harbor cruise. A grand tour, filled with interesting commentary, this is a novel and enjoyable way to see the city.
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Old North Church
(617) 523-6676
Boston's oldest church building, Old North is located in the city's Italian North End at 193 Salem Street and is still an active Episcopal church with Sunday services.
The church was made famous on April 18, 1775, when Robert Newman, the church's sexton, hung two lanterns in its steeple to warn that the British troops were arriving by sea, sending Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride to Lexington and Concord to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming. Donations accepted.
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Granary Burying Ground
The first of the three burying grounds along the Freedom Trail, Granary is notable as the final resting place of John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere.
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Boston Common
The nation's oldest public park, 40 acres were set aside for public use in 1634 (originally as a cow pasture and training ground. The Commons also has a longstanding tradition as a place where demonstrators can exercise their right to freedom of speech without the hassle of getting a permit. Free.
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Boston History Collaborative - Literary Trail
38 Burroughs St.
Boston, MA 02130
617-574-5963
Guided walking tours of Boston, Cambridge, or Concord's private bookstores. Includes tea and literary conversation in an elegant, historic setting. Call for reservations.
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Black Heritage Trail
46 Joy Street
Boston, MA 02114
617-739-1200
A walking tour of the history of Boston's Black community between 1800-1900 on Beacon Hill. Includes: Meeting House, Smith CourtResidences, G. Middleton House, Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, Charles St. Meeting House, Abiel Smith School, Phillips School, home of John J Smith, Lewis & Harriet Hayden House, and Coburn's Gaming House. Historic walking maps available. All sites must be visited with an arranged tour except those hours noted at specific sites.
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Copp's Hill Burying Ground
The last Freedom trail site on the south side of the Charles River, Copp's Burying Ground is the final resting place of thousands of merchants, artisans and free blacks. Free. Please Note: The site is not wheelchair accessible.
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Old Corner Bookstore
Located on the corner of School and Washington Streets, The Old Corner Bookstore (now known as the Globe Corner Bookstore) is the former gathering place of legends like Longfellow, Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau. Once the literary center of Boston.
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Women's Heritage Trail
617-522-2872
The Boston Common Visitor Information booth is the start of five guided walks through four centuries of Boston women. The Downtown Walk highlights the equal rights movement; the North End Walk explores the diversity of Boston culture; the Beacon Hill Walk reveals the stories of writers, artists and activists; the South Cove/Chinatown Walk celebrates women's action for economic and social justice; and the Back Bay Walk tells the tales of educators and social reformers. Follow the footsteps of remarkable Boston women.
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Old South Meeting House
(617) 482-6439
Site of a great deal of discussion and debate leading up to the Boston Tea Party and other events connected to the American Revolution. Offers lectures and programs on American history and culture.
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Beacon Hill Walking Tours
Visit the elegant Federal style Otis House and stroll around Beacon Hill. The walk offers views of the homes of early well-to-do merchants and modest dwellings on the North Slope where the working class resided.
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Boston Trolley Tours
The Trolley Tours take you around the city on a route that points out the best known sites and landmarks. Travelers can step off at any of the stops to look around and then catch the next trolley, which will arrive shortly. An entertaining commentary accompanies the tour. Most Boston area hotels can provide tour information, including hours and fares.
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Book Lover's Dream Tour
Boston History Collaborative - Literary Trail
38 Burroughs St.
Boston, MA 02130
617-574-5963
A guided walking tour of either Boston, Cambridge, or Concord's delightful, private bookstores, followed by tea and literary conversation in an elegant, historic setting. Call for reservations.
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Site of First Public School & Ben Franklin Statue
Freedom Trail stop featuring a statue of Ben Franklin and the site of the Boston Latin School (built in 1635), Franklin's alma mater.
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Boston Massacre Site
A simple circle of cobblestones on the traffic island at the Devonshire and State Street intersection marks the site where five colonists were killed by British soldiers in 1770. The brutality of this incident helped spark the anti-British rage that ultimately led to the American Revolution.
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