Boston Landmarks and Free Sights

October 20, 2026

Boston’s best sights are close enough to reach on foot, and many of the most important ones are free. The Freedom Trail links the oldest, with the harbor, parks and museums filling in around it. Opening hours change by season, so check the official pages listed below before you go.

The Freedom Trail

The trail is 2.5 miles long and links 16 historic sites, and walking it is free. It runs from Boston Common, where the visitor information center is at 139 Tremont St, to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, following a red line of paint or brick. Some individual sites charge admission. See thefreedomtrail.org .

Old North Church and Paul Revere House

Old North Church at 193 Salem St is an active Episcopal parish and the site of the 18 April 1775 lantern signal. A Discovery Pass costs $10 for adults and $5 for youth, with ages 5 and under free. It is open Monday to Saturday 10 to 5, closing at 6 on Friday, and Sunday 11:30 to 5. Paul Revere House at 19 North Square charges $6 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and college students and $1 for children 5 to 17. Pay in cash, or by card with a $10 minimum. It is open 10 to 5:15 from mid-April to October and 10 to 4:15 from November to mid-April, and closed Mondays from January to March. See oldnorth.com and paulreverehouse.org .

Bunker Hill Monument

Entry is free and no reservation or timed ticket is needed. The climb is 294 steps up a tight spiral stair, and only 25 people are allowed inside at a time, first come, first served. The last climb is 30 minutes before closing and the monument can close for weather. Current hours are Wednesday to Sunday 10 to 5. The free Bunker Hill Museum is at 43 Monument Square. Service animals cannot go inside the monument. See the NPS page .

USS Constitution

The ship in the Charlestown Navy Yard is free, with no reservations. Visitors 18 and over need a physical government photo ID, as digital IDs are not accepted. Days and hours vary, and the ship is generally closed on Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Check the NPS site before you go.

Old State House and Old South Meeting House

One joint ticket covers both: $18 for adults 18 to 64, $16 for seniors 65 and over and $10 for youth 6 to 17, with ages 5 and under free. Both open daily 10 to 5. A ring of cobblestones outside the Old State House marks the site of the Boston Massacre on 5 March 1770, when British soldiers killed five colonists, among them Crispus Attucks. See revolutionaryspaces.org .

State House, Faneuil Hall and the library

The Massachusetts State House offers free docent tours on weekdays between 10 and 3:30, lasting about 45 minutes, with airport-style security at the door. Faneuil Hall’s Great Hall is free, but in the cooler months it opens Wednesday to Sunday and closes on city event days. The marketplace on the ground floor is open daily. The Boston Public Library in Copley Square is free to enter. Check its website for tours.

Burying grounds and memorials

The Granary Burying Ground on Tremont St holds Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Paul Revere and the Boston Massacre victims. Treat it as a cemetery and do not lean on or rub the headstones. The Freedom Trail burying grounds are generally open about 9 to 4 daily. Opposite the State House, the Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial, a bronze relief unveiled in 1897, deserves a quiet pause.

Public Garden

The Swan Boats in the Public Garden have been run by the Paget family since 1877. They operate from spring to roughly Labor Day, with fares of about $3.25 to $4.75.

Planning

Boston winters, roughly December to March, bring nor’easters, heavy snow and wind chill. Check the forecast and MBTA service alerts, and expect seasonal sights such as the Swan Boats to be closed. Guided options are listed on GetYourGuide .