This post introduces you to our free self-guided walking tours of Boston, three of which are also available as audio tours.
- Freedom Trail
- Harvard and Cambridge
- Beacon Hill
- North End and Little Italy
- Kennedy Family's Boston
All our self-guided tours are written by our local tour guides, who know the city inside out.
These self-guided tours take you to most, if not all, of the significant locations in the neighborhoods in this post. The routes are practically the same as our guided walking tours, though they don't go into as much detail as our guides do in person.
These self-guided tours are suitable if you want a basic understanding of the sites you'll visit. But if you want deeper insight presented enthusiastically by our friendly guides, consider joining us for a tour!
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THE FREEDOM TRAIL
The Freedom Trail, located in the center of historic Boston, is a red brick path that leads visitors to historic sites.
The trail was at the forefront of Revolutionary America and weaved its way through the 18th century.
Our Freedom Trail Self-Guided Tour covers the entire 2.5 miles of the trail and should take you two hours to complete.
The tour also includes a map and other helpful information, such as directions to the trail, where to eat nearby, where bathrooms are located, and more.
You can follow the tour on our website on your smart device or download and print this PDF version.
You might enjoy our GPS-led audio tour of the Freedom Trail, available in English and Spanish for $2.99.
Here's a sample.
Our Freedom Trail guided tour runs daily with a local expert guide.
Stops:
- Boston Common Visitors Center
- Massachusetts State House
- Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial
- Park Street Church
- Granary Burying Ground
- King's Chapel
- Benjamin Franklin Statue
- Old City Hall
- Old South Meeting House
- The Old Corner Bookstore
- Old State House
- Boston Massacre Site
- Faneuil Hall
- The Paul Revere House
- Paul Revere Statue
- Old North Church
- Copp's Hill Burying Ground
- USS Constitution Museum
- Bunker Hill Monument
HARVARD AND CAMBRIDGE
Harvard University is the oldest college in the United States (founded in 1636), and its name is known worldwide. Eight United States presidents attended Harvard University, as did countless other notable individuals.
Cambridge has a rich history as well. Cambridge Common, a stop on the tour, is where George Washington and the Continental Army camped in 1775 while British Troops occupied Boston until March 1776.
Our Harvard University and Cambridge Self-Guided Tour will introduce you to the beautiful sites of these areas.
You could also take our GPS-led audio tour of Harvard and Cambridge, which is available for $2.99.
Here's a sample.
Stops:
- Lampoon Building
- Adams House
- Harvard Crimson
- Wigglesworth Hall
- Henry Elkins Widener Memorial Library
- Dragon Statue
- John Harvard Statue
- Massachusetts Hall
- Johnson Gate
- Charles Sumner Statue
- Cambridge Burial Ground
- Christ Church
- Cambridge Common
- The Harvard Coop
BEACON HILL
Boston’s Beacon Hill is and always has been Boston’s most exclusive neighborhood, which politicians, poets, philanthropists, and other notable figures have called home.
It is a neighborhood that many tourists don't explore, as it can seem a bit daunting without a guide.
But our 90-minute Beacon Hill Self-Guided Tour makes navigating the neighborhood easy.
You could also take our GPS-led audio tour of Beacon Hill, which is available for $2.99.
Here's a sample.
We offer a special guided tour called the Beacon Hill Crime Tour.
You can download the map to your smartphone or download a PDF.
Stops:
- Massachusetts State House
- Nichols House Museum
- Former residence of Senator Daniel Webster
- Former residence Henry Cabot Lodge
- Harrison Gray Otis House
- Former residence of poet Sylvia Plath
- Poet Robert Frost House
- Louisburg Square
- Make Way for Ducklings
- Cheers Boston - Bull & Finch Pub
- The Paramount
- Charles Street Meeting House
- Sunflower House
- Charles/MGH Subway Station
- Site of former Charles Street Jail
NORTH END AND LITTLE ITALY
Boston’s North End/Little Italy neighbor is famous for its delicious food and colorful history.
Our 10-stop self-guided walking tour of Boston's North End/Little Italy takes you to several significant sites, including the Old North Church and Copp's Hill Burying Ground.
Plus, we tell you where to find the best pizza and bakeries in the neighborhood!
Stops:
- Ernesto's Pizza
- Polcari's Coffee
- A New Spin Laundry
- Galleria Umberto
- Mike's Pastry
- Paul Revere Mall
- Old North Church
- 44 Hull St
- Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Self-Guided Tour of Kennedy Family Sights
There is no Bostonian name more known throughout the world than Kennedy.
Using our self-guided tour, you can check out some of John F. Kennedy's favorite spots and see some of the places where JFK and the rest of the Kennedy Clan worked, dined, and called home.
