Top Things to Do on a Boston Family Vacation

Whether you’re keen to follow in the footsteps of Paul Revere, take in an array of museums or tour university campuses, Boston remains a classic destination for families. Part of the appeal, no doubt, is accessibility: The city is easy to reach from several Northeast Corridor neighbors not only by car, but also via Amtrak’s extensive train network. Once there, walk atmospheric neighborhoods like the Back Bay and Beacon Hill, ride a Swan Boat in the Public Garden, visit Harvard Square or day-trip to nearby Lexington and Concord, where important Revolutionary War battles took place. From littles (don’t miss the Children’s Museum!) to college-bound teens, Beantown boasts a range of attractions for all ages.

Best Places to Visit on a Boston Family Vacation

Public Garden

Wander about the gorgeously manicured Boston Public Garden, which dates back to 1837. The 24-acre oasis was the first botanical garden in the U.S. and features numerous statues, fountains, flower beds and more. Kids will love riding the legendary Swan Boats around the central pond and posing for photographs with the Make Way for Ducklings bronze statues, based on Robert McCloskey’s beloved children’s book. The Public Garden is adjacent to Boston Common, the city’s central park.

Freedom Trail

Join a walking tour of the Freedom Trail, a historic 2.5-mile route of 16 sites, through the Freedom Trail Foundation, which works to preserve the trail. Meet a colonial era-costumed guide who will lead you to stops such as the Granary Burying Ground, where Sam Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere are all buried; the Old State House; the Boston Massacre Site, where British soldiers fired into a crowd of civilians tense over taxes; the Paul Revere House; and Old North Church, where Revere’s lantern hung, among others.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Travel back in time at this interactive museum and pretend to throw tea overboard from a full-scale replica of an 18th-century ship into Griffin’s Wharf, the very same body of water where the Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773. (Not to worry — the tea boxes are attached to a rope and pulled back in.) Visitors can also see the Robinson Tea Chest, the only known original and surviving artifact from the Boston Tea Party. The museum experience includes a multi-sensory film chronicling the events of April 19, 1775, including Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and militiamen rallying at Lexington Green, muskets ready, as they awaited the Redcoats. All tours are guided and one hour long.

View Boston

Atop the Prudential Center, or Pru, as it’s affectionately known, this indoor-outdoor observation deck affords sweeping views of Boston. Kids can see from the Public Garden and State House to Fenway Park and MIT’s campus across the river. Linger over a coffee or cocktail from the café on the outdoor deck as you take in the panoramas. The Prudential Center also connects to Copley Place, an expansive complex of shops and restaurants.

Duck Tours

Hop aboard an open-air amphibious truck, named and modeled after those used in WWII, and see Boston highlights by land as well as sea. The tour is approximately 80 minutes, and a portion is spent cruising along the Charles River. A humorous guide narrates as you drive past historic sites such as Trinity Church, Beacon Hill, Quincy Market and more before the vehicle transforms into a waterborne vessel. Kiddos will love taking a turn steering the “boat!”

Museum of Fine Arts

With some 500,000 works of art, the stunning Beaux Arts-style Museum of Fine Arts in Boston’s Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood is one of the top museums in the world. Its extensive collection ranges from Egyptian mummies and musical instruments to Japanese prints and Impressionist paintings. In 2010, the MFA added a Norman Foster-designed extension to showcase art from the Americas, so look out for works by American painters John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt. The museum also has programming geared toward younger art buffs, such as family tours and drop-in workshops.

Lexington and Concord

Just beyond Boston’s city limits, the small towns of Lexington and Concord are very much worth a visit for their charm as well as their historic significance. Skirmishes in both places were among the first battles of the American Revolution. British soldiers were en route to Concord to seize the colonists’ ammunition stores but faced off with patriots on Lexington Green first, where the alleged “shot heard round the world” rang out. (It remains unclear to this day which side fired first.) As the militiamen dispersed in Lexington, the Redcoats moved on to Concord, confronting some 300 patriots at North Bridge and ultimately withdrawing.

TIP: Both towns are planning tremendous programming as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence approaches in 2026.

Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House

American author Louisa May Alcott penned her classic Little Women, largely inspired by her own childhood and family, at Orchard House in Concord, named for the surrounding apple trees. Visitors may join a guided tour of the historic home to see original period furniture (including the shelf desk where Louisa wrote the famous novel in 1868) and artwork by Louisa’s sister May, the real-life inspiration for the character of Amy.

Relevant Links:

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Photos by Tanvi Chheda except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.