How Many Days in Boston? A 3-Night, 4-Day Route

The big picture: a historic city on foot

The guide suggests 3 to 4 nights in Boston. This post follows the guide's plan over 3 nights and 4 days. Day 1 takes the Silver Line SL1 in from the airport and walks Boston Common, the Public Garden and Beacon Hill; Day 2 follows the Freedom Trail through Downtown, the North End and Charlestown; Day 3 crosses the Charles River to Harvard Yard and returns to Back Bay; Day 4 is the Boston Harbor Islands or the Fenway museums before heading to the airport.

Known as 'America's Walking City', Boston is easy to explore on foot. For longer hops, use the MBTA subway, which locals call the 'T'. Its four lines are color-coded: Red, Green, Blue and Orange. A one-way ride is USD 2.40, and children 11 and under ride free. You need a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, sold at the vending machines in most subway stations.

If you can stay 4 nights, the end of the Day 4 section shows how to split the two Day 4 options (harbor islands and Fenway) into separate days, or take the Commuter Rail from North Station to Salem.

• Full Boston travel guide →
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Day 1: Airport → Silver Line SL1 → Boston Common and Public Garden → Beacon Hill

The Silver Line SL1 bus picks up at the curb of every terminal at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and runs via the South Boston Waterfront (Seaport) to South Station. It is free from the airport to downtown and includes a free transfer to the Red Line. Follow the 'Silver Line' signs on the Arrivals level, and check the official timetable before you go. Alternatively, take the free on-airport shuttle bus to Airport Station and ride the Blue Line subway (USD 2.40 per ride) to Aquarium, State or Government Center.

After checking in, head to Boston Common, America's oldest public park; its Frog Pond is a skating rink in winter and a spray pool for children in summer. Next door, the Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in America, with its Lagoon, fountains and Swan Boats that have run for over 100 years.

In the evening, stroll Beacon Hill, a half-square-mile neighborhood of Federal-era architecture, narrow streets, brick sidewalks and gas lamps that is made for photo walks. The gold dome of the Massachusetts State House sits on top of the hill, and the Museum of African American History is here too.

Day 2: Freedom Trail → North End → Charlestown

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile red line linking 16 historic sites through Downtown, the North End and Charlestown. The suggested route starts at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center (139 Tremont Street) and ends at USS Constitution, but you can visit the sites in any order. Walking the trail is free; some sites and guided tours charge. Official tours with 18th-century costumed guides run 362 days a year.

Downtown, see the Old State House and Faneuil Hall. Built in 1713, the Old State House is Boston's oldest surviving public building, and a ring of cobblestones nearby marks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre. One paid ticket covers the Old State House and the Old South Meeting House (check prices officially). Faneuil Hall, a gift from merchant Peter Faneuil in 1742, is called the 'Cradle of Liberty', and admission is free.

Have an Italian lunch, such as homemade pasta or cannoli, in the North End, Boston's oldest residential neighborhood. Here you will find the Paul Revere House, built around 1680, and Old North Church (1723), where two lanterns were hung in the steeple on 18 April 1775 to signal Paul Revere's ride. Finish in Charlestown: launched in Boston in 1797, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, and the Navy Yard grounds are open 24 hours. USS Constitution, the 221-foot Bunker Hill Monument and the Bunker Hill Museum are all free.

Day 3: Harvard Yard → Back Bay → a seafood dinner

Take the Red Line across the Charles River to Harvard Square in Cambridge, the 'City of Squares', where Harvard Square, Kendall Square and Central Square sit along the Red Line. Harvard and MIT are within 2 miles of each other near the river.

The Harvard University Visitor Center's official historical tour is free and takes 45-60 minutes, leaving from the Smith Campus Center (1350 Massachusetts Avenue) and exploring Harvard Yard. Registration is required and opens the Friday before your tour week (parties of up to 10), and you should arrive at the Visitor Center at least 15 minutes before your tour.

In the afternoon, walk Back Bay. It centers on Copley Square, home to Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library, with Newbury Street's galleries, boutiques and sidewalk cafes and Commonwealth Avenue with its monuments. For dinner, try Boston's classic clam chowder and a lobster roll; some places serve the roll hot with butter, others cold with mayo. Many raw bars also serve oysters, clams and shrimp cocktail.

Day 4 and one more day: harbor islands, Fenway and Salem

From May to October, take a ferry from Long Wharf to Spectacle Island or Georges Island. 34 islands and peninsulas in Boston Harbor form a national and state park. See Fort Warren, a Civil War-era fort and National Historic Landmark, and hike trails with views of the city and other islands. Check ferry tickets and schedules officially.

In months without island ferries, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in the Fenway Cultural District. The Green Line takes you to the Museum of Fine Arts; check hours and prices officially. Eat in Chinatown, then take the Blue Line or the Silver Line to the airport. Check fares and timetables toward the airport in the official information before you go.

With 4 nights, give the harbor islands and Fenway a day each, or take the Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport Line from North Station to Salem. Commuter Rail fares are USD 2.40-13.25 one way. Check Salem timetables and fares in the official information before you go.

Where to stay and getting around

Pick a base from the four neighborhoods below to suit your route and interests. Room prices change by date, so compare them on booking sites.

MBTA buses reach neighborhoods the subway doesn't; pay with a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, and most fares include transfers between bus and subway. Airport taxis wait at designated stands on the Arrivals level of Terminals A, B, C and E, and cost about USD 25-35 to most hotels in Boston and Cambridge. Waits can be longer at peak times.

• Back Bay: shopping, architecture and strolling, centered on Copley Square and Newbury Street.
• Beacon Hill: a historic district for photo walks, with brick sidewalks and gas lamps.
• North End: Italian food and historic sites, right on the Freedom Trail.
• Cambridge (Harvard Square): university campuses and museums along the Red Line.

Budget, when to go and final checks

Many of Boston's highlights are free: the Silver Line SL1 from the airport to downtown, walking the Freedom Trail, Boston Common and the Public Garden, Faneuil Hall, USS Constitution, the Bunker Hill Monument and Harvard's official tour. The subway is USD 2.40 per ride (children 11 and under free). Among paid sites, the Old North Church Discovery Pass is USD 10 for adults and USD 5 for ages 6-12 (free for 5 and under), or USD 15 for adults and USD 10 for ages 6-12 with the bell chamber tour. Check the Old State House and others officially, and check booking sites for hotels and food.

For walking plus a harbor island trip, June to October works well. Normals for 1981–2010 from the WMO World Weather Information Service — National Weather Service (USA), Boston (WMO city data), give average highs of 22-27°C from June to September, and an average high of 16°C and low of 8°C in October. The Head of the Charles rowing regatta is held on the Charles River every October. December to February is cold, with average highs of 2-5°C and lows of -5 to -2°C. Rain falls evenly all year, at 83-110 mm a month, so carry an umbrella. May to October is the busiest visiting season.

• Check the U.S. government's official information on entry requirements (visa, travel authorization, etc.) before you travel
• Historic sites change their hours with the seasons, so check each site's official information
• Visitors 18 and over boarding USS Constitution may be asked for a photo ID; check officially which IDs are accepted
• Local temperatures are shown in Fahrenheit (°F). To convert to Celsius, subtract 32 and divide by 1.8

• Full Boston travel guide →

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