Hotels in Boston, MA Can’t Touch an HI-Boston Stay

Boston traces its history back to the earliest days of colonial America. You can still see evidence of its history as you walk its red-brick sidewalks. In addition to its historic past, its a vibrant center for culture, music and the arts.

Points of Interest

Freedom trail
Freedom Trail is a three-mile trail, marked by red paint that links 16 historical sites. Most visitors start the trail at the Boston Common . The National Park Service offers 90-minute guided tours from the Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center. Points of interest from Boston's Revolutionary War era include the Old State House, Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church. You can also visit Paul Revere's house, the site of the Boston Massacre, and the Copp's Hill.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Faneuil Hall Marketplace, also known as Quincy Market fetures more than 100 places to eat, drink and shop.

"Duck" Tours
"Ducks" are brightly colored, vintage World War II amphibious vehicles that provide narrated tours of Boston on land and sea.

Boston Common
America's oldest park, Boston Common lies in the heart of Boston, and is a great space to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts offers free admission on Wednesday night. Self-guided or staff-guided activities in the galleries are available, and visiting artists demonstrate crafts like paper making, textile arts, oil painting and sculpture.

Museum of Science
Boston's Museum of Science includes a planetarium, an IMAX movie theater and a two-story Van de Graaf generator, capable of producing 2.5 million volts of electricity. These exhibits (along with hundreds more) make the  museum one of Boston's top attractions.

Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory
The Skywalk observatory provides visitors with a breathtaking view of the city and surrounding area. The windows here present a vista of Boston in all directions. On a clear day, keep an eye out for the mountains of New Hampshire.

Chinatown
The area between South Station and the Boston Common is Boston's Chinatown, and it is home to many Chinese immigrants and their businesses. Chinese restaurants, bakeries and teahouses provide authentic flavor of China . In addition, specialty shops sell everything from medicinal dried roots and herbs to fine jewelry.

Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is one of Boston's most beautiful neighborhoods, home to the State House, and the starting point for the Freedom Trail walking tour. Stop for a bite at one of the cafes that line the narrow cobblestone streets next to the Boston Common.

Events

February

Boston Wine Expo
Enjoy samples of more than 1800 varieties of wine from more than 450 wineries offer at America’s “original” wine expo, held every winter in Boston for the past 17 years.

March

New England Spring Flower Show
This annual gardening and growing event sponsored by the Massachusetts Horticultural society is the third largest indoor garden show in the world. Professionals and amateurs come together to share tips, admire more than 50 indoor gardens, and check out new gardening products from hundreds of vendors. This event is held at the giant Bayside Expo Center.

April

Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon dates back more than 100 years, and is one of the largest Marathon events in the country. Join the hundreds of thousands of spectators who cheer on more than 18,000 runners each year.

June/July

Harborfest
Boston Harborfest is a six-day long Fourth of July Festival that showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of the city of Boston. The festival honors and remembers the past, celebrates the present, and educates the future with reenactments, concerts, historical tours and much, much more. There are over 200 daily events during the Festival, concentrated in Boston's downtown and along the waterfront.

August

August Moon Festival
One of Chinatown's largest events, the August Moon Festival, is held near the Chinatown Gateway arch on Harrison Avenue. The celebration harkens back to a Chinese victory over the Mongol dynasty is celebrated with moon-watching parties, with children carrying brightly coloured lanterns.

September

Boston Film Festival
The Boston Film Festival is a great way to see a variety of films including documentaries and independent American features as well as international cinema before they are released in theaters. Events and panel discussions are part of the programme.

November

Faneuil Hall Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
A special night to begin the holiday season in the area around Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The Boston Symphony Orchestra joins bell ringers and a capella choirs to entertain the crowds at Boston's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.

December

First Night in Boston celebrates the New Year with  hundreds of music, dance and theatre performances in more than 200 outdoor and indoor venues throughout Boston. An amazing display of fireworks takes place at midnight from Boston Harbor. All outdoor events are free; costs are covered by the sale of First Night buttons.