As one of the largest airports on the East coast, if you travel to New England, you’re likely to have a stop in Boston. When visiting, one of the best (and worst) things about traveling to Boston is the sheer volume of things to do across the city. There’s just no possible way to fit it all in, especially with limited time; however, it’s still an amazing place to explore on your way to other destinations like New Hampshire or Maine. Even with only a day in Boston, however, you can still have an amazing time and get a true taste of the best of what Beantown has to offer – and that’s exactly what we hope to help you do with this guide!
What to Explore: The Freedom Trail
Some people might think the Freedom Trail is a bit touristy, or they may not have much of an interest in history – and while those might be fair points, the Trail is still totally worth exploring. Along the course of the trail, you’re able to hit countless places to shop and eat (and you’ll run into both local dives and national chains if you’re interested in either) while still getting a true sense of the history throughout Boston. You don’t have to visit any of the museums or do any of the tours to get a feel for that aspect; it’s just unique to Boston to be able to see buildings that have existed for 200+ years next door to a skyscraper that’s being finished right now.
One of the best examples of this the Faneuil Hall. Here, you’ll find a number of your standard mall-type stores, which initially make it seem as though it isn’t as unique. No other mall we know of originally opened in 1826, though, and they do an amazing job of intermingling those stores with other shops and restaurants that are distinctly Bostonian, and the street performers that often bookend the buildings only add to the local flavor. The highlight of Faneuil Hall is Quincy Market, which is effectively a food hall with a number of local eateries – in particular, the lobster roll from the Wicked Lobsta booth was one of the best I’ve ever had!
Where to Eat: Mike’s Pastry
In a city like Boston, it’s easy to find countless recommendations for where and what to eat, so this recommendation could have gone in a number of directions. With that said, one of the most commonly recommended items is the cannoli at Mike’s Pastry – and it definitely lives up to the hype. Don’t worry if you’re not a cannoli connoisseur, or even a particularly big fan of cannolis, Mike’s has something for everyone; the number of different types of cannolis to choose from is part of the appeal. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter which flavor you choose – the quality of even their standard chocolate chip cannoli is miles above others!
Where to Relax: The Boston Common
As ‘America’s oldest park,’ Boston Common also serves as an excellent counterpart to the rest of the Freedom Trail. If you follow the Trail from top to bottom, the smaller, crowded streets of the city suddenly give way to the open-air green space of the Common, where you can walk along the numerous walkways that are surrounded by the same history you see throughout the city. Some people might say “if you’ve seen one park, you’ve seen them all,” but the Common is in the same tier as Central Park – an experience that stands on its own. It’s very centrally located (some photo ops like the ‘Cheers’ bar front or Acorn Street are just a few steps away), and provides an excellent space to relax and enjoy the beauty of the city.
As mentioned at the beginning, there’s just no way to explore all of Boston in a day, and that’s a good thing – that’s often a sign of a destination that’s worth visiting. With that said, this guide should provide a decent start to exploring Beantown, and will help you make the most of your time there… however limited that may be!
