What to see, what to do Boston?
The 10 good reasons to go Boston
A contrasting architecture
Modern and historic buildings rub shoulders in Boston.
A European atmosphere
A city on a human scale, with tangled streets, Boston has an Old World feel.
Leading museums
Boston will delight lovers of art, history and science.
Delicious fish restaurants
To eat lobster or fresh oysters, we have a wide range of choices!
A beautiful city in all seasons
Boston is flowery in spring, beautiful in summer, flamboyant in autumn, charming in winter.
A gentle way of life
On sunny days, the Charles River reveals all its assets.
A revolutionary story
The Freedom Trail allows you to relive the great moments of the American Revolution.
An interesting melting pot
Irish, Italian, Chinese: Boston is a real melting pot!
A student city
Thanks to the presence of Harvard, Boston is a young and dynamic city.
The heart of New England
Boston is the gateway to the superb natural region of New England.
What to visit Boston?
Interview: My Boston
By Vanessa Richard, author of the guidebook
Meet Vanessa Richard, the author of this guide, who has lived in New York since 2016. She never tires of exploring the cities on the East Coast of the United States, especially Boston, a historic, gourmet and fascinating city that she has visited in all seasons. She gives us her good addresses, her must-sees and her tips to discover Boston in a different way.
See the video of the interviewGood to know to visit Boston
Timetable
Most of Boston's attractions and museums are open every day of the week, generally from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., all year round, with the exception of certain holidays, notably December 25, January1 and Thanksgiving. Smaller structures may close one or two days a week, often on Mondays and/or Tuesdays, and sometimes on Sundays. Boston is particularly busy from May to October, but the city remains lively all year round.
To be booked
Generally speaking, you don't need to book your tours far in advance. However, if you'd like to take part in a guided tour of the city, it's a good idea to book your tickets online a week or two before you arrive. Tours are given in small groups, and some slots can fill up quickly.
Budget & Tips
Museums are unfortunately rather expensive in Boston and the rest of the USA. The Museum of Fine Arts, for example, costs US$27, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum US$20. Even institutions that don't enjoy any kind of renown often charge admission. However, tickets are almost always cheaper for students, children and senior citizens. Simply show your ID or student card to benefit from these discounts. You should also know that many museums offer free admission on certain days and at certain times.
Main events
Perhaps the city's most famous event is its marathon, which takes place on the third Monday in April. Then on July 4, in Boston and across the country, the national holiday is celebrated with fireworks and live music throughout the city. The festivities begin on the 1st of the month with Harborfest. Then comes fall: Halloween is always a big holiday in the United States, and visiting Boston at this time is an experience in itself, between the pumpkins that take place on every landing and the fall colors that transform the leaves of the trees. But the most memorable event of the fall is of course Thanksgiving. Let's not forget that the first Thanksgiving took place not far from there, in Plymouth!
Guided tours
There are many ways to get to know Boston. The Old Town Trolley (www.trolleytours.com) is a must, as it offers a guided tour of the city's main districts while allowing visitors to hop on and off at the various stops. To immerse yourself in the legend of the Red Sox, the city's legendary baseball team, there's nothing like a guided tour of their stadium, Fenway Park (www.redsox.com/tours). Finally, in the summertime, it's unthinkable not to enjoy the river: the Boston Duck Tours (www.bostonducktours.com), amphibian buses that leave the mainland to go into the Charles River, are perfect for that!
Smokers
American cities have introduced a host of measures to discourage smoking. Cigarettes (electronic or otherwise) are banned from all city parks, on pain of a US$250 fine. Smoking is banned in museums and cultural institutions, even those with gardens or outdoor areas. Cigarettes may not be purchased by anyone under the age of 21.