Freedom Trail & History Tours

No city in America packs more history into fewer blocks than Boston. In the 1760s and 1770s this small, crowded port town of about 15,000 people argued, protested and finally fought its way toward independence, and nearly every scene of that story is still standing.

The Freedom Trail ties it all together. It was the idea of a local newspaperman, William Schofield, who in 1951 suggested a marked path so visitors could find the city's landmarks on their own. Today a red line of brick and paint runs 2.5 miles from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument, connecting 16 official sites.

Why it's special

You can walk the Freedom Trail on your own, but a good guide changes everything. The stops are close together, and the stories are layered: the meeting house where the Tea Party was planned is a few minutes from the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians, which is a few steps from the spot where the Boston Massacre began.

It is also a working city. The trail runs past office towers, pizza shops and people walking their dogs. That mix of old and new is a big part of what makes Boston feel alive rather than preserved behind glass.

The story in seven stops

Boston Common (1634). The oldest public park in the country. Colonists grazed cows here, and British troops camped here during the occupation of the city.

Old State House and the Boston Massacre site. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd outside this building, killing five men, including Crispus Attucks. Six years later the Declaration of Independence was read from its balcony.

Old South Meeting House. On December 16, 1773, thousands gathered here to protest the tea tax. That night, colonists disguised as Mohawk warriors dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

Faneuil Hall (1742). Known as the Cradle of Liberty, it hosted town meetings where Samuel Adams and others argued for resistance. It is still a marketplace and meeting hall today.

Paul Revere House. Built around 1680, it is the oldest house in downtown Boston. Revere left from here on the night of April 18, 1775.

Old North Church (1723). Boston's oldest standing church. Two lanterns hung in its steeple that same night signaled that the British were crossing by sea: one if by land, two if by sea.

USS Constitution and Bunker Hill. Across the river in Charlestown, Old Ironsides, launched in 1797, is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Up the hill, a 221-foot granite obelisk marks the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought June 17, 1775.

Boston at 250

Boston is in the middle of marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, from the Tea Party and Lexington and Concord through the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Expect special events, reenactments and busier sites, especially around anniversary dates. If you have been meaning to walk the Freedom Trail, there has never been a better time.

All 16 official Freedom Trail sites

Boston CommonAmerica's oldest public park, est. 1634

Massachusetts State HouseCharles Bulfinch's gold-domed capitol, completed 1798

Park Street ChurchFounded 1809, a center of the abolitionist movement

Granary Burying GroundResting place of Paul Revere, John Hancock and Samuel Adams

King's Chapel & Burying GroundBoston's oldest burying ground, from 1630

Boston Latin School site & Franklin statueAmerica's first public school, founded 1635

Old Corner BookstoreOnce the publishing home of Hawthorne, Emerson and Longfellow

Old South Meeting HouseWhere the Boston Tea Party began

Old State HouseBoston's oldest surviving public building, from 1713

Boston Massacre SiteMarked by a circle of cobblestones

Faneuil HallThe Cradle of Liberty

Paul Revere HouseDowntown Boston's oldest home

Old North ChurchThe church of the famous lanterns

Copp's Hill Burying GroundHilltop cemetery with views of Charlestown

USS ConstitutionOld Ironsides, still a commissioned U.S. Navy ship

Bunker Hill Monument294 steps to the top

Our top tours

Freedom Trail History Small Group Walking Tour

Our top pick. Small groups and guides who know the material cold. One of the highest-rated tours in the city.

★ 4.9 (8,300+ reviews)
2.5 hours
From about $39

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The Full Revolutionary Story: Small-Group Walking Tour

A longer, deeper telling of 1760s and 1770s Boston. Great for history lovers and families with older kids.

★ 5.0 (3,000+ reviews)
3 hours
From about $59

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Freedom Trail Walking Tour with Costumed Guide

Led by a guide in 18th-century dress. Fun for kids and a solid first look at the trail.

★ 4.6 (2,800+ reviews)
1 hr 45 min
From about $26

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Boston's 250th Freedom Trail Tour

A popular, well-priced option timed to the 250th anniversary.

★ 4.7 (1,200+ reviews)
1 hr 45 min
From about $26

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Freedom Trail History Pub Crawl

History with a pint in hand, at taverns where colonists once argued politics.

★ 4.9 (1,000+ reviews)
2 hr 15 min
From about $60

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Historic Boston & Freedom Trail Trolley (Non-Stop)

See the highlights without the walking. A good choice for older travelers or a rainy day.

★ 4.3 (470+ reviews)
70 min
From about $38

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Planning your days? See how these tours fit into our 2, 3 and 5-day Boston itineraries →