I visited Boston when I was 19 years old (many moons ago!) so I asked Boston expert Krystianna from Volumes & Voyages to share her top tips for visiting Boston on a budget. She put together this list of fabulous free things to do in Boston for you to enjoy!
Boston is one of the best cities in the United States for good reason! It’s located right on the eastern coastline and it’s filled with a lot of history. Although people will normally associate a hefty price tag with New England cities, I’m here to tell you that there are plenty of free things to do in Boston, you just have to know where to look!
Know Before You Go to Boston
Before travelling to Boston, make sure you book accommodation and popular attractions ASAP as hotels and tickets can sell out.
🛌 MY FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION IN BOSTON:
$$ The Revolution Hotel: creatively designed rooms great for groups
$$ The Verb Hotel: a music-themed boutique hotel near Fenway Park
$ HI Boston Hostel: a modern hostel with private and dorm rooms
⭐ TOP 3 BOSTON ACTIVITIES TO BOOK IN ADVANCE:
1. Guided Walking Tour of the Freedom Trail
How to Make the Best of Boston on a Budget
I love finding free things to do wherever I travel, and you can have an amazing time with a very limited budget. However, some things might be worth paying for if you have the budget to do them. Perhaps by compromising and saving money on some things, you can afford to splurge a little on something you really want to do.
For example, you could save money by staying in cheap accommodation and doing lots of free activities in Boston, and then treat yourself to some paid activities or Boston tours to learn more about something you’re interested in.
If you have the budget to treat yourself a little bit, these are some of the most popular tours and activities in Boston that you might be interested in:
- Guided Walking Tour of the Freedom Trail
- Boston Fenway Park: Guided Ballpark Tour
- Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum Interactive Tour
- Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise
- North End Walking Food Tour
Or you can browse more activities and tours in Boston. That said, no matter what budget you have, there is no need to pay for activities in Boston if you don’t want to. You can still have an amazing Boston vacation without spending a lot of money and have some unique experiences you will remember forever!
The Best Free Things to Do in Boston
People-watch in the Boston Commons
The Boston Commons is the huge public park right in the middle of Boston. It’s impossible to miss them while you’re visiting the city. Really, you couldn’t miss them even if you tried!
One super fun free activity in Boston is to honestly just sit and people-watch in the Boston Commons. On a sunny day, there are so many people out and about. Just sit on one of the many benches and take in the city views!
Pro tip: Pack a little snack from home or a picnic to eat while in the Boston Commons!
Walk along the Charles River Esplanade
The Charles River is the river that runs right between Cambridge and Boston. There’s a beautiful esplanade that goes right along the river, and I promise it’s a beautiful area to walk.
This is a really popular running area, so if you like going on runs, you could also do that instead! However, a lot of people also walk along the esplanade.
Don’t forget to bring your camera because you’ll also get some amazing views of Boston’s skyline on this walk.
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Explore the Fenway area
The Fenway area is where the Boston Red Sox play and it’s also home to some of the best places to eat in Boston. There’s a lot of free and fun things to do in this area!
First of all, be sure to stop by the green space in front of 401 Park. A Time Out Market recently got put in this building, and right outside there are oftentimes free events for the public. Sometimes Fenway Park even hosts events here that are open to the public!
It’s also a lot of fun to go and explore the area near Fenway Park. It’s a beautiful area and there’s always a lot of things to look at.
Tour the State House
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Boston on a weekday, you can actually tour the Massachusetts State House for free. Tours are offered daily from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and they run for around 45 minutes.
The State House has a pretty amazing interior, so you should really take up this offer! At least see the beautiful State House from the outside.
Go to the Museum of Fine Arts
I know what you’re thinking – don’t you have to pay to go inside the Museum of Fine Arts? Normally, that answer would be yes. But you can actually visit for free on Wednesdays after 4 p.m.
The MFA is absolutely huge and is filled with so many historical artefacts, sculptures, and works of art. You could easily spend a few hours here if you aren’t careful. If you find that you’re in Boston on a Wednesday, definitely check out the MFA!
Meander around the North End, Boston’s Little Italy
Boston’s North End is one of my favourite places in the city and for good reason. It’s where all the amazing Italian desserts and dinners are so you should definitely come here to eat.
Honestly, the North End sort of feels like a whole different part of the city. The streets are a lot tinier and there’s so much character. If you have the time, definitely walk around the area. I promise that you’ll find some great photo spots!
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Wander around the Boston Public Library
Trust me, a visit to Boston isn’t complete without a visit to the Boston Public Library. The BPL’s interior is so magnificent, especially the older side. A newer addition was added, and you can definitely tell which part is older and which is newer.
The inside is filled with a bunch of great spots to take photos. The most popular spot to take photos is right at the entrance with the lion statues!
Go inside King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel is one of the stops along Boston’s Freedom Trail. Even if you don’t intend on walking the trail, it’s worth stopping by King’s Chapel, which is a beautiful church from a few hundred years ago.
Since it’s a church, it’s completely free to go inside and take a look around! There’s also a historical graveyard right outside of the chapel that many tourists come to visit.
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Walk the Freedom Trail
This 2.5-mile trail is one of the top reasons that people flock to Boston. The trail has stops at 16 different locations that are of particular importance to the history of the United States.
You could easily look online and do a self-guided walking tour of the Freedom Trail for free. Just be sure to follow the markings of the trail on the ground. This would also serve as a great introduction to the beautiful city of Boston!
Explore Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market
It’s absolutely free to walk around Boston’s Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market! There are a whole bunch of great places to eat and shop here. Of course, you would have to pay to buy something, you could easily walk around and people-watch.
This area is also right next to the water, so I suggest meandering over to the water while you’re in the area! It’s so much fun sitting out and looking at all of the boats on the water.
Where to Stay in Boston
Some of our top picks for hostels and budget hotels in Boston include
- HI Boston Hostel: At this modern industrial hostel you can enjoy comfy beds, free breakfast, a spacious common area, a fully equipped kitchen to cook your own meals, and a prime location on the cusp of the Theater District and Chinatown near so many popular Boston attractions. >>>CHECK REVIEWS & PRICES
- The Revolution Hotel: Here you’ll find creatively designed rooms including unique rooms for groups of 3-4, onsite coffee and Mexican restaurant, and complimentary bikes to explore the city, all in a central location near trendy neighborhoods and historic sites. >>>FIND OUT MORE
- Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Hotel: A splurge for budget travelers, but this boutique hotel offers stunning waterfront and Boston skyline views, spacious rooms with modern decor, on-site restaurant and bar, a fitness center, a complimentary shuttle to the airport and water taxi to downtown, and convenient access to Boston’s top attractions. >>>CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
If you’d like more options, you can browse all hostels in Boston on Hostelworld, or find great value hotels on Booking. There are also various options for Airbnbs in Boston too, take a look at some of the rental homes available here.
About the Author
Krystianna is the blogger behind Volumes & Voyages, a book and travel blog. She studied in Boston, then had a semester abroad in Spring 2019 in Dublin, Ireland, and has been chasing her wanderlust ever since. Volumes & Voyages mainly covers travel in Europe and the US, but once Krystianna travels more around the world, she’s hoping to expand her content. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Boston Travel Tips
Now we’ve shared the best free activities in Boston, check out these travel tips to help you to plan your Boston vacation:
Getting There
- Use Skyscanner to find cheap flights to your destination.
- Public buses are the cheapest ways to get to your accommodation from the airport, but a shared shuttle transfer is quicker and cheaper than a taxi - you can pre-book those on GetYourGuide or Viator
- Try Omio for booking trains and Busbud for buses including Greyhound and Flixbus.
Where to Stay
- For hotels, I use Booking.com to check reviews and find the best deals on hotels and apartments wherever I'm travelling to. Hotels.com is another good site.
- If you're on a tight budget, use Hostelworld to find the best hostels all over the world
Hire a Car
- Get a quote for car hire with Discover Cars who compare car rental deals from many companies so that you can choose which is best for your trip.
Book Tours and Activities
- I use GetYourGuide or Viator to book everything from skip-the-line entry tickets to food tours as I can compare options from several companies and choose the best one for me
- If you're staying in a hostel, check out their tours and activities which are usually free or very cheap - and a great way to meet people!
Get Travel Insurance
- Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. I never leave home without travel insurance, so consider getting insurance for your trip to cover things like adventure sports and activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, stolen items, trip cancellation and more.
- Get a quote for your trip from True Traveller if you're based in the UK, or World Nomads or SafetyWing which both offer travel insurance for backpackers and long-term travellers. Alternatively, use a comparison site like Travel Insurance Master to find the best cover for you.
Check Your Travel Documents
- Don't forget to check the validity of your passport and any other documents for your trip. Use iVisa to check if you need a visa to visit your destination, and get up to date official travel advice from your government, for example on the Department of State website in the US or the UK government website.
Get Cheap Currency
- When travelling abroad, using a travel bank account like Wise means you get great deals on foreign currency - including a fee-free transfer of up to £500 when you use this link to sign up.
Top Money Saving Tip for Backpackers
- Work exchanges are a great way to travel for longer and extend your trip as you can save a ton of money on accommodation. Get an extra $10 discount on Worldpackers here or learn more about work exchanges.
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