Downtown
I arrived in Boston by plane after my trip in Washington, DC. The city center is compact and walkable. You can clearly see that the city was build before cars went popular. The streets are narrow and don't have the typical grid layout that you see in most other North American cities.
Beacon Hill
I first went to Beacon Hill. It's home to the Massachusetts State House, the seat of government of the state Massachusetts. With its narrow cobblestone streets and brick houses, this place is super unique and not many places in the USA are like it.
Charles River
The Charles River is located next to Beacon Hill and it's a nice place to walk along. There is an old cannon next to the Hatch Memorial Shell that I found really cool. Also, these geese were really friendly and absolutely not scared of the people.
Boston Common
In front of the State House is the Boston Common, the oldest city park in the USA. The squirrels were as friendly as the geese and it's a nice place to hang around in the summer, but honestly there is not too much to do there. I was planning to feed the squirrels by hand the next day, but unfortunately I got surprised by a huge snowstorm.
Quincy Market
In the evening I went to the Quincy Market. This is a historic place, where slave auctions used to happen. Now, it’s a market where you can get food and souvenirs. I found a vegan corn dog and some candy at a store called IT’SUGAR nearby. It wasn’t exactly a healthy meal, but authentic American.
Chinatown
The Boston Chinatown is a bit smaller than the one in NYC, but you can still find some good food there. I went to a restaurant and a bakery, but I can’t remember the names… (Sorry)
Universities
Boston is home to two of the top universities in the world, Harvard and MIT. I visited the MIT campus during the winter, but unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to explore Harvard.
Museums
Museum of Fine Arts
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is a big museum, the 20th largest in the world by area. It contains sculptures and paintings from all over the globe. They even had an Egypt exhibition during my visit. I enjoyed it and can definitely recommend it if you’re into art and history. As of 2025, the admission was $27 for adults.
Museum of Science
The Boston Museum of Science is a place to learn about nature and science. It’s got tons of interactive exhibits that are perfect for children. If you’re planning a family trip, I would recommend it. For older audiences, I would rather recommend going to the Boston MFA. The admission was $33 for adults, as of 2025.
Tea Party Museum
I didn’t go there because I thought the $35 for admission was a bit too expensive. I also read online that this museum is more geared towards kids. However, you can still look at a replica ship from the outside, and there’s also a huge souvenir shop too.
Public Transport
The public transport system here has subway lines, commuter rails, and bus routes. It’s reliable and you can basically get anywhere with it. For American standards, it’s one of the best in the country and it's also cheap.
Conclusion
Boston is one of the oldest cities in the USA and rich in history. If you’re into that and you’re on the East Coast, I highly recommend checking it out. Otherwise, you might want to consider New York City instead, as there are a ton more things to do there.