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10+ Things to Do Near Faneuil Hall

How to spend some time on the waterfront and the North End in Boston
By Katie Sagal

One of Boston’s most famous areas, Faneuil Hall, attracts visitors in droves each year. It's located right near the Waterfront and historic North End, so it's easy to build into a larger Boston itinerary.

There’s a ton to do in this vibrant area, so understandably it can be hard to figure out what are the best attractions and activities. Whatever you choose to do, we are sure you and your family will have a great time in Boston. We put together a handy guide about things to do near Faneuil Hall during your trip, featuring the best local activities and attractions, including...

  • New England Aquarium
  • Whale Watch
  • Boston Duck Tours
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour
  • And more!

Save on admission to Faneuil Hall & North End attractions

Planning to visit lots of Boston attractions? With Go City® you won't miss a thing, plus with a pass you can save up to 50% compared to buying individual entry to everything you want to do - winning! 

☀️Compare Boston passes☀️ – 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 –  ✈️ Buy a pass ✈️ 

Things to do at the Boston Waterfront

New England Aquarium

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New England Aquarium

Visit this lively waterfront aquarium for a chance to see all your favorite sea creatures, from playful seals to friendly penguins and colorful tropical fish. Their penguins in particular are quite famous locally, so don't miss out on a chance to pay them a visit!

A particularly popular exhibit is the shark and ray touch tank exhibit, which kids and adults of all ages love. Your visit also contributes to their conservation efforts, including research, and other important marine science developments.

Getting In: New England Aquarium tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes.

New England Aquarium Whale Watch

Do you never want your aquatic experience to end? Then hop aboard a New England Aquarium Whale Watch for the ride of a lifetime. Head out to the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, where you’ll find whales, dolphins, and plentiful sea birds. The entire experience is narrated by professional researchers from the Whale Center of New England, so you know it’s bound to be educational, too.

For more information about whale-watching in Massachusetts, check out this post.

Getting In: Boston Whale Watch is separately ticketed.

Boston Duck Tours

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Boston Duck Tours

When you’re exploring a city with such a vibrant waterfront culture, you know you need something a little bit beyond your standard tour bus. So check out a Boston Duck Tour for a truly unique way to explore the city by land and by sea. It’s the perfect way to tour Beantown!

These iconic vessels are such a part of Boston culture that you may recognize them from various victory parades of the Celtics, Bruins, Patriots, or Red Sox.

Be sure to check out our guide and tips for taking a Boston Duck Tour before your visit. 

Getting In: Boston Duck Tour is separately ticketed.

CityView Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

Another great option for exploring more of the city at your own pace is a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour. This charming trolley option gives you the flexibility to explore at your leisure and hop off when something interests you. Of course, you always have the freedom to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the whole route. The trolley makes 9 stops including:

  • The New England Aquarium/ Shuttle & Ferry/ Quincy Market/ Faneuil Hall
  • Paul Revere House/ Little Italy
  • North End/ Old North Church
  • USS Constitution “Old Ironsides”
  • North Station/ TD Bank Garden Sports Museum
  • Old State House / Faneuil Hall/ Boston Massacre Site/ Government Center
  • Boston Common/ Public Garden
  • State House/ Beacon Hill
  • South Station/ Convention Center/ Children’s Museum

As you can see, the trolley can take you to a number of top areas throughout the city, so it's a good complement to larger plans. 

Getting In: Hop On Hop Off Boston Trolley tickets are included on the Go City® 
Boston All-Inclusive Pass only.

USS Constitution Cruise

uss-constitution-three-masted-wooden-hulled

USS Constitution Cruise

The USS Constitution Cruise is a perfect opportunity to incorporate historical sightseeing with waterborne fun. Sail out to Old Ironsides, one of the city’s best-loved historical treasures, and scope out the Bunker Hill Monument and a Boston Tea Party ship. The tour itself is fully narrated and takes about 45 minutes. You'll enjoy informative background information on the sites you're sailing past, as well as on Boston's history and culture. 

Getting In: USS Constitution Museum tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes, but the Constitution Cruise is separately ticketed.

Quincy Market

quincy-market-building-facade-boston

Quincy Market

This eclectic shopping district is a must for those visiting the bustling neighborhood. Faneuil Hall is located smack dab in the middle of Quincy Market, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. In addition to your favorite chain stores with extensive offerings, you’ll also find quirky boutiques including a store run by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

There are also plenty of delicious dining options, including the iconic New England pub Durgin-Park Restaurant. Another one of our favorite food options is the lobster roll sold at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace (the center building). You'll also find great ice cream and chowder, among scores of other New England favs. 

Getting In: Admission to Quincy Market is free.

The New England Holocaust Memorial

towers-holocaust-memorial-boston

The New England Holocaust Memorial

This inspiring and thought-provoking outdoor space is a somber memorial erected by Holocaust survivors who moved to Boston. It’s designed to honor those who lost their lives and to educate new generations about the history of the Holocaust. School groups in particular tend to visit this site. 

Getting In: Admission to the New England Holocaust Memorial is free.

Things to Do in the North End

Paul Revere House

paul-reveres-home-north-end-boston

Paul Revere House

All American school children learn about Paul Revere – now’s your chance to visit his historic home! This National Historic Landmark provides insight into the way eighteenth-century people lived in Boston and is a popular tourist destination for those interested in the history of Paul Revere’s famous Ride. A visit to the Paul Revere House is one of the top things to do in Boston's North End, not just for history buffs. 

Getting In: Paul Revere House tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes.

Boston Bike Rental

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Boston Bike Rental

Want to explore the city more creatively? Hop aboard two wheels and get pedaling! Boston is a very bike-friendly city, with frequent bike lanes on major roads, as well as bike paths and trails throughout the city and along the waterfront. So feel free to paddle on the big roads or the waterfront trails. Use it to get around like Bostonians, or just for fun and exercise. You can't go wrong! 

Getting In: Boston Bike Rental tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes.

Old North Church

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Old North Church

A great companion attraction to the Paul Revere House, the Old North Church is Boston’s oldest surviving church building and is among the city’s most-visited historic sites. The church itself has charming historic architecture, and there are other fascinating buildings on the campus as well. 

Getting In: Admission to the Old North Church is separately ticketed. For more information, please visit the attraction website.

Things to do Nearby at the Seaport District

Boston Children’s Museum

This attraction is incredibly popular with local and visiting families. A kid-specific attraction filled with tons of interactive and traditional exhibits, the Boston Children’s Museum is a must for those with young kids.

Don’t miss the Science Playground exhibit! Families love this option among the many things to do near Faneuil Hall. The Boston Children's Museum also hosts many special events and family programming year-round, including play-dough sessions, art sessions, poetry workshops, and much more. 

Getting In: Boston Children’s Museum tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes.

Institute of Contemporary Art

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Institute of Contemporary Art

One of the city’s best art institutions (and that’s saying something in a city with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts), the ICA is immensely popular with art lovers. The gorgeous exhibit space is filled with inspiring art in both permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. They also have a top-notch gift shop. 

Getting In: Institute of Contemporary Art tickets are included on all Go City® Boston passes.

Save up to 50% on Boston attractions

Discover our full line-up of Boston attractions including the USS Constitution Museum, Salem Witch Museum, Paul Revere House and more. 

🤩 >> If you want to see and do as much as you can, our All-Inclusive Pass  is for you.   

😎 >> If you want to pick just a few attractions and visit at your own pace, our Explorer Pass is the perfect option.

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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Boston city skyline at night
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Things to do in Boston at Night Time

Rich history, fine museums and a lively nightlife scene means there’s plenty to keep you entertained of an evening in Beantown. We’re talking buzzy cocktail bars, gallery lates, top-flight sporting events, heritage trails, ghost tours, beautifully illuminated landmarks and more. Dive in for our guide to some of the best things to do in Boston at night time.  The Freedom Trail by Night If you only do one thing when you’re in Boston, it has to be a tour of the Freedom Trail, a collection of 16 historic Boston sites that, between them, contain the entire history of this great city. Guided tours are readily available and reveal the dark secrets of landmarks including Boston Common (the oldest public park in the United States, fact fans), the golden dome of the Massachusetts State House, the 17th-century King’s Chapel Cemetery, Paul Revere’s House, and the site of the Boston Massacre. Night tours ramp up the more macabre aspects of Beantown’s torrid history, with tales of brutal murders, deadly sword duels, grave robbings and hanged witches, as well as providing quite stunning views of major historic landmarks illuminated against the night sky. And, if you like your city tours extra spooky, there’s a tour for you too. Take the Old Town Trolley tour, a ghostly spook-tacular that calls at some of Boston’s oldest burial grounds. Museum Lates Boston has a quite excellent roster of museums, meaning you’re never far from an Old Master or historical artifact. Better yet, many have regular late opening hours that allow you to dodge the daytime crowds and ogle the exhibits in relative solitude. Hit up the Museum of Fine Arts for your fix of Renoir, Frida Kahlo and Ancient Egyptian mummies. It’s open until 10PM Wednesday through Friday. Friday night also sees the Museum of Science stay open until 9PM, meaning you can check out the planetarium and meet the resident triceratops without fear of trampling a tot. The beautiful Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum stays open until 9PM on Thursdays, showcasing an eye-popping collection that includes pieces by Rembrandt, Botticelli and John Singer Sargent. Italian Dining in North End Ride the T (Boston’s speedy subway system) to the city’s cute North End neighborhood, a vibrant Italian-American enclave with some of the prettiest houses, most atmospheric cobbled lanes and hands-down finest Italian cuisine in town. Giacomo’s is a local institution, serving up great mountains of lobster ravioli and spaghetti aglio e olio to a devoted local crowd. Or try the landmark Union Oyster House (Boston’s oldest restaurant) for fresh seafood and hearty bowls of clam chowder. Pizza lover? The North End has you covered. The queue outside century-old Regina should tell you everything you need to know about the deliciously crispy, brick-oven treats that await within. Order a 16” capricciosa or puttanesca for the win (with extra anchovies, natch). Then sweeten the deal with a bagful of crunchy cannoli from Mike’s Pastry, where the vast selection of flavors runs the gamut from limoncello to peanut butter. Yum. A Night at the Boston Opera There’s nearly a century of entertainment history between the walls of the Boston Opera House (aka the Citizens Bank Opera House). A movie theater for over 50 years, it has been an opera house on and off since the 1980s, bringing high art and culture to the good people of Beantown. It’s now the permanent home of the Boston Ballet, meaning you can catch the likes of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, as well as annual performances of The Nutcracker during the festive season. Touring Broadway productions are also a popular option here: the opera house has hosted shows including Hamilton, Wicked, Les Miserables, Cats and Miss Saigon over the years, to name just a few. Sunset Cruise of Boston Harbor Night time activities in Boston don’t come much more romantic than a harbor cruise. Sip a glass of bubbly as the sky turns dusky pink and Boston’s buildings light up like Christmas trees all along the waterfront. As well as those stunning city lights, you can also take in views of top Boston attractions including Castle Island, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, and the epic feat of engineering that is the soaring Zakim Bridge. View Boston From river deep to skyscraper high, View Boston is way up in the clouds at the top of the Prudential Center. Take the elevator 750 feet up for one of Boston's great night time experiences. As the twinkling lights of the city skyline roll out beneath your feet, see if you can spot Beantown highlights like the glittering dome of the Massachusetts State House, Fenway Park Stadium (home of the Boston Red Sox), and boats the size of ants bobbing along the Charles River. Afraid of heights? Fear not: the 51st Cloud Terrace has a bar, where a whisky-fueled Ward Eight cocktail should provide all the Dutch courage you need to step out onto the al fresco wraparound walkway Cheers! Boston Common With its long and storied past that takes in the American Revolution, Martin Luther King and Pope John Paul II, it’s no wonder Boston Common – the oldest public garden in the US, no less – remains one of the city’s most sought-after attractions. Take a romantic evening stroll along its lamplit walkways, and admire its illuminated statuary in relative peace and quiet. Winter visitors can even strap on their skates and take to the ice on the frozen Frog Pond. Boston? Frost-on, more like! Catch the Big Game Beantown’s sporting legacy is the stuff of legend, and catching a big game should be on everyone’s bucket list. Anyone can get a kick from the electric atmosphere generated by night time crowds of fans as the excitement starts to rise beneath those dazzling stadium lights. Pick your flavor from American football (the Patriots), baseball (the Red Sox), basketball (the Celtics), and ice hockey (the Bruins). And, while we can’t always guarantee a win for the home side, what we can guarantee is a great, great time. Save on activities and attractions in Boston Save on admission to Boston attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
boston souvenirs
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Best Boston Souvenirs

Hello there! Welcome to the gift shop. Sadly, we only have one thing in stock. It's this guide to the best souvenirs in Boston. Hopefully, you aren't looking for ice cream. We don't sell those. But, if you're interested in the best Boston souvenirs, you're in luck, partner. Here's a menu with all of the best souvenirs in Boston. Including: Freedom Trail memorabilia Boston Red Sox souvenirs Harvard attire Baked beans - really Irish things and more! Freedom Trail frills The Freedom Trail is one of Boston's most important historical landmarks. So, why not commemorate your journey down the red brick road with some keepsakes? Right next to the Paul Revere House, you'll find North End Gift Shoppe, which sells all manner of freedom-esque attire, from freedom hats to freedom slacks. Want a freedom snowglobe? No? Well tough luck, because you're buying one before you leave! Why not take a tour that will lead you right there? Godly bothers Ever wondered if a church would dare sell gift shop oddities? Wonder no more; just hop on down to Old North Church and browse through the shop's many Boston-themed souvenirs. Books? Yes. Clothing? Yes. Jewelry? Yes! You can even pick up inspirational items like nativity figures for your very own Jesus Christ-approved Christmas setup. Holy Moses! You're a consumer, Harry! Any Potterphiles out there can also pick up some awesome wizarding merch at the Harry Potter Shop. Grab your wand and fly to Newbury Street, and enter a world of wizarding wonder. Mugs, wands, scarves, and anything else any depressed muggle would want to brighten up their banal, magic-free lives. Put your red sox on Whether you're a baseball fan or not, the Boston Red Sox is arguably one of the most famous bat/ball teams in the world. In the last twenty years, they've won the World Series four times, and every year, rabid fans gather around Fenway Park to cheer them on. So, why not go grab some sweet Red Sox memorabilia during your trip? The team store contains loads of great baseball content, like jerseys, baseballs, hats, yearbooks, and collecting cards. Even if the stadium doesn't interest you, you'll find plenty of vendors around the city proudly displaying their wares. Bunker down One of the most famous battles of the War of Independence took place at Bunker Hill. So you can bet your bottom dollar that there's a shop full of memorabilia for you to purchase. Located off of the Freedom Trail, the Bunker Hill Monument has its own gift shop, where you can pick up Bunker-related souvenirs and other oddities dedicated to both the battle and Boston itself. So, have at it. Also other sports things! Besides the Red Sox, Boston has a handful of other famous sports franchises that call it home. At the TD Garden, you'll find shops dedicated to both the basketballing Boston Celtics, and the hockey-pucking Boston Bruins. So go pick up a t-shirt, hat, or jersey and wear them with pride. So what if you're not from Boston? Who's going to stop you? No one, that's who. J R R Token When visiting Boston, chances are you'll take the subway at one time. But long before the advent of contactless cards and digital ticket readers, Bostonites used something else to get through the gates. That's right, people, we're talking about subway tokens. So why not commemorate your vacation and pick one up for yourself at the MBTA gift shop? Sure, it might be a useless sliver of finely crafted metal now, but boy does it tell a story. A story of how people used to pay to ride the subway. They even sell other subway-related memorabilia like toy subways. Perfect for kids who just can't get enough of riding the subway trains. Kids, ey? Easily pleased. Harvard? I hardly knew...ard One stop on your Boston tour should be the city's famous Harvard University. Not only can you take a tour of the facilities with a real, authentic, 100% human student, but you can even visit the campus' rather fantastic Natural History Museum. But why would anyone believe you even went without any proof? Well, don't worry about that; just pick up some sweet Harvard threads and other things at the Harvard Shop! Yes, even you could pretend you attended Harvard by buying a sweet hoodie, or sports-related jacket. Then, use what you learned on the tour to convince others that, yes, you were worthy to walk its halls and learn many things about things. Luck of the Irish Do you ever wonder whether you have too few Irish things in your abode? Need a little green to add to the sheen? Well, guess what? You can do it! Simply head on over to one of the many Irish-themed souvenir shops you'll find in the city. Our recommendation is Southie's Own on W Broadway, where you'll find plenty of delightful Irish oddities to purchase with real money. Do you like Shamrocks? They sell many things adorned with the sprig, including hats. They also sell flags. These should suffice. In the Beantime Baked beans. Love them or hate them; they do exist. We can prove it! Boston is even called Beantown because they became a staple for settlers of the New World. See, proved. And, if you're visiting Beantown, sorry, Boston, then why not pick up the town's modernized take on the humble bean? Nothing quite says America like adding sugar and meat flavors to a healthy legume. These delicious treats are worth the investment, and will be the perfect gift to any friend you'd like to confuse. So go on, get beany with it! Sorry. That was inappropriate. Adamized And finally, let's end with one of Boston's most famous exports; beer! You may have heard of a little brew called Samuel Adams? Well, that tasty treat is based in Boston, so why not buy a t-shirt or other form of clothing that celebrates the suds at the brewery's gift shop? They do hats, beer, coasters, beer, shirts, and even beer. So what are you waiting for? Thanks for reading the menu; hopefully, it helped you discover the best Boston souvenirs. Looking for more Boston fun? Here's our guide to the best times to visit the city! But what if Boston isn't safe? Well, you can find out if it is right here (spoiler alert: it is).
Dom Bewley
Boston skyline
Blog

A Week in Boston Itinerary - 5 to 7 Days in Boston for a Fun Filled Vacation

Upcoming week in Boston? Here are our picks to ensure your vacay is packed full of fun activities and historic sights!
Casey Makovich

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