Boston

2 Days in Boston - An Itinerary for a Weekend in Boston

How to spend two days seeing Boston's best
By Casey Makovich

Planning a weekend in Boston and hoping to make the most of your time? We’ve put together a great itinerary for 2 days in Boston that will show you the best of the city in just one weekend. The guide includes indoor and outdoor options, so no matter the weather, you're prepared!

From sightseeing tours and museums to historical buildings and beyond, Boston has so much to offer, we know you’ll love your trip. This weekend in Boston itinerary includes:

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Trolley
  • Museum of Science
  • Boston Common & Boston Public Garden
  • Museum of Fine Arts
  • Skywalk Observatory
  • New England Aquarium
  • Faneuil Hall & Quincy Marketplace (free!)
  • Old State House OR USS Constitution Cruise

📅 We’ve also put together a 1-day and 3-day itinerary should you be in Beantown for only a day, or if you've got a long weekend.

Planning to visit lots of Boston attractions?

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DAY 1 Stop #1: Hop-on Hop-off trolley

Boston trolley

A Boston Trolley ride is the perfect way to start your Boston vacation. You’ll see all the best sights of the city and feel better oriented when you start to go off on your own to explore. Best of all, you can board and disembark at your leisure, so you don’t need to ride the full loop if something interests you. Your pass is good for two days, so you can hop on and off at any time to explore during your entire weekend trip.

Remember to get your trolley ticket in advance at one of the designated pickup locations. There are 17 stops in total, so the full loop could take up to an hour and 45 minutes. While it can be tempting to use the trolley to get around the city, traffic could make this a slower option than the T (the city's affordable and easy-to-use subway system).

Stop #2: Museum of Science

There are few cities as scientifically inclined as Boston. Home to MIT, Harvard, and many of the best research labs in the world, Boston knows what it’s doing when it comes to science. That’s why a visit to the acclaimed Museum of Science is a no-brainer! Kids and adults alike can enjoy (over 700) award-winning exhibits, interactive displays, and special programming.

Some of the highlights include the landmark Hall of Human Life, which features the biology of the human body, and the Charles Hayden Planetarium, the most sophisticated digital planetarium in the entire region.

Stop #3: The Boston Common & Boston Public Garden

Boston Swan boats

If it's a nice day, hop off the Trolley Tour at the Boston Common and explore this beautiful urban park in the heart of Boston. Here, you'll find people and animals enjoying the green space, gardens, and water features throughout the park. Come here to people-watch or to take photos of the beautiful flowers in the Public Gardens.

A visit to these charming green spaces is a great way to see a different side of Boston. If the Swan Boats are operating, get in line for a quick, relaxing cruise along the lagoon powered by pedaling. (You can just sit on one of the benches!). It's one of the most quintessential Boston experiences.

Stop #4: Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Art Boston

After lunch, hop back on the trolley towards the Museum of Fine Arts. This prestigious art museum has something to appeal to every taste, from its extensive collection of early colonial art and furnishings to the beautiful modern art selection and beyond. Don’t forget to stop in the gift shop! The MFA shop is one of the best places for unique souvenirs in all of Boston.

Be sure to check their site to see what temporary exhibits they're featuring during your visit. We recommend reserving at least 2 hours for the MFA, although you may want more time if you’ve got some big art lovers in the family.

Stop #5: Soaring cityscape panoramas at View Boston

View Boston

We can’t think of a better way to end your first day in Boston than with a trip to the top of this must-see attraction. Located 750ft above the city, atop the Prudential Center, the View Boston Observation Deck provides unparalleled, 360-degree views of the city below and the iconic Boston skyline. During certain times of the year, you can catch stunning sunsets.

Don’t forget to check out Boston 365 – this remarkable 3D model of the city brings Boston to life by revealing highlights of its seasons, spirit, and celebrations. The Cloud Terrace on the 51st floor has a 360-degree open-air roof terrace and a cocktail bar.

DAY 2 Stop #1: New England Aquarium

New England Aquarium

The whole family will love a visit to the renowned New England Aquarium. From Caribbean coral reefs to bustling penguin colonies, the aquarium contains marine life from around the globe. You’ll encounter those lovable penguins, seals, sharks, jellies, sea turtles, tropical fish, and many more species on your visit.

Don’t forget to stop by the Shark & Ray Touch Tank exhibit for a chance at “hands-on” fun. We recommend saving between 1-2 hours for the Aquarium, perhaps more if you have kids.

Stop #2: Faneuil Hall & Quincy Marketplace (free!)

After visiting the aquarium, take a short walk to Faneuil Hall and devote some time to exploring this historical center. Faneuil Hall was once a meeting place in colonial times, but today it's filled with shops and dining venues. You can also find tons of musicians and street performers near Faneuil Hall – so stay a while and listen before heading to lunch! Leave yourself 30 minutes to an hour to explore.

Stop #3: Old State House (indoor option)

Old State House

Visit one of the most important historical sites in downtown Boston – the Old State House. Here, you’ll learn all about the history of colonial Boston and Revolutionary America through artifacts (including recovered tea from the Tea Party!), exhibits, and tours. Roam through accurately decorated period rooms – many with real historic furniture and artifacts – and see important spaces in the building, like the recently restored King’s Council Chamber.

It’s a stop along the Freedom Trail, but you can certainly come here on your own any time to soak up the atmosphere and peruse the exhibits. Keep an eye out for John Hancock’s bright red velvet coat!

Stop #3: USS Constitution Cruise (outdoor option)

USS Constitution Boston

Continue your waterfront adventures with a cruise of Boston's Inner Harbor to visit the USS Constitution, aka "Old Ironsides." The cruise highlights the waterfront's other historical and contemporary landmarks, including Old North Church, and Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Monument. Operating hours change seasonally so be sure to check the official website for the exact schedule.

The beauty of Boston awaits

So, there’s your perfect 2 days in Boston weekend itinerary – tours, museums, cruises, and much more. This two-day itinerary will introduce you to the best of Boston and give you a taste of what it’s like to experience Beantown as a local.

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. 

Casey Makovich
Go City Travel Expert

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The Museum of Fine Art in Boston
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Museum of Fine Arts Vs Institute of Contemporary Art Comparison

Revolutionary spirit and great art are in Boston’s DNA, meaning you’re rarely far from a picture-perfect historical landmark, fascinating cultural artifact or priceless Old Master. You can feel it on the Freedom Trail – the city’s comprehensive walk-through of the birth of America, in the family-run restaurants of the authentic Italian district, and in the bleeding-edge contemporary art galleries of Boston’s hip South End neighborhood. And that’s just for starters. Beantown’s art museums are second-to-none, offering deep dives into the history and cultural heritage of Boston, the Americas and beyond. Two absolute titans of the scene, the Museum of Fine Arts and Institute of Contemporary Art feature highly on the hit-lists of many art-loving visitors to the city. We took a closer look at this dynamic duo to find out how they compare, including a smidgen of hstory, some of the treasures you can expect to find in each, and how to visit… Museum of Fine Arts: the Lowdown Vital Statistics: Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (aka the Boston Art Museum) has been wowing visitors since 1870 and has been growing in size and popularity ever since. The museum moved to its current home – a suitably grand purpose-built neoclassical edifice complete with colonnades and a great rotunda (with frescoes by John Singer Sargent, no less) – in 1909. Since then, it has expanded to include a collection of some 500,000 pieces across 100 galleries, running the gamut from ancient artifacts to modern masterpieces. One of the biggest art museums on the planet, its stellar collection pulls in more than 1.2 million visitors every year. The MFA in Brief: It’s not easy to be brief about a museum of this size and caliber, but we’ll try. Within its hallowed walls, the MFA houses thousands of rare treasures, from paintings and sculptures to musical instruments, pottery and textiles. In other words, pretty much everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to paintings by Monet, Van Gogh and Kahlo. Ogle Nubian pottery, Chinese ceramics and masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age, and experience the largest collection of Japanese art outside of Japan, including paintings, ceramics and 17th-19th-century ukiyo-e woodblock prints.  Getting in: Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts is open daily except Tuesdays. Hours are 10AM-5PM, with late opening until 10PM on Thursday and Friday. Tickets are included with a Boston pass from Go City. The pass includes access to dozens more activities, tours and attractions, including Paul Revere House, the Museum of Science, a Freedom Trail walking tour, a sunset harbor cruise, and more. Find out how you could save up to 50% with the Boston pass and get yours here.  MFA Highlights Give your neck a workout in the museum’s epic rotunda, where frescoes by John Singer Sargent adorn the domed ceiling.  Don’t miss John Singleton Copley’s portrait of local hero Paul Revere, maker of the historic Sons of Liberty Bowl, which is also – natch – on display here at the museum. We’re in the Monet! We’re in the Monet! The MFA boasts one of the best collections of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art outside of France, including landmark pieces by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas and others. Fans of Japanese art will be in clover, with over 100,000 pieces including woodblock prints, fine ceramics and Buddhist statues. Ancient Egypt is never less than utterly fascinating, and the MFA’s collection does not disappoint, with pieces that include Rameses III prisoner tiles, ancient idols, exquisite Nubian jewelry, and decorative sarcophagi. Institute of Contemporary Art: the Lowdown Vital Statistics: A relative upstart in comparison to the MFA, Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art opened over 60 years later, in 1936. Originally the Boston Museum of Modern Art, it has undergone several changes of name (and even more changes of location) before settling on the Institute of Contemporary Art (or ICA) in 1948 and, in 2006, the striking industrial-style Seaport District location it now calls home. The building, 65,000 square feet of gallery and performance space, houses a relatively modest permanent collection (hundreds rather than thousands of pieces), supplemented by rotating exhibitions, installations and performances that reflect the very best of the contemporary international art scene. It attracts around 200,000 visitors annually. The ICA in Brief: The ICA’s permanent collection includes essential pieces from established and emerging artists, including many from past exhibitors. These include the likes of Cornelia Parker, Taylor Davis, Nan Goldin, Thomas Hirschhorn, Marlene Dumas and Laylah Ali, to name just a few. Check out the ICA website for information on all current and upcoming exhibitions. Getting in: The ICA is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10AM-5PM, with late opening until 9PM on Thursday and Friday. General admission costs $20, but Thursday evening admission is free after 5PM – tickets are available from Thursday morning and advance booking is highly recommended. ICA Highlights Jutting out over the harbor, the ICA’s Seaport District home is every bit the contemporary art space, all bright, intimate galleries; its glass corridors and elevators seem to float above the water below. Don’t miss Cornelia Parker’s signature ‘Hanging Fire’ sculpture, Kara Walker’s thought-provoking meditation on racism and gender discrimination, based on characters from Mark Twain's ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’, and the fine collection of photographs by Boston’s Nan Goldin. A ferry takes passengers over to the ICA Watershed outpost, where a single artist exhibits work from spring to fall each year. Past exhibitions have included large-scale installations and sculptures by the likes of Diana Thater, John Akomfrah, Firelei Báez and Guadalupe Maravilla. Museum of Fine Arts Vs Institute of Contemporary Art Comparison: Which is Best? Art aficionados will find much to enjoy in both the MFA and ICA. The Museum of Fine Arts takes the prize for the sheer variety and scope of its collection, and is likely to be the better choice for lovers of art history and antiquity. The Institute of Contemporary Art is by its very nature a far more niche experience, but with futuristic sculptures, paintings and installations that are no less eye-popping than those at the MFA. Don’t forget: you can visit the MFA with a Boston attraction pass from Go City, and Thursday evenings at the ICA are free so, heck, why not spoil yourself and do both? Save on Attractions, Tours and Activities in Boston Save money on Boston attractions, tours and activities with a pass from Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Public park in Boston with a walking trail
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Best walks in Boston

On your marks, get set... walk! That’s the way to do Boston, anyway. Unassuming, academic and full of history, this city is the ideal place to stretch your legs as it’s also very accessible, very flat, and very pretty. There’s a good mix of city lights and green spaces, and the Charles River winds serenely on its way to Massachusetts Bay offering lovely walks along the esplanade. Beware the weather – the icy wind off the Atlantic can make things pretty wet and chilly in winter – but don’t let it put you off! Fuel up on some Boston baked beans, grab your raincoat and try out one of these awesome Boston walks: The Freedom Trail Financial District to the Theater District The Movie Mile Harvard to MIT The Battle Green Tour The Emerald Necklace Trail The Freedom Trail Many key events of the American Revolutionary War took place in Boston, and a lot of these historical sites are now accessible to visitors. To make it easy, 16 of them are connected by the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail which runs from Boston Common to Bunker Hill. It’s marked by a red path on the ground so you can’t really get lost – but if you’re finding all the history a little disorientating then use your pass to take a Freedom Trail Foundation guided tour. It covers 11 of the 16 sites on the trail, including Massachusetts State House, the USS Constitution and the site of the Boston Massacre. Your guide – complete in 18th century costume – will share all the stories of revenge and revolution so you won’t get your dates and declarations in a tangle. The Financial District to the Theater District This easy walk gives you a great overview of the modern and historic side of Boston in just a couple of hours. Start at the World Trade Center bus stop and enjoy the view of the wharf and Congress Bridge before exploring the financial district. Here, as well as being able to witness Boston’s buzzing economy in motion, you’ll find the Boston Children’s Museum, the Boston Tea Party Museum, King’s Chapel and Burial Ground and the Irish Famine Memorial. Soak up the history, then go for some retail therapy at Downtown Crossing before heading towards the Theater District via Washington Street and Tremont Street. This route will take you past Chinatown, which makes a colorful diversion if you’re feeling peckish, and you’ll come out by the Shubert and Wang Theaters. From here, it’s an easy saunter to Boston Common, where you can either have a look around Emerson College Campus or just flop down on the grass and give your legs a rest. The Movie Mile Many of Boston’s iconic landmarks are familiar to us because we’ve seen them so often on film and television – so why not get to know them in person? Take the Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour with Go City and discover over 30 locations you may have seen in films like Ted, Good Will Hunting and The Departed, or TV shows like Ally McBeal and Cheers. You’ll take in quiet, unassuming neighborhoods, historic homes, the original Cheers pub and the bench where Robin Williams and Matt Damon shot one of their most famous scenes. Make sure your big and small screen trivia knowledge is up to date, as your guide may just quiz you along the way! Harvard to MIT This is a great walk that combines two of the city’s most famous institutions with a generous taste of student life in the city. North of the river in Cambridge, these two academic heavyweights are only a mile or so apart, but a slightly detoured route will also take you past Harvard Stadium (home of the New England Patriots until the 70s) and Harvard Business School. Explore Harvard Square on your own or join a guided tour, then head west over the Anderson Memorial Bridge towards the stadium. If you’re lucky, there might be a game going on, if not, it’s still worth a wander around. From there, turn down Harvard Way past the Baker Library to the Business School, and then circle back to the river and use the Western Avenue Bridge to cross back over. Turn left and walk along the river to Magazine Beach, then head east towards MIT. If you need more intellectual inspiration, you can take another guided tour, or check out the List Visual Arts Center. The “Let it Begin Here” Battle Green Tour Take a deep dive into American Revolutionary History with a guided tour of Lexington Battle Green, included with your Go City Boston Pass. This small area is of huge historical significance, being the place where the first shots of the war were fired. See the Old Belfry that sounded the alarm, the Buckman Tavern where nervous militiamen gathered the night before the battle, the Revolutionary War Monument, the Old Burying Ground and the Henry H. Kitson Minuteman Statue. Hear stories of how the battle unfolded, George Washington’s thoughts on the whole affair, and the meaning behind the famous “Stand your ground” inscription. You’ll also see some houses and other buildings dating from the same era, so you can really feel that you’ve traveled back in time. The Emerald Necklace walk A favorite among locals and visitors alike, this walk gets its name from the way it links a chain of sparkling parks and green spaces through the city. It’s a great one if you want to get away from the concrete jungle and give your legs a proper stretch – it’s around nine miles and does include some elevation, so allow up to four hours – more if you want to stop for a picnic somewhere! Start in Franklin Park – Boston’s largest, where you’ll also find the Franklin Zoo. From here, the walk takes you through the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, Jamaica Pond, Olmsted Park and along the Riverway to Muddy River. This route also takes you past the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. Continue along the long, green space that is the Commonwealth Avenue Mall all the way to the Public Garden, then either cross the suspension bridge or take the left path past the Robin Williams Memorial Bench. Finish by exploring Boston Common and be sure to take a selfie in front of Brewer Fountain! Step it up with Go City You can walk pretty much anywhere in Boston! Make sure you don’t miss anything with a Go City Explorer or All-Inclusive Pass and save on dozens of attractions around the city.
Karleen Stevens
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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