Boston, Massachusetts destinations, parks and attractions

Are you going on a road trip to Boston, Massachusetts, looking for tips about the destinations so you and your party can enjoy it, be comfortable and not spend a fortune?

Here are some of the top destinations in Boston, Massachusetts and tips about visiting them

Top Boston, Massachusetts destinations

1. Freedom Trail - Most of what you will want to see is along this path! Boston's Freedom Trail is a walking trail you follow through the city to see the most famous Colonial America landmarks. It is easily identified by the red brick line and brass medallions set in the pavement.  The trail starts at the Visitor Center in the Boston Common and goes 3 miles to
   • the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," at the Charlestown Navy Yard.
   • Cemeteries with the\graves of Paul Revere, John Adams and  John Hancock,
   • The Old State House, Built in 1713, the "Town House" served as a merchants' exchange on the first floor and the seat of colonial and later state government on the second floor throughout the 1700s. The royal governor, appointed by the King of Great Britain, held his office in the building until 1775, and from the balcony gave voice to the King 3000 miles removed from London
   • the birthplace of Benjamin Franklin,
   • Faneuil Hall,
   • the North End:
   • the Paul Revere House
   • Old North Church 
   • Minute Man National Historical Park and Lexington Green - 174 Liberty Street, Concord, Massachusetts. Walk along the same route taken by the British regulars as they marched from Boston that sparked the American Revolution.  Head on out to North Bridge in Concord, where the first Colonials Minutemen engaged the British in battle. There is a North Bridge Visitor Center with artifacts, uniforms, and a historical film. Walk on down to Battle Green in Lexington, where the first shots were fired on April 19, 1775. 
2. Faneuil Hall - Deserves it's on listing! There is a walking tour throughout the property and original artifacts in Historic Faneuil Hall. Then grab some food in the many restaurants.  Taste the area's specialties like Boston Baked Beans, New England clam chowder, Indian Pudding, clam chowder, lobster rolls, oysters on the half shell at the world-famous Food Colonnade.
3. Boston Common and Public Garden Swan Boats - Famous since Victorian times!
4. Harvard University - 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The U has historic buildings and excellent museums and a thriving local community of  shops, restaurants, cafés, and bookstores. Museums worth seeing include:
   The Harvard Art Museums,  Fogg Art Museum (Italian early-Renaissance art), the Busch-Reisinger Museum (German and northern European Expressionist art), the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (Asian antiquities and Jade art), the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, the Mineralogical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Botanical Museum.
   
5. The Museum of Fine Arts - 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
   Staying on the Museum theme here's an excellent fine arts museum.
6. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - 280 The Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts.
   
7. Old Sturbridge Village - 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This popular destination is a living history museum that re-creates life in early 1800's New England . There are over40 authentic historic homes, craft shops, stores, mills, and farm buildings moved to this 200-acre site. People dressed in the period's attire demonstrate daily tasks of the town's folk. There is even a working farm and garden with livestock and heirloom plant varieties.
   
8. Norman Rockwell Museum - 9 Route 183, Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Norman Rockwell lived here for the last 25 years of his life, painting and become a common figure in the town. Famous for his Saturday Evening Post covers depicting every day American life.
   
9. Whale Watching at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary - The Stellwagen Bank is considered one of the top whale-watching locations in the world, you can also see white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoise, seals, and other marine life. Hop on board a  whale watching tour boat in Boston, Gloucester or Provincetown. . See this NOAA page to find a whale watch company to view a complete list of vessels that view whales in the sanctuary. Make the most of your whale watching experience by following the suggestions on the Tips for Whale Watching page.

National parks and monuments in Boston, Massachusetts

• Boston National Historical Park:, Boston, MA. The Old State House, is here in the heart of the city which could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.
  • Updates, fire alerts, warnings and conditions
  • Info about the park
  • Park event calendar
  • Park maps
• Boston African American National Historical Site:, Boston, MA.
  

  Centered on the north slope of Beacon Hill, the African American community of 19th century Boston led the city and the nation in the fight against slavery and injustice. These remarkable men and women, together with their allies, were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and the early struggle for equal rights and education.

  
  • Updates, fire alerts, warnings and conditions
  • Info about the park
  • Park event calendar
  • Park maps
• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation area:, Boston, MA.
  

  . . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, visit historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking or swimming-all within reach of downtown Boston. Youth programs, visitor services, research, wildlife management, and more are coordinated on the park's 34 islands and peninsulas by the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership.

  
  • Updates, fire alerts, warnings and conditions
  • Info about the park
  • Park event calendar
  • Park maps

Boston, Massachusetts State parks and historic sites

• Alewife Brook Reservation
  Cambridge, MA
• Ames Nowell State Park
  Abington, MA
• Appalachian Trail
  Lanesborough, MA
• Ashland State Park
  Ashland, MA
• Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
  Lanesborough, MA
• Bash Bish Falls State Park
  Mt. Washington, MA
• Beartown State Forest
  Monterey, MA
• Beaver Brook Reservation
  Belmont, MA
• Belle Isle Marsh
  East Boston, MA
• Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
  Uxbridge, MA
• Blue Hills Reservation
  Milton, MA
• Borderland State Park
  North Easton, MA
• Boston Harbor Islands
  Boston, MA
• Bradley Palmer State Park
  Topsfield, MA
• Breakheart Reservation
  Saugus, MA.
• Brimfield State Forest
  Brimfield, MA.
• Bristol Blake State Reservation
  Norfolk, MA.
• Brook Farm Historic Site
  West Roxbury, MA.
• C.M. Gardner State Park
  Huntington, MA.
• Callahan State Park
  Framingham, MA.
• Camp Nihan Education Center
  Saugus, MA.
• Cape Cod Rail Trail
  Brewster, MA.
• Castle Island, Pleasure Bay, M Street Beach and Carson Beach
  Boston, MA.
• Charles River Reservation
  Boston, MA.
• Chestnut Hill Reservation
  Brighton, MA.
• Chicopee Memorial State Park
  Chicopee, MA.
• Clarksburg State Park
  Clarksburg, MA.
• Cochituate State Park
  Natick, MA.
• Connecticut River Greenway State Park
  Northampton, MA.
• Constitution Beach Park
  Boston, MA.
• Cutler Park Reservation
  Needham, MA
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) State Forest
  Goshen, MA.
• Demarest Lloyd State Park
  Dartmouth, MA.
• Dighton Rock State Park
  Berkley, MA.
• Douglas State Forest
  Douglas, MA.
• Dunn State Park
  Gardner, MA.
• Ellisville Harbor State Park
  Plymouth, MA.
• Elm Bank Reservation
  Wellesley, MA.
• Erving State Forest
  Erving, MA.
• F. Gilbert Hills State Forest
  Foxborough, MA.
• Fall River Heritage State Park
  Fall River, MA.
• Farnham-Connolly State Park
  Canton, MA.
• Federated Women's Club State Forest
  Petersham, MA.
• Fort Phoenix State Reservation
  Fairhaven, MA.
• Fort Revere Park
  Hull, MA.
• Francis D. Martini Memorial Shell Park and Moynihan Recreation Area
  Boston, MA.
• Franklin State Forest
  Franklin, MA.
• Freetown-Fall River State Forest
  Assonet, MA.
• Georgetown-Rowley State Forest
  Georgetown, MA.
• Granville State Forest
  Granville, MA
• Great Brook Farm State Park
  Carlisle, MA.
• Great Falls Discovery Center
  Turners Falls
• Halibut Point State Park
  Rockport, MA.
• Hammond Pond Reservation
  Newton, MA.
• Hampton Ponds State Park
  Westfield, MA.
• Harold Parker State Forest
  North Andover, MA.
• Hemlock Gorge Reservation
  Newton, MA.
• Holyoke Heritage State Park
  Holyoke, MA.
• Hopkinton State Park
  Hopkinton, MA.
• Horseneck Beach State Reservation
  Westport, MA.
• Houghton's Pond Recreation Area
  Milton, MA.
• Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area
  Egremont, MA.
• Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest
  Plainfield, MA
• Lake Dennison Recreation Area
  Winchendon, MA.
• Lawrence Heritage State Park
  Lawrence, MA.
• Leo J. Martin Memorial Golf Course
  Weston, MA.
• Leo J. Martin Ski Track
  Weston, MA.
• Leominster State Forest
  Westminster, MA.
• Lowell Heritage State Park
  Lowell, MA.
• Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest
  Lowell, MA.
• Lower Neponset River Trail
  Boston, MA.
• Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservation
  Nahant, MA.
• Manuel F. Correllus State Forest
  Edgartown, MA.
• Mary O'Malley State Park
  Chelsea, MA.
• Massasoit State Park
  Taunton, MA.
• Maudslay State Park
  Newburyport, MA.
• Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex
  Roxbury, MA.
• Middlesex Fells Reservation
  Stoneham, MA.
• Mohawk Trail State Forest
  Charlemont, MA.
• Monroe State Forest
  Monroe, MA.
• Moore State Park
  Paxton, MA.
• Mount Everett State Reservation
  Mount Washington, MA.
• Mount Grace State Forest
  Warwick, MA.
• Mount Greylock State Reservation
  Lanesborough, MA.
• Mount Holyoke Range State Park
  Amherst, MA.
• Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation
  South Deerfield, MA.
• Mount Tom State Reservation
  Holyoke, MA.
• Mount Washington State Forest
  Mount Washington, MA.
• Myles Standish Monument State Reservation
  Duxbury, MA.
• Myles Standish State Forest
  Carver, MA.
• Mystic Lakes State Park
  Medford, MA
• Mystic River State Reservation
  Medford, MA
• Nantasket Beach Reservation
  Hull, MA
• National Monument to the Forefathers
  Plymouth, MA.
• Nashua River Rail Trail
  Ayer, MA.
• Nasketucket Bay State Reservation
  Mattapoisett, MA.
• Natural Bridge State Park
  North Adams, MA.
• Neponset River Reservation
  Boston, MA.
• Nickerson State Park
  Brewster, MA.
• Norwottuck Rail Trail
  Northampton, MA.
• October Mountain State Forest
  Lee, MA.
• Otter River State Forest
  Baldwinville, MA.
• Pearl Hill State Park
  Townsend, MA.
• Pilgrim Memorial State Park
  Plymouth, MA.
• Pittsfield State Forest
  Pittsfield, MA.
• Ponkapoag Golf Course
  Canton, MA.
• Pope John Paul ll Park Reservation
  Boston, MA.
• Purgatory Chasm State Reservation
  Sutton, MA.
• Quabbin Reservoir
  Belchertown, MA.
• Quincy Quarries Reservation
  Quincy, MA.
• Quincy Shores Reservation
  Quincy, MA.
• Quinsigamond State Park
  Worcester, MA
• Rehoboth State Forest
  Rehoboth, MA.
• Revere Beach Reservation
  Revere, MA.
• Robinson State Park
  Feeding Hills, MA.
• Roxbury Heritage State Park
  Boston, MA.
• Rumney Marsh Reservation
  Saugus, MA.
• Rutland State Park
  Rutland, MA.
• Salisbury Beach State Reservation
  Salisbury, MA.
• Sandisfield State Forest (York Lake)
  Sandisfield, MA.
• Sandy Point State Reservation
  Ipswich, MA.
• Savoy Mountain State Forest
  Florida, MA.
• Scusset Beach State Reservation
  Sagamore, MA.
• Shawme-Crowell State Forest
  Sandwich, MA.
• Skinner State Park
  Hadley, MA.
• South Cape Beach State Park
  Mashpee, MA.
• Southern New England Trunkline Trail
  Douglas, MA.
• Southwest Corridor Park
  Boston, MA.
• Spencer State Forest
  Spencer, MA.
• Squantum Point Park
  Quincy, MA.
• Stodder's Neck and Abigail Adams Park
  Hingham, MA.
• Stony Brook Reservation
  Hyde Park, MA.
• Sudbury Reservoir
  Southborough, MA
• Tolland State Forest
  East Otis, MA.
• Upton State Forest
  Upton, MA.
• Wachusett Mountain State Reservation
  Princeton, MA.
• Wachusett Reservoir
  West Boylston, MA.
• Wahconah Falls State Park
  Dalton, MA.
• Walden Pond State Reservation
  Concord, MA.
• Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
  East Falmouth, MA.
• Watson Pond State Park
  Taunton, MA.
• Webb Memorial State Park
  North Weymouth, MA
• Wellfleet Hollow State Campground
  Wellfleet, MA.
• Wells State Park
  Sturbridge, MA.
• Wendell State Forest
  Millers Falls, MA.
• Western Gateway Heritage State Park
  North Adams, MA.
• Whitehall State Park
  Hopkinton, MA.
• Willard Brook State Forest
  Townsend, MA.
• Willowdale State Forest
  Topsfield, MA.
• Wilson Mountain Reservation
  Dedham, MA.
• Windsor State Forest
  Windsor, MA.
• Winthrop Shore Reservation
  Winthrop, MA.
• Wompatuck State Park
  Hingham, MA.
• Wrentham State Forest
  Wrentham, MA

Many DCR facilities have a parking fee. Massachusetts residents pay lower fees than non-residents. Resident and non resident status is determined by the vehicle license plate. Some parks only charge fees during certain times of the year. Click the link below to view the most recent parking fees schedule for every state park.

Parking fee locations and schedule

Annual Parking Pass

You can save money on park visits by getting an annual ParksPass. A ParksPass waives the daily parking fee for most DCR parks. The parking pass costs $60 for Massachusetts residents.

Senior ParksPass

Massachusetts residents aged 62 and older can buy a lifetime parking pass. The lifetime Senior Parks Pass costs $10. Senior Parks passes may only be bought in person or by mail.

Learn how to get a lifetime Senior ParksPass

Boston, Massachusetts Seasons, bugs, topography and climate

Massachusetts is mainly a humid continental climate, with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters and plenty of precipitation. The state does have extreme temperatures from time to time with 100 °F or 37.8 °C in the summer and temperatures below 0 °F or −17.8 °C in the winter not being unusual. Bugs... near stagnant lakes and marshes black flies, no-see-ums and mosquitos.

Boston, Massachusetts Camping tips

Massachusetts has accessible tent sites, too, with hard-packed level ground, pedestal grills, and accessible picnic tables. All our accessible sites are marked on Reserve America with a figure in a wheelchair.

You'll always find accessible restrooms in the same loop as accessible sites, though there usually isn't an accessible pedestrian route between the sites and the restrooms. Before you make a reservation, you should contact the park to see if their cabins, yurts, or tent sites fit your specific needs. Also, be sure to learn about DCR campground regulations before you reserve your campsite.

If you have questions about accessible camping in general, please contact the Universal Access Program.

There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Boston, Massachusetts.