Boston Freedom Trail

The Boston Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long path through historic Boston, showcasing iconic sites tied to America's revolutionary past. A unique journey into history, it connects pivotal landmarks from the colonial era. A self-guided tour, it offers a deep dive into the birth of a nation, typically taking about 2-3 hours to walk.

Read less

Updated ago

FREEDOM TRAIL WALK

Boston Common Visitors Center

@saraprivatetravel

Start your tour on The Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States (1634) outside the Park St. Subway Station, the first subway in the United States (1897). The Boston Common was used from 1634 to 1830 as a common space for the grazing of cattle and continues to be active spot for visitors and locals to meet, relax and enjoy a day in the park. Be sure to stop into the Boston Common Visitor Center and pick up some information about visiting Boston.

Add to

Details

Massachusetts State House

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Trail up to the Massachusetts State House (1798), which is the oldest continually running state capital building in the America. The dome is gilded in 23k gold and was originally made of wood. The dome was covered in copper by Paul Revere in 1802, and was gilded on our nation’s 100 birthday in 1876.

Add to

Details

Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

@saraprivatetravel

Walk back across the street and you will be at the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial which shows Gould-Shaw and his men of the 54th regiment of the Union Army. The 54th Regiment is the first all-volunteer African American unit in the US Army which was formed in 1863 during the American Civil War. The 1989 film Glory tells the story of the 54th regiment and stars Matthew Broderick as Col. Robert Gould Shaw.

Add to

Details

Park Street Church

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Trail back into the Boston Common to the starting point take a left down Tremont St. (follow the brick line) and cross Park St. to The Park St. Church (1809). This church was the site of the first Sunday school in the United States in 1818; the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison made his first anti-slavery speech on this church’s pulpit in 1829; and the church choir sang for the first time ever in public on July 4th 1831, the song “My Country Tis of Thee.”

Add to

Details

Granary Burying Ground

@saraprivatetravel

The next spot on the Trail sits just on the other side of the Park St. Church is the Granary Burial Ground where three signers of the Declaration Independence rest as well as Paul Revere, Mary Goose (credited with being Mother Goose) and the parents and siblings of Benjamin Franklin. See our blog of the self-guided tour of the Granary Burial Ground for a self-guided tour of this spot.

Add to

Details

King's Chapel

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Trail to the corner of Tremont and School Street and you will see King’s Chapel. This stone church was built around the original wooden church which was built in 1688 and then the wood from church was carefully disassembled and the wood and glass was shipped to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and rebuilt to construct St. John's Anglican Church.

Add to

Details

Benjamin Franklin Statue

@saraprivatetravel

Follow Trail down School St. and next to King’s Chapel you will see the monument for the Boston Latin School. The oldest school in American (1635) and still in operation today. The school’s current location is near Fenway Park. The monument for the school is in the design of a hopscotch game. Some of its famous students include Benjamin Franklin (who statue stands on the former school’s site), John Hancock, Sam Adams, and John Adams just to name a few.

Add to

Details

Old City Hall

@saraprivatetravel

Where the Boston Latin School once stood is now the site of Old City Hall (1865). For 104 years Boston’s mayors held court here until they move into City Hall’s Current location (across from Faneuil Hall), New City Hall (1969).

Add to

Details

Old South Meeting House

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Freedom Trail to Washington St. and you will come to the Old South Meeting House (1729). This church is where the Sons of Liberty departed from a meeting on Dec. 16, 1773 and dumped 242 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The famous Boston Tea Party.

Add to

Details

The Old Corner Bookstore

@saraprivatetravel

On the Corner of Washington and School Street is one of Boston’s oldest brick structures (1712) and was the site of The Old Corner Bookstore. The bookstore was made famous for meetings on the second floor by the likes of Nathanael Hawthorn, Harriet Beecher-Stowe, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Charles Dickerson (who lived in Boston for two years) would meet and discuss poetry, politics and literature. It is now the site of Chipotle.

Add to

Details

Old State House

@saraprivatetravel

Continue down Washington Street and you will be at the Old State House (1713). This was the center of civic life in Colonial Boston and was where folks like Sam Adams and James Otis would argue against the policies of the British Crown. On the front of the building is a balcony where in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time and cause a mini -riot during which the Lion and Unicorn which sits on top of the Old State House was ripped down and burnt in a bomb fire. The gilded Lion and Unicorn was put back up on the Old State House in 1883 when the building was refurbished. Every July 4th at 10:00am the Declaration of Independence is read from that balcony. The Lion and Unicorn however is not torn down.

Add to

Details

Boston Massacre Site

@saraprivatetravel

On the walkway in front of the Old State House is the monument for the five victims killed on March 5, 1770 during the Boston Massacre which took place in the middle of what is now called State Street (formerly known as King Street). In the center of the monument is a five pointed star signifying the 5 deaths enclosed by six cobblestones, signifying the six wounded that night, and stretching from the center are 13 cobblestone spokes representing the original 13 colonies.

Add to

Details

Faneuil Hall

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Trail to “the Cradle of Liberty” Faneuil Hall (1742). This building which was given to the city of Boston by rich merchant Peter Faneuil, is famous for the meetings and protests that led to the American Revolution. Notice the grasshopper on top of the building. The grasshopper (his name is Gus) was copied from the grasshopper on the London Royal Exchange Building (which Peter Faneuil model his build after of) and was choosing as a sign of prosperity.

Add to

Details

The Paul Revere House

@saraprivatetravel

ollow the Freedom Trail down Union St. (notice the Union Oyster House the oldest restaurant in the United States) and down Hanover St. into our Northend/Little Italy Neighborhood. The trail winds down Richmond Street to North Square. In North Square sits the oldest structure in Boston, the Paul Revere House (1680). Paul Revere lived for 30 years from 1770 to 1800. The Paul Revere House is now a Museum which you can visit.

Add to

Details

Paul Revere Statue

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Trail to the Paul Revere Prado and you will be at one of the most photographed statues in Boston, the Paul Revere Statue which sits in the shadow of the church which made him famous, The Old North Church. If you go by this statue when one of Boston’s sports teams are in a championship series/game, Paul will be donning a shirt of the team playing for the trophy.

Add to

Details

Old North Church

@saraprivatetravel

Walk across the Paul Revere Prado and to the Old North Church (1723), the oldest church building in Boston. The church is free to enter and there are guides inside the church who will give you a quick overview of Paul’s Midnight Ride the night of April 18, 1775 and resulted in the battle that started American Revolution.

Add to

Details

Copp's Hill Burying Ground

@saraprivatetravel

After you leave the Old North Church follow the Trail up Hull St. to Copp’s Hill Burial Ground (1659). Some of the characters buried there include the Puritan Ministers Cotton Mather and his father Increase Mather; Shem Drowne, who made the grasshopper weather-vain on top of Faneuil Hall as well as the banner weather-vain on top of the Old North Church; Robert Newman who hang the lanterns the in the steeple of the Old North the night of Paul Revere’s ride and Prince Hall, the first African American Mason and found of the Prince Hall Masons.

Add to

Details

USS Constitution Museum

@saraprivatetravel

The Freedom Trail continues down Hull St. to Commercial St. and travels to the next stop the USS Constitution (1797) which is the oldest ship in the US Navy. Built to protect American Merchant Ships from pirates off the coast of North Africa, it was made famous during the War of 1812 where it never lost a battle and was nicknamed “Old Ironsides” because the ship was so strong (it is made out of wood) that the cannonballs from British ships would bounce harmlessly off its sides.

Add to

Details

Bunker Hill Monument

@saraprivatetravel

Follow the Freedom Trail to the final destination and you will be at the Bunker Hill Monument (opened in 1843). The monument was dedicated on June 17th, 1843 68 years after the famous battle took place. The statesman Daniel Webster was the keynote speaker that day. The 221 foot monument took 16 years to construct and commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill and has 294 steps. If you are feeling energetic you can climb the monument.

Add to

Details

NEED ADVICE?

Would you like to elevate your journey with a Pre-Trip to New Yord or/and a Post-Trip to the stunning Cape Cod? Do not hesitate to book a call with me for advice or hire me for a hassle-free custom itinerary to make your trip an unforgettable adventure!

*As I am a professional Travel Designer I can get you perks in some luxury and boutique hotels if I book them for you. Contact me if you want a luxury experience for the same money you would pay if you book directly with the hotel.

* * *

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara PrivateTravel

Available for hire

Hey, I'm Sara! Luxury Travel Designer / Travel Content Creator / Passionate Traveler 🇪🇸 Mum of 3, expat in 🇨🇱 Expert on adventure, off the beaten path, boutique & luxury trips for families, couples & groups focused on nature, sport, culture, outdoors & wellness 🌱 Here you can access my guides, itineraries and travel services. Please feel free to save, share & suscribe ☺️ I'm here to help make your travels tailored experiences that inspire you to see the world from a new perspective. Because traveling is so much more than just boarding a plane, and everyone needs a different kind of journey 🚀 🌎 I know very well most of Europe, North & South America (where I currently live), Caribbean, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Morocco, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia & Australia. I enjoy slow traveling as I understand travel as a way to experience, discover and connect, creating a positive impact on the destinations we travel, in terms of environmental preservation and regeneration, and also the enrichment and well-being of local communities and cultures 💪🏼 I'm a Spanish expat living in Chile with my husband and 3 kids. 16 years ago, we lived in Mexico City, then in Madrid, later in Boston (USA), and currently (for the past +5 years) we've been in Santiago, Chile. I've traveled to +46 countries (many of them multiple times) and I don't want to stop ✈️ I've always linked my personal life and professional career (film production for many years) to the need to plan and travel. I speak four languages (the fourth one I kind of make it up, but people understand me). I'm interested in all topics, I'm curious and passionate, efficient, detail-oriented, and adventurous. I'm happiest in nature, biking with my family, spending time with my friends, walking on the beach, relaxing in a nice hotel, reading a good book in the shade, taking photos non-stop, and I have music in my veins 🎶📖🚲🧘🏻‍♀️🌿🚶‍♀️

Read less

Send A Tip

Support Sara PrivateTravel’s work.

Select your tip amount

$10

$20

$50

Or type in other amount

Explore related destinations

USA

Boston, Massachusetts, EE. UU.