All Over The Map
Destinations, JOurneys, and Diversions
Boston
A Walk Through Time
by Stephen Jermanok
The history of America’s independence is woven into the fabric of present-day Boston, and nowhere is it more vivid than along The Freedom Trail. The 2.5-mile walking route celebrates its 50th birthday this year. To explore it, you don’t even need a map. A red-brick path leads you to 16 monumental sights, including the Granary Burying Ground, the final resting place of such Boston luminaries as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. The cemetery is a few blocks from the John Hancock Tower.
The trail also takes you into some of Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods — Beacon Hill, where you’ll find century-old brick brownstones and village squares; North End, with its winding streets and lively Italian community; and Charlestown, once the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill and now home to America’s most celebrated ship, the USS Constitution. Along the way, you can stop at the home of Paul Revere or the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America, the Union Oyster House, which opened in 1826. You can sit at JFK’s favorite booth or the counter where Daniel Webster ordered dinners of as many as three dozen oysters and six tumblers of brandy and water.
If you prefer going in a group, sign up for a guided tour offered by The Freedom Trail Foundation. (The National Park Service also offers tours every half hour from the visitor center opposite the Old State House.) For tour info and more about The Freedom Trail’s 50th Birthday Bash, visit thefreedomtrail.org.
- Boston Common
- State House
- Park Street Church
- Granary Burying Ground
- King’s Chapel and Burying Ground
- First Public School Site
- Old Corner Bookstore
- Old South Meeting House
- Old State House
- Boston Massacre Site
- Faneuil Hall
- Paul Revere House
- Old North Church
- Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
- Uss Constitution
- Bunker Hill Monument
Map by Steven Stankiewicz
Freedom To Stay
Looking to get on the path to independence? Several Boston hotels are offering special packages that make it east to explore The Freedom Trail
The Midtown Hotel
Located in Boston’s Back Bay, this inn may be one of the best values in the city. Its Freedom Trail 50th Anniversary Package includes one night’s accommodations, a Freedom Trail combination ticket (good for entrance into three of the trail’s museums: Old South Church, Old State House, and Paul Revere House), and a copy of The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View featuring watercolors by New England artist Leonard Weber. Prices start at $95 per person. Available through December 30.
220 Huntington Ave.
617.262.1000
midtownhotel.com
Omni Parker House
This historic property opened in 1855 and just received a $30 million renovation and restoration. (The hotel’s Parker’s Restaurant is where Parker House Rolls and Boston Cream Pie were invented.) Book the Freedom Trail Discovery Package and get tickets for a tour with a costumed guide, breakfast buffet for up to two adults and two kids, and milk and cookies on your first night. Rates start at $209 to $279 per night. Available through September 13.
60 School St.
617.227.8600
omnihotels.com/findahotel/bostonparkerhouse.aspx
InterContinental Boston
Situated on the spot where the Boston Tea Party took place in 1773, this hotel’s glittering glass facade brings a modern feel to Boston’s historic waterfront. Book the Boston Freedom Trail Package and you’ll get two tickets for a guided tour and the option to stay three nights for the price of two. Rates start at $265. Available Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays through December 31.
510 Atlantic Ave.
617.747.1000
intercontinentalboston.com
Fairmont Copley Plaza
A Boston institution since 1912, this luxury property offers the ultimate experience for history buffs: a Freedom Trail Suite. This mini-museum was designed by historians and archivists and features artwork that recognizes Boston’s colonial heritage. (A stay in this room is an extra $400 a night.) The Freedom Trail Discovery Package includes two tickets for a tour with a costumed guide, two tickets to three Freedom Trail museums (Old South Meeting House, Old State House, and Paul Revere House), and a copy of The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View. Rates start at $289. Available through December 31.
138 St. James Ave.
617.267.5300
fairmont.com/copleyplaza
The Langham, Boston
This lavish inn boasts its own bit of history: It’s housed in
Boston’s former Federal Reserve Bank. The Discover a New World Package includes two tickets to three Freedom Trail museums and breakfast for two. Prices start at $295 per night. Available on weekends through September 2.
250 Franklin St.
617.451.1900
boston.langhamhotels.com
Millennium Bostonian Hotel
Under renovation until August (but still open to guests), this hotel is located on the Freedom Trail, across from Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. The Walking Package provides four tickets (two adults and two kids) to three Freedom Trail museums and a copy of The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View. Rates start at $379.
26 North St.
617.523.3600
millenniumhotels.com/millenniumboston
The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common
Boasting an $11 million makeover, this property is situated between the city’s Theater District and Financial District. The Freedom Trail 50th Anniversary Package includes a walking tour led by a costumed guide, a copy of The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View, and breakfast for two. Rates start at $515 per night. Available through December 31.
10 Avery St.
617.574.7100
ritzcarlton.com/boston
Hyatt Regency Boston
Located a block from Boston Common, this hotel offers a Freedom Trail package that includes four tickets to three Freedom Trail museums, breakfast for four, a Fodor’s travel guide, a water bottle, and a Frisbee. Call for rates and availability.
1 Avenue de Lafayette
617.912.1234
regencyboston.hyatt.com
*Note: Contact individual hotels for full details and restrictions.
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