This realistic Boston Freedom Trail Guide helps you plan your next self-guided adventure in the city.

The Freedom Trail is a collection of historical buildings, museums, monuments, and ships in Boston.

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Sights & Places of Interest

All of the Trail’s sights are along the 2.5-mi (4-km) path through Downtown Boston and Charlestown. You can explore the sights along the Freedom Trail in any direction.

When walking the Freedom Trail you can follow a brick path on the pavement. This way, you will always know where to go. You can reach the next stop without needing to take out an online map.

This Boston Freedom Trail Self-Guided Tour will follow a path from the Bunker Hill to the Boston Common.

Bunker Hill Monument

The Bunker Hill Monument is the first stop when you explore the trail from north to south. This monument commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill. It took place during the American Revolutionary War.

The monument has a Granite Obelisk and a Museum Pavilion next to it. There is also a Colonel William Prescott Statue. Colonel led the colonial troops during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The monument is also a park. It is quite small. You can explore the entire site in about 10 minutes.

There is a way to extend your exploration. You can climb to the top of the Monument. In a way, it is similar to the Washington Monument in DC. You will get great views of Boston.

A lot of visitors plan on doing the climb. But only 20 people can enter the monument at a time. This means that you will see lines. You would want to visit the Bunker Hill Monument around its opening time.

Charlestown Navy Yard

The Bunker Hill Monument is a short walk from the Charleston Navy Yard. You can take the Tremont Street or Chestnut Street to reach the next stop.

The Navy Yard has a few sights of Boston National Historic Park. USS Constitution is in the Navy Yard. There are also a few piers, wharfs, community parks, and gardens.

You could see fog if you visit the Navy Yard in the morning. The views of Dry Dock 2 look a lot like Ireland or the UK.

USS Constitution does not open until 10 a.m. in the morning. You could use this time to get foggy morning views of the Boston Skyline.

USS Constitution

USS Constitution is the next stop on the Boston Freedom Trail. It is the oldest warship still afloat in the world.

You can time your visit to arrive at USS Constitution around its opening at 10 a.m. This way, you could avoid long lines.

This is the only stop on the Freedom Trail that has a proper screening. You will go through a document and bag check before entering the Visitor Center.

The whole experience is similar to a TSA checkpoint at an airport.

You can board the ship after a quick safety overview. You could then start your exploration. The top deck will be first. Masts, rigging, and cannons will be on display.

All but the lowest deck are open to public. This experience is unique compared to San Francisco Maritime National Historic Site.

You can get a good feel for how sailors lived on this ship. Most of the crew slept in hammocks. This setup does not look very comfortable.

The captain and officer quarters are more spacious. They must have been far more comfortable.

When you return to the top deck, you can take another bridge to the shore. It is on the port side of the ship. This side is far less crowded. You can get excellent views of USS Constitution from that bridge.

The next stops on the Boston Freedom Trail will bring you to the other side of the Charles River. You can cross it via the North Washington Street Bridge.

Old North Church

Once you cross the river, you will be in the North End neighborhood. It is home to the Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, the Old North Church, and the Paul Revere House.

The 18th century church was a place where the American Revolution started.

Paul Revere Statue

Once you pass the Old North Church and cross the Unity Street, you will enter Pall Revere Mall. The mall has the George Robert Fountain and Paul Revere Statue.

Paul Revere is one of the Founding Fathers. The statue shows him on a horse during the Midnight Ride. Paul Revere alerted the Colonists of the British Army’s advance.

The St. Stephen’s Catholic Church is right in front of the statue. It is not part of the Freedom Trail’s sights. But its building is quite old. It dates back to 1804.

You just need to cross the Hanover Street to see this church closer.

Paul Revere House

The next sight on the Trail is a bit further away. But it is still in the North End. And it is connected to Paul Revere. This time you could visit the Paul Revere House.

The house is a small wooden building. It is attached to a newer brick structure. You have to pay an admission fee to enter the house. You can take no photos inside the house.

Do not expect a full house museum when visiting Paul Revere House. There is little furniture inside. You would want to tour the Nichols, Gibson, or Longfellow Houses in Boston area to see more items.

Faneuil Hall

You would need to cross the Rose Kennedy Greenway on your way to the next sight. You will now enter the Downtown Neighborhood. It will take about 10 minutes to get to Faneuil Hall from the Paul Revere House.

Faneuil Hall is an old meeting house. It now serves as a marketplace. This place attracts large crowds of locals and tourists. There will be a lot of people at the Dock Square no matter when you visit it.

Old State House

The sights on the Freedom Trail are once again close to one another. Your next stop will be at the Old State House.

This building dates back to 1713. It is one of the oldest buildings in the United States. It served as a seat of the government, a state capitol, and a museum.

Boston’s Old City Hall is not as old as the Old State House. It is also not part of the Freedom Trail. Yet, this building is beautiful. It is worth a quick stop.

The trail has a few additional sights. You can visit King’s Chapel & Burying Ground, Granary Burying Ground, and the Boston Common park.

You can take a break from walking in this nice park. Do not forget to admire the beauty of the nearby Massachusetts State House Building.

Continue with our Boston Freedom Trail Self-Guided Tour. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is in Boston city center. You can easily reach its sights by public transport.

There is no requirement to explore the trail in a particular direction. But it could make sense to follow the trail either south- or northbound.

• The southbound path starts at the Bunker Hill Monument. It finishes at the Boston Common.
• The northbound route reverses the path.

If you start with the Bunker Hill Monument, look into the Orange Line. You can reach the monument on foot in about 15 minutes from Community College T station.

The Boston Common is in the heart of the city. You can reach it from a few T stations. Your options include:

• Park Street station on the Green and Red Lines.
• Downtown Crossing and Chinatown stations on the Orange Line.
• Government Center station on the Green and Blue Lines.

Where to Stay

You should book a place to stay in Boston Downtown or Charlestown neighborhoods. There are nearest to the trail’s starting points. You will be able to reach them on foot from your hotel.

But you do not have to limit your search for hotels to just these places. The trailhead is next to a few T stations.

Look into Brookline and Cambridge if you are fine taking a short T ride. These places have viable and more affordable options.

Check the MBTA site to confirm that there are no long term service disruptions. This way you will avoid an unpleasant surprise after you finalized your travel plans.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Different federal, state, city, and non profit organizations manage the sights on the Boston Freedom Trail. There is not a single site that provides comprehensive information.

The official official trail site comes close. But it is still a bit challenging to explore the trail on your own.

• Some of the sights charge admission fees while others are free.
• Different non profit organizations manage the sites that charge admission.
• America the Beautiful annual pass does not provide you with any discounts.
• Opening hours differ by sight.

This Boston Freedom Trail Self-Guided Tour documents the opening hours and admission fees to all of the sights.

• Bunker Hill Monument: open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free
• USS Constitution: open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free
• Copp’s Hill Burying Ground: open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free
• Old North Church: open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $7 per person for a self guided tour
• Paul Revere House: open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., $6 per person for a self guided tour
• Faneuil Hall: open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free
• Old State House & Old South Meeting House: open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $15 per person for both
• Kings Chapel Burying Ground: open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free
• Granary Burying Ground: open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free
• Boston Common: open daily from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., free

Takeaways: Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a great path to explore Boston. It is a perfect day or weekend destination.

You can walk the trail at your own pace. You can visit all of the sights or skip some of them. The Trail goes right through the city. So, there is always time to stop for a lobster roll or a cannoli.

The sights on the trail played a major role in the American Revolutionary War. You will travel back in time while visiting these historic churches and houses.

Most location do not charge admission fees. But do not forget that some do.

You can easily spend over $30 per person while visiting the sights on the Boston Freedom Trail. The Old State House and Old South Meeting House make up more than half of these fees.

Take a look at our Boston Freedom Trail Self-Guided Video Tour. And visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!