Greater Boston & Cambridge have a huge variety of great things to do & see

Massachusetts > Boston > Things to Do and See > 90 Great Things to Do in Massachusetts

Great Things to Do in Boston and Cambridge MA with VisitNewEngland.com

Boston and neighboring Cambridge, facing each other across from the bridge-sprinkled Charles River, has been called the Athens of America for its wealth of universities and museums. A trip here is a great vacation for couples of families; among the highlights are the grand food, music, and heritage-related festivals, from Fourth of July on the Esplanade to the Christmas lights of Faneuil Hall.

Find a quaint, urban boutique hotel or a hotel with a lavish spa and delve into Revolutionary history, performing arts, and luxury.

Armenian Museum of America

65 Main Street Watertown, MA, 02472 Phone: 617-926-2562

Explore three millenia of rich culture and history

You don’t have to be Armenian to find something fascinating at this premier destination for students, families and tourists. Discover the rich culture and 3,000-year history of Armenia by exploring galleries that hold ancient artifacts and textiles, and exhibits celebrating Armenian art and artists. In its 40-year history, the museum has grown from a small collection stored in a church parish to a full-scale museum housed in a four-story building at the center of Watertown. Permanent staples include the photography of Yousuf Karsh (containing his iconic portraits of Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Mother Teresa, and others), along with an exhibition on the history and effects of the Armenian Genocide. Click on our link above to plan your visit and learn more.

Franklin Park Zoo

One Franklin Park Road Boston, MA, 02121 Phone: 617-541-5466

Meet the animal kingdom in Boston’s largest park

There is not a drop in the excitement at this magnificent Zoo no matter your age. Part of Boston’s famed Emerald Necklace, this 72 acre natural setting is Boston’s largest park and home to wildlife from around the world. Three exhibit areas including the Tropical Forest, the Kalahari Kingdom and the Giraffe Savannah offer lions, zebras, giraffes, lowland gorillas, lemurs, pygmy hippos and other fine beasts. The Aussie Aviary, open seasonally, features a free-flight, interactive bird adventure. You’ll find programs and classes for families and school groups and facilities for birthday parties and corporate events. The southwestern-themed Giddy-Up Grill and Kalahari Kitchen serves great food and snacks. Franklin Park Zoo is open year-round except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Spirit of Boston

200 Seaport Boulevard - Commonwealth Pier Boston, MA, 02210 Phone: 617-748-1450 Toll-Free: 866-310-2469

Harbor cruise lets you see Boston from a unique – and fun – vantage point

Why not see scenic Boston from the sea? Take a Spirit of Boston cruise and check out all the sights, from the Boston Tea Party site to the Old North Church, the Bunker Hill Monument and Old Ironsides. Two-hour lunch and three-hour dinner cruises feature fresh, buffet-style offerings served in a comfortable, climate-controlled inner deck. You can even reserve a window table to savor the city – and a cocktail. The view from the huge observation deck is breathtaking, whether it’s a mid-day look at the spectacular Zakim Memorial Bridge or a sunset panorama of a sparkling cityscape. Onboard activities include games like tabletop shuffleboard and giant Jenga. There’s also a dance floor and DJ-provided music. Look for special holiday cruises and deals.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston

598 Assembly Row Somerville, MA, 02145 Phone: 617-702-5593 Toll-Free: 866-228-6439

Build a fun day at LEGOLAND Discovery Center

This magical place offers a 4D cinema, Kingdom Quest laser ride, Merlin’s Apprentice, 10 LEGO build & play zones and much more. Discover the city of Boston in miniature in MINILAND®. Plan a one-of-a-kind school trip to support the National Curriculum. Groups of 10 or more get special pricing on tickets. Hold a LEGO themed birthday party. Learn building tips from the Master Model Builder Workshops. Relax in the coffee shop with it’s selection of healthy food options, where annual pass members will receive a discount on select purchases. The amazing LEGO Retail Shop is packed with the latest LEGO® products plus exclusive limited edition items. Stay nearby at any one of LEGOLANDs hotel partners.

Taj Boston

15 Arlington Street Boston, MA, 02116 Phone: 617-536-5700

Rooftop Sunday Brunch with spectacular views of the Public Garden and Boston

Enjoy traditional breakfast preparations, contemporary New England cuisine, and Indian specialties, alongside a bounty of dessert items made in-house by our talented pastry team.
Every Sunday, April-November, with seatings from 10:30am - 2pm. Reservations suggested.

Discover Quincy

Quincy Chamber of Commerce - 1400 Hancock Street, Suite 1A Quincy, MA, 02169 Phone: 617-471-1700

Variety is the spice of everyday life in this welcoming coastal city

From history to hiking, there’s tons to do in Quincy. Visit the birthplaces of two presidents at Adams National Historical Park, take in a symphony performance, learn about granite quarries or shipbuilding at user-friendly museums, dine at a clam shack or an upscale waterfront restaurant. If you want to enjoy the great outdoors, the Blue Hills Reservations boasts 7,000 acres featuring paved and unpaved hiking and biking trails as well as spectacular panoramic views. Throughout the city there are places where you can go golfing, play tennis, charter a fishing boat or just cast your line off a pier. Fancy a beach? There are several to choose from, on the ocean, ponds and river, many with playgrounds.

Mary Baker Eddy Library™

200 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, MA, 02115 Phone: 617-450-7000

Explore an Amazing World

This beautiful library and museum, originally built for the Christian Science Publishing Society, has become an historic landmark in Boston’s Back Bay celebrating the life of Mary Baker Eddy. Born in rustic Bow, NH in 1821, Eddy lived an extraordinary life as founder of the Christian Science movement and whose work lives on through the Christian Science Monitor and in reading rooms across the globe. You’ll find books, documents, photographs, and exhibits as well as the Mapparium, a three-dimensional perspective of the world of 1935 and a symbol of the global outreach of The Christian Science Monitor. A World of Ideas illustrates how ideas cross time and geography to change the world. Activities include special events, webcasts, and children’s programs. Photo Courtesy of The Mary Baker Eddy Library, Boston, MA

artisans market t rose kennedy greenway in boston

Artisans Market Brightens the Greenway Even More in Summer and Fall

The Greenway Open Market is an open-air artisan market featuring the works of artists, crafters, and independent designers. Come find exceptional art, locally produced good, and much more! Explore the parks, stroll tree-lined promenades, take in the city sights, soak up the sunshine, play in the Rings Fountain, grab a bite to eat at a food truck. Summer in this city is glorious. The market operates in the Wharf District Parks of the Rose Kennedy Greenway between Atlantic Avenue and High Street. Hours are Saturdays and every other Sunday in the summer and early fall. Details at The Greenway's events calendar .

Follow that Petticoat to Learn about Boston’s Past

Freedom Trail guides are easy to spot: they look like they just stepped out of the 1700s. The guides are out every day leading fun and educational tours. For example, Massachusetts State House Tours teach about the history and architecture of the building. King's Chapel's Bells and Bones Tours visit the crypts below the Chapel and the 1816 Paul Revere bell. Daily Faneuil Hall Talksin the historic Great Hall, uncover the importance of Faneuil Hall as a marketplace and meeting place from the 18th-century to today. The Old North Church offers Behind the Scenes Tours and Bones & Burials Tours. The USS Constitution crew members offer on-board presentations about the ship's storied past. Take a tour or two and see how the pleasure of a Boston visit is amplified when you know more about the past all around you.

Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown hosts a Chantey and Maritime Sing

Yo, Ho, Ho and a Beverage of Your Choice

Forget Talk like a Pirate Day. Do you want to sing like a pirate, or a sailor of any description? The USS Constitution Museum at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown hosts a Chantey and Maritime Sing on the third Saturday of every month from 2 to 5 p.m. These monthly gatherings, on the 3rd Sunday of every month, are family friendly and open to anyone who would like to participate. Bring singers; enjoy the museum. 617-426-1812.

Tea Party Ships & Museum, at Congress Street Bridge in Boston.

Watch a Tea Party With Muscle and Determination

We’ve all been hearing a lot about tea parties recently. Now, you can get close to the original at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, at Congress Street Bridge in Boston. The museum features interactive exhibits, reenactment with actors in period clothing, a Tea Party Ship shop, and a Tea & Tavern Room. There are two ship replicas, the Eleanor & the Beaver, with the Dartmouth. A new Visitor Information Center is a few feet away on the Boston HarborWalk. Phone: 617-592-0422.

Boston Bike Party Rolls Every Month

Each month, hundreds of bicyclists participate in a costumed, themed race on wheels around Boston . Routes end at special locations, where bikers can regain their energy with food and culture. Bicycle party themes change with the season and holidays, and cyclists are encouraged to make their own costume; everyone is welcome to join in, Spend some time spinning your wheels around the city’s buzzing streets, in the company of a swarm of other cyclists. Some themes feature special performers and chefs. E-mail: bostonbikeparty@gmail.com

Paddling the Charles

The Charles River west of Boston is a welcoming place for kayakers and canoeists. Several nature preserves are run by the Trustees of Reservations along this 20-mile paddling route. Put in at Cedariver, a former farm, in Millis, which has a state-run boat launch.
Downstream is Shattuck Reservation, which is old pasture land, with nice views and trails. Next, watch for Bridge Island Meadows, accessible only when the water is flowing in Bogastow Brook.
Take out can be at Charles River Peninsula in Needham, with access to a state-run boat launch. 508-785-0339.

Thoreauly Antiques Preserves History One Artifact at a Time

The home of Minute Man National Historical Park and many New England literary giants, Concord is an uber-historic place.. Thoreauly Antiques – its name a nod to Henry David -- at 25 Walden Street is crammed with unusual antiques from early America, Europe and beyond. Open daily; 978-371-0100 Browse awhile and then enjoy a gracious lunch or dinner at Concord’s Colonial Inn, welcoming guests since Colonial times.

'I Went to the Woods...'

Henry David Thoreau lived at Walden Pond in Concord from 1845 to 1847 and his experience there provided the material for his book “Walden.” Because of this legacy, Walden Pond is considered the birthplace of the conservation movement. Interpreters at Walden Pond State Reservation , 915 Walden Street in Concord provide tours and educational programs. The pond is open for swimming and people may visit a replica of Thoreau’s one-room cabin. A 2680-acre wooded area -- great for strolling, nature viewing, picnicking, and reflection -- surrounds the reservation. The property has a gift shop, bookstore and gallery. Phone: 978 369-3254

Lyman Greenhouses Bring the Outdoors Indoors

Here’s a fast treatment for the blahs: a visit to the Lyman Estate Greenhouses on Lyman Street in Waltham. The complex consists of an 1804 grape house, 1820 camellia house, 1840 orchid house, and a 1930 sales greenhouse. Rare orchids bloom throughout the year. The horticultural staff offers assistance. The gift shop sells gardening books, sundials, sachets, , pottery, rustic twig furniture, and more. Open year-round; days vary by season. Guided tours\. 781-891-1985.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace: Much More Than Shopping

You know Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston as the ever-fascinating place to browse for all kinds of cool souvenirs and interesting food and even to take in some sidewalk entertainment. But the Marketplace also hosts tons of other activities: storytelling, Dominoes at Dusk, chess, Zumba, movies, body building, swing dances, salsa night, Rockout & Workout, line dancing. Dozens of ways to work out your mind and body, on a rotating schedule. Come explore!

Hayden Planetarium Thrills Star Gazers at Boston Museum of Science

The Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Boston Museum of Science is a bustling place for star gazers. A featured presentation is “Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun,” an astronomy show that explores planets outside our solar system. On weekend evenings, Music Under the Done immerses visitors in unusual musical offerings, Friday evening activities may include stargazing in the Museum's Gilliland Observatory on clear nights. 617-723-2500.

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