History isn’t hard to find in Boston. Everywhere you turn, you run into another historical landmark. The best part is — there’s a simple, organized way to find all of the history-rich locations you’re looking for. While The Land of Oz had the yellow brick road, Boston has the Freedom Trail.
The Freedom Trail is a two-and-a-half mile, brick-lined route that meanders through Boston and neighboring Charlestown. It leads you to 16 historically significant sites that were made famous during the American revolution. It’s like a trip back in time, but you don’t need a DeLorean. The Freedom Trail itself allows you to take a walk through history.
The Freedom Trail begins in the famous Boston Common. You can pick up a map at the Visitor Information Center, and then start on your adventure. While the Freedom Trail technically begins at Boston Common, you can hop on the route anywhere along the map. The Freedom Trail guides you past the Granary Burying Ground (the resting place of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and several other historical figures), Faneuil Hall, Old North Church (where they held the “One if by land, and two if by sea” lanterns), the site of the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s house (the oldest building in Boston, and where Revere’s famous “The Red Coats are coming!” ride started), the Bunker Hill Monument and many other amazing sites.
All of the landmarks on the Freedom trail are clearly marked, so it’s impossible to get lost. Many of the historical sites are now museums, or they’re simply loaded with tons of information about the location’s significance. You have the choice to walk by or stop into any of the spots you want to. A few of the locations, like Paul Revere’s house, come at an extra charge if you’d like to visit them. That’s one of the great thing about the Freedom Trail: you can go at whatever pace you want to (you can take a couple of hours or a few days), and you have the option to learn as much or as little as you’d like. It’s totally up to you.
With that said, you can walk the Freedom Trail on your own (like my mom and I did), or you can take a 90-minute guided tour. There are 12 daily tours between April and November with a reduced schedule from December through March. The tours are led by 18th century costumed guides, but they come at a cost. You can get discount tickets online or buy them at the Visitors Information Center. The tickets are good for any tour on any date at any time.
I’m a history buff, so a stroll on the Freedom Trail was one of the highlights of my trip to Boston. It’s amazing to see the places you’ve learned about your entire life in person. You get to stand in the same place that some of the greatest figures in American history stood in the 1770s. It’s impossible to not get completely caught in the moment over and over again. Needless to say, a visit to Boston isn’t complete without a trip on the Freedom Trail.
Have you ever walked the Freedom Trail? What did you think? What site was your favorite? We would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to also check out Seattle Bloggers for more great places to visit around the world!