Freedom Trail

Visitors can easily spend a full day independently exploring the trail, but most simply wander along the route, choose a couple sites to fully experience, or join one of the daily 90-minute public Freedom Trail walking tours led by tour guides in 18th-century garb to cover the trail and some of the historic sites’ exteriors in sections. (These run hourly, except from November to March when they are less frequent.)

It’s also possible to visit via group and private Freedom Trail tours and Boston city sightseeing tours that also stop at other top attractions such as the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Boston Tea Party site. The Freedom Trail is a suggested route, so independent travelers can choose where to start and end.

• Freedom Trail tickets for public walking tours purchased online must be printed.

• The Black Heritage Trail, featuring sites significant to African American history, intersects the Freedom Trail at the monument to the 54th Regiment on Beacon Street.

• Most choose to walk from site to site rather than drive. Remember to wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes.

• Though the Freedom Trail itself doesn’t charge admission, fees are required to enter some of the designated stops: the Old State House, the Old South Meeting House, and the Paul Revere House.

• Self-guided audio tours are available for purchase at the Boston Common Visitor Center.

• While the Freedom Trail is wheelchair-accessible, some of the sites are not.

• It’s best to allot at least 30 minutes inside each Freedom Trail site.

The Freedom Trail is accessible at any point along its length and winds from Boston Common to Beacon Hill, downtown, the waterfront, the North End, and across the Charles River. Many choose to start at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center, in the heart of downtown Boston, where 10 of the 16 sites are clustered within a mile-long section of the trail. Several Freedom Trail stops can be reached by bus or subway (locally called “the T”), including Boston Common (via Park Street Station on the green and red lines).

The Freedom Trail is accessible year-round, but the most pleasant days for exploring are sunny ones in spring and fall. The trail can be walked any hour of the day, but most stops are only open to the public between 9am and 4 or 4:30pm. The USS Constitution is always closed on Mondays, and the Boston Common Visitor Center is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Tours typically do not sell out.

The trail features Boston Common, the Massachusetts State House, the Park Street Church, the Granary Burying Ground (final resting place of John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Paul Revere), the King’s Chapel and Burying Ground (established in 1686), the Boston Latin School (where the Benjamin Franklin statue stands), the Old Corner Bookstore, the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall (a popular spot for lunch), the Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground (with its grand views across the river to Charlestown), the USS Constitution, and the Bunker Hill Monument. Each official stop is indicated by a circular brass marker embedded in the sidewalk.

The best way to experience Boston’s Freedom Trail is by joining one of the daily 90-minute walking tours led by guides dressed in 18th-century attire. Other options include tours led by Park Rangers and self-guided walking tours with maps, audio guides, guide books, or the official online brochure.

Most visitors spend between 90 minutes and two hours on the Freedom Trail, 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of red-brick paths through downtown Boston. However, the trail leads to 16 historical sites, from the USS Constitution to the Paul Revere House—enough for a day of exploring.

Yes, tours of the Freedom Trail are worth it. Guides provide entertaining and in-depth insight into the history of the American Revolutionary War as they lead you along some of Boston’s most important cultural and historical sites. However, tours don’t enter historical sites—make time to visit them before or afterward.

Start your walk along the Freedom Trail at Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, and used as a British Army camp during the occupation of Boston. Once there, you can pop into the visitor center to get maps, brochures, and tips on what to see and do.

Yes, the Freedom Trail is easy to follow. Clear red painted lines set into city sidewalks mark the entire trail. However, it’s a good idea to pick up a free map from the Boston Common Visitors Center to start and plan which sites to see.

Yes, you can walk the Freedom Trail at night. Walking tours are not typically offered after dark, but visitors are welcome to follow the trail on their own. Note that many attractions close come evening. However, you can use an audio guide or a smartphone app to enhance the experience.