We know you have one goal when traveling with kids – keep them occupied! Luckily, Boston is full of fun for the entire family that will prevent you from hearing those dreaded words “I’m Bored.” From throwing tea into the Boston Harbor to experiencing the energy of a crowd at Fenway Park (Have to start them young, right?), here’s our list of 25 family friendly activities to consider adding to your Boston itinerary.

 

 

New England Aquarium

Dive deeper at the New England Aquarium, where you'll discover thousands of aquatic animals from sharks, a giant Pacific octopus, Myrtle, the green sea turtle, and our favorite, the African penguins. Plus, you can even make art with Atlantic Harbor Seals! Even Picasso would give that the SEAL of approval.

Puttshack

Putt your way into a summer itinerary staple no matter the season at Puttshack. Offering a tech-infused mini golf experience that skips the paper, pens, and the outdoors, this is the perfect stop on those cold winter afternoons or rainy spring days. And don't worry, we won't judge you if you get a little competitive!

What to know before you visit: After 7:00 pm is 21+

Boston Museum of Science

Immerse the family in the latest in science and technology at the Museum of Science. Featuring permanent exhibits like To the Moon, Exploring AI: Making the Invisible Visible, and the Hall of Human Life, you might be the smartest person in the city after this stop. Well, at least you’ll feel like you are!

Have some free time away from the kids? Check out the Museum’s calendar of adult-focused events.

Boston Children’s Museum

Discover the power of play at the Boston Children's Museum. With three floors of exhibits created to encourage hands-on play, the museum is the perfect place to keep young kids busy for hours. Take it from us, you'll want to play too! 

After your visit, check out Martin's Park & Playground just outside the museum.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Channel your inner revolutionary at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum as you participate in the “Destruction of the Tea!” Start your journey in the replica Meeting House where Samuel Adams will guide you towards uprising before storming the 18th-century sailing vessels Brig Beaver and Eleanor to join in the “single most important event leading up to the American Revolution.”

 

 

Frog Pond 

Experience four season fun in the heart of the Boston Common at the Frog Pond. Home to the summer spray pool, the Frog Pond Carousel, winter outdoor skating rink, Downtown Movie Nights and more, no visit to Boston with the family is complete without a stop at the Common. 

The Freedom Trail

Earn your “Liberty” Junior Park Ranger badge offered by the National Park Service as you stroll the Freedom Trail. Featuring special activities at the Old State House, Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere House, Old North Church and USS Constitution Museum, this is the perfect way to immerse the kids in Boston’s revolutionary spirit.

Duck Tours

Take the best introDUCKtion to Boston with a Duck Tour, as you cruise by the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you’ll end with a big splash as your ConDUCKtor drives the DUCK straight into the Charles River. We bet this stop will leave you quaking!

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Get admitted to Harvard. Well, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, that is. Featuring 18 exhibits like the famous “Glass Flowers” and the “Roomer Hall of Vertebrate Paleontology,” the museum provides an unmatched look into the natural world. 

LEGO® Discovery Center Boston

Let your imagination run wild at Lego® Discovery Center Boston. Featuring eight interactive exhibits with over two million bricks, a workshop led by master builders and even a 4D cinema, the possibilities for what you and your family can create are endless! 

 

 

Swan Boats 

Experience true nostalgia with a Swan Boat ride in the Public Garden. Virtually unchanged since opening in 1877, the Swan Boats are as uniquely Boston as Fenway Park, Boston Baked Beans, and the Boston Marathon. Plus, they provide some of the best views of the Public Garden!

Lawn on D 

Challenge your kids to a game of giant Jenga, bocce, ping pong or pickleball at the Lawn on D. Open during Boston’s warmer months, the Lawn on D provides free access to its swings, lawn games and live entertainment, making it one of the top free things to do in Boston. Don’t forget to grab a drink from the onsite concessions while the kids play!

USS Constitution Museum 

Enlist as a sailor on “Old Ironsides” at the USS Constitution Museum. Conveniently located on the Freedom Trail in the Charleston Navy Yard, the Museum offers interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and historic artifacts that entertain your kids for hours. Make sure to plan your visit around the Cannon firing at 8:00 am and sunset.

Kings Dining and Entertainment 

Have a blast with the whole family at Kings Dining and Entertainment, a modern bowling alley with an upscale twist. With locations in Back Bay and Seaport offering 10-pin bowling, billiards, shuffleboard, a variety of arcade games and delicious food and drinks, there's something for everyone. And, in case you forgot, we won't judge you if you get a little competitive here!

Museum of Fine Arts

Explore the world of art at the Museum of Fine Arts. Home to over 450,000 works of art, including more Monets than any museum outside of Paris, an unrivaled Japanese art collection, treasures from Egypt and the ancient world and American art from colonial to modern times, this is a must-stop for any family with a young artist!

 

 

Zoo New England

Get up close and personal with over 160 species at the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo. From African lions to western lowland gorillas, sloths, kangaroos, reindeer, and markhors, there's an animal for every animal lover. Can’t wait to visit? You can even livestream some of the animals from your home!

The Mapparium 

View the world like never before at The Mapparium in The First Church of Christ, Scientist. The Mapparium, a three-story stained-glass globe bisected in the middle by a glass walkway, offers an undistorted 360-degree view of the world as it was in 1935.

What to know before you visit: The curved glass walls of the Mapparium do not absorb sound waves, so if you whisper at one end of the bridge, your kids will hear it on the opposite end loud and clear. Make sure to try it out!

Emerald Necklace 

Escape to the great outdoors without leaving the city. Stretching over 1,100 acres from Back Bay to Brookline, the Emerald Necklace offers everything from hiking and biking trails to playgrounds and ball fields, so there's plenty of room to let the kids run and play. Don't miss the stunning views at Jamaica Pond and Arnold Arboretum.

Catch a Game

Experience the energy of a Boston sports team home game. No matter when you visit, the Red Sox, CelticsBruins, Patriots, or Revolution will be firing up crowds throughout the city. 

Whale Watching 

Set sail on a whale-watching adventure with Boston Harbor City Cruises. Departing from 1 Long Wharf, just steps from the New England Aquarium, this is your chance to get up close and personal with large whales, including humpbacks, finbacks, minkes and the critically endangered right whales. They even guarantee you’ll see a whale on your trip!

 

 

Fort Independence 

Travel back in time by visiting Fort Independence on Castle Island. Built between 1834 and 1851 to defend Boston Harbor, the fort is now a top destination for families looking to explore Boston’s history. Plus, it has some of the most stunning views of the harbor and city skyline.

Institute of Contemporary Art

Explore the latest in art at The Institute of Contemporary Art and experience hands-on art-making at the museum's Art Lab or monthly Play Date, happening the last Saturday of each month.

Charles River Esplanade 

Take a stroll or bike ride along the Charles River Esplanade, a 3-mile stretch of parkland that runs along the Boston side of the river. With beautiful views of the water, playgrounds, and a variety of events and activities, the Esplanade is the perfect place for a family outing.

The Black Heritage Trail

Stroll through Beacon Hill and uncover the story of the Boston’s largest community of pre-civil war African Americans on The Black Heritage Trail. Highlighting stops like the 54th Regiment Memorial, the Abiel Smith School and the African Meeting House, The Black Heritage Trail shares the story of struggle, persistence and hope as Black Bostonians organized toward the equality and freedom promised in America’s documents of national liberty.

View Boston

Let the kids curate their own Boston itinerary at View Boston. Featuring a 360-degree observation deck on the Prudential Tower's 52nd floor and an interactive neighborhood discovery tool, all the kids have to say is, "I want to go there!"

Family Friendly Events

Bunker Hill Day Parade Jun 15

Bunker Hill Day Parade

The Bunker Hill Parade commemorates The Battle of Bunker Hill, The Armed Services, and the Essence of American Heritage while…

Charles River Sightseeing Tours Jun 15

Charles River Sightseeing Tours

Enjoy a 70-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing tour along the Charles River. Your captain and crew will both entertain and educate…

Father's Day Signature Lunch Cruise Jun 15

Father's Day Signature Lunch Cruise

Join us for the ultimate afternoon celebrating Dad aboard a Signature Lunch Father’s Day Lunch Cruise on Boston Harbor. Gather…

Ghosts and Gravestones Tour Jun 15

Ghosts and Gravestones Tour

Recurring daily. What do you get when you combine a cursed privateer, a pyromaniac circus ringleader, a demon spat out of the pits…

Greenway Carousel Jun 15

Greenway Carousel

We look forward to welcoming you at the Greenway Carousel at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove on The Greenway. Take a spin…

Museum of Ice Cream Jun 15

Museum of Ice Cream

Dive into a sweet adventure at the Museum of Ice Cream! The MOIC features over 14 interactive rooms, a café offering one-of-kind…

Museum of Illusions Boston Jun 15

Museum of Illusions Boston

Museum of Illusions is excited to announce the opening of its highly anticipated Boston location! The Museum offers a mind-bending…

National Outlet Shopping Day Jun 15

National Outlet Shopping Day

National Outlet Shopping Day is June 12-15! Don’t miss this highly anticipated event, featuring major savings at Wrentham Village…

Raptor Ridge at Franklin Park Zoo Jun 15

Raptor Ridge at Franklin Park Zoo

Visitors to Franklin Park Zoo can now immerse themselves in a newly renovated outdoor habitat home to Andean condors. The condor…

Swan Boats in the Public Garden Jun 15

Swan Boats in the Public Garden

Embark on a uniquely Boston experience with a Swan Boat ride in the Public Garden. Nestled in the heart of the city, the Swan…

The Big Bounce America in Wrentham Jun 15

The Big Bounce America in Wrentham

The Big Bounce America is the largest touring inflatable event in the world! We’ve created an action-packed day out suitable for…

The Lawn on D Jun 15

The Lawn on D

The 2025 season of The Lawn on D has begun! We have BIG events on tap all season that you won’t want to miss, along with live…

Seaport Sketch Jun 17

Seaport Sketch

Whether you're a mini Matisse, a Picasso protégé, or just finding your way around the drawing pad, it's time to get sketchy. Draw…

The Family Heritage Experience Jun 17

The Family Heritage Experience

The Family Heritage Experience is an initiative of American Ancestors, created to bring the organization’s mission to life through…

Watertown Summer Concert Series Jun 18

Watertown Summer Concert Series

Gather your family and friends and get ready for some summer fun at Saltonstall Park, featuring lively live performances all…

Roxbury International Film Festival Jun 19

Roxbury International Film Festival

The Roxbury International Film Festival is the largest festival in New England that celebrates people of color. Over the course of…

New England Film Orchestra Jun 21

New England Film Orchestra

Great family event! Free and open to the public. New England Film Orchestra performs a lineup of film classics that spans decades…

Patio Pawty Jun 22

Patio Pawty

Come bring your little k9's and lets pawty! We want you to bring your furry friends and join in on the fun! We will have local…

Boston Landing Outdoor Movie Nights Jun 26

Boston Landing Outdoor Movie Nights

Join us at Athlete's Park for our outdoor movie nights this summer! Stroll through our Makers Market and enjoy pre-movie music…

Movie Nights at Urban Park Jun 28

Movie Nights at Urban Park

Bring your blanket and favorite movie snacks and join us for FREE movie screenings at Urban Park roof garden. Each movie night…

Summer Flicks at Patriot Place Jun 29

Summer Flicks at Patriot Place

Patriot Place invites you to Summer Flicks – a free outdoor movie series. Located outside Renaissance Boston Patriot Place…

Boston Harborfest 2025 Jul 02

Boston Harborfest 2025

Happening from July 2 - 4, 2025, Harborfest features hundreds of family-friendly activities at Boston’s most iconic landmarks…

Revere Beach Theatre Thursdays Jul 03

Revere Beach Theatre Thursdays

Sink your toes in the sand while enjoying a film at Revere Beach Theatre Thursdays this season! Enjoy free entertainment from 6 to…

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Jul 04

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular

The Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular is returning for 2025! Keith Lockhart will lead a program featuring the Boston Pops orchestra…

Boston JerkFest 2025 Jul 11

Boston JerkFest 2025

Boston JerkFest is a family-friendly Caribbean-style food festival offering two days of fun in the sun and featuring Jamaican jerk…

Museums & Attractions

Home to world-renowned museums, storied sports stadiums, star-studded concert venues, and distinguished performance theaters, you'll find what you're looking for in Boston.