There is no shortage of themed tours and ways to explore the city of Boston, but sometimes you're looking for something just a bit different. We've gathered our recommendations of Boston's most unique tours to make your experience in our city that much more interesting:
Rock n Roll Walking Tour
Boston has a rich musical history, and what better way to experience that than up close and personal with the Rock n Roll Walking Tour. Starting at the iconic Verb Hotel in Boston's Fenway neighborhood, local musician Matt Bowker guides you through the many legendary music venues that call Boston home, as well as other Boston sites that influenced the careers of legendary artists from throughout the decades.
Tours run every Saturday at 2:30PM, and tickets are available to purchase at the Boston Visitor's Center.
Helicopter Tour Boston
If you're looking for unparalleled views of the city, there's no beating a helicopter tour.
With a wide range of flight times and durations, you'll have no problem finding the right fit for you. Whether you grab an Instagram-worthy snapshot of the city at sunset or admire Boston's skyline lights in the evening, these tours will be unforgettable. Tickets can be booked online or at the Boston Visitor's Center.
The Helicopter Tour Boston team also offers tours of Cape Cod and the Harbor Islands.
Codzilla
Calling all adrenaline junkies! If a typical tour is a bit too 'slow-paced' for your liking, Codzilla is the water experience for you.
Boasting twin turbo-charged diesel engines, 2,800 horsepower, and 70 feet of attitude, Codzilla takes passengers on a thrilling ride through Boston harbor. Featuring an awesome soundtrack and an engaging storyline, this tour hits top speeds of 40 mph and includes hairpin turns, 360-degree spins, and big waves, so wear your water gear. Codzilla departs from Long Wharf, next to the New England Aquarium, and tickets can be purchased online or at the Boston Common Visitor's Center.
Boston By Foot
Boston By Foot offers a dizzying array of walking tours, ensuring that no matter what your interests are, there is a tour that's perfect for you. Some of our top recommendations include:
- Boston By Little Feet: The only Freedom Trail walking tour specifically designed for young walkers. This tour opportunity is great for kids of all ages to learn about the history of the city!
- Reinventing Boston: This urban-planning focused tour explores clues left behind from Boston's past and how the city has evolved and modernized over the centuries.
- Before Boston: This tour brings you back to the Shawmut Peninsula through 1630. Going even further back in history, this tour covers 12,000 years of human activity in the lands we now call Boston.
- Boston's LGBTQ Past: This fascinating tour ventures through the history of queer culture in Boston. Visitors will learn about notable queer Bostonians and what it was like to be a part of the community throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Tours can be booked online or purchased onsite at the Boston Common Visitor's Center.
Innovation Trail
One of Boston's newest tours, The Innovation Trail, is a walking trail and guided tour that connects over twenty sites throughout Cambridge and Boston, spanning four centuries of technological and societal innovation in the city.
Start by exploring Downtown Boston at the former site of a patent firm that employed acclaimed patent pioneer Lewis Latimer. Or head to Cambridge's Kendall Square, known as the "Most Innovative Mile on Earth." Other stops include fascinating tales of The Ice King, Technicolor, pain-free surgery, and corporate intrigue.
The Innovation Trail offers guided tours available to book online Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Or take the trail at your own pace, with self-guiding resources available at www.theinnovationtrail.org.
Boston Bike Tours by Urban AdvenTours
Beginners and enthusiasts alike will love the array of bike tours offered by Urban AdvenTours!
With a wide range of terrain and distance options, there is something for everyone. Their energetic and knowledgeable tour guides do an amazing job of being informative while still keeping things fun and upbeat. Urban AdvenTours also offers single and multi-day bike rentals for those who would rather forge their own path! For booking and rates, please visit their website.
"Their Dreams, Their Rights, and Their Love" – A LGBTQ+ History Audio Tour
Fans of audio guides will love this comprehensive tour provided by the National Park Service. This GPS-enabled audio tour explores the history of Boston's queer community. It can be found for free on the National Parks Service mobile app, along with many other great audio guides.
On Location Tours Movie & TV Tours
On Location Tours is the perfect choice for any cinephiles in your group! Explore Boston's movie scene with a local actor as your guide, with sites from hit films and television shows, including Good Will Hunting, Cheers, The Departed, and more.
The Movie Mile walking tour gets you up close and personal with iconic scenes from your favorite titles. If you'd rather get off your feet for a while, they also offer a Movie & TV bus tour. The comfortable coach-bus seating allows for a longer and more in-depth route as well.
Tickets can be booked online or onsite at the Boston Common Visitor's Center. Popcorn not included!
Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure
Looking for one of the most unique self-guided tours Boston has to offer? Turn Boston into a giant game board with an unforgettable self-guided scavenger hunt of Boston Harbor or the Freedom Trail with Urban Adventure Quest. Combining the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour, this smartphone-guided tour is the perfect way to discover some of Boston's hidden gems while learning local history. Plus, you can start when you want and play at your pace.
Tour registration can be purchased online.
