The one Boston attraction you should not miss (especially if your time is limited) is "The Freedom Trail." This 2.5 mile long walking route covers sixteen of the most historic places between downtown Boston and Charlestown. Marked mostly by red bricks (although parts are just painted red), the trail starts at Boston Common and ends at the U.S.S. Constitution and Bunker Hill in Charlestown. Certainly not all inclusive of the tremendous history surrounding Boston, never-the-less, the Trail provides some great background about the start of the American Revolution. When our children were little, we frequently explored various segments of the Freedom Trail in depth. For us, as parents, one of the highlights of those trips was seeing the joy on their little faces as they actually got to ring the bell at the Old North Church (of Paul Revere's ride fame) during America's bicentennial celebration (1976). If you love to fully explore history like we do, plan on spending a whole day following the Freedom Trail. It's fantastic!
Built in 1809, the Park Street Church sits next to Boston Common. From 1810 until 1828, this was the tallest building in the United States. One of its more notable uses was as a storage facility for gunpowder during the War of 1812. Missionaries from this church sailed to Honolulu and established the first Christian enclaves in the Hawaiian islands.
Adjacent to the Park Street Church is the historic Granary Burial Ground. Founded in 1660, this is the third oldest cemetery in Boston; and is the final resting place for such notables as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the five victims of the Boston Massacre.
One of Boston's most famous sons, Paul Revere, lived in this house between 1770 and 1800. We found a bell, crafted by Revere, in a museum in Singapore.
The Old State House is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. Built in 1713, it served as the seat of The Massachusetts General Court until 1798. Notice the gold painted Lion and the silver painted Unicorn (both symbols of the British Monarchy during the Colonial period) on the corners of the roof.
The oldest commissioned navel vessel in the world is the U.S.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides."