Boston and Cambridge private tour: Freedom Trail and Harvard

Walk the Freedom Trail, drive through four neighborhoods, end at Harvard's oldest college

A private day tour of Boston and Cambridge combining walks of the Freedom Trail with drives through Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Seaport and MIT before a walking tour of Harvard's public areas. Your licensed guide covers Revolutionary War history, neighborhood stories and current facts about the city, mixing serious history with lighter anecdotes. The tour runs six hours with downtown Boston pickup and drop-off included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Freedom Trail2h
2. Boston Common10m
3. Massachusetts State House5m
4. Granary Burying Ground15m
5. Old State House5m
6. Faneuil Hall Marketplace5m
7. North End10m
8. USS Constitutionpassing by
9. Bunker Hill Monument10m
10. Beacon Hill20m
11. Boston Public Garden10m
12. Back Bay30m
13. Fenway Park5m
14. Copley Squarepassing by
15. MITpassing by

Boston and Cambridge walking and driving tour

• Walk Freedom Trail sites
• Visit Boston Common
• See Massachusetts State House
• Pass Kings Chapel
• Visit Granary Burial Ground
• See Old State House
• Explore Faneuil Hall Marketplace
• Drive through North End and eat cannoli
• Visit Paul Revere house area
• Pass USS Constitution
• Climb Bunker Hill Monument
• Drive through Beacon Hill neighborhood
• Visit Boston Public Garden
• Drive through Back Bay
• See Fenway Park
• Pass Copley Square
• Drive through Seaport area
• Drive past MIT campus
• Walk Harvard University campus
• Enjoy skyline views of Boston

The experience

The tour starts on foot along parts of the Freedom Trail, stopping at Boston Common, the State House with its gold dome, the Granary Burying Ground where Revolutionary War figures are buried, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and the Old State House. From there you drive into the North End to see where Paul Revere's lanterns hung the night of his midnight ride, and you can stop for a cannoli if you want one. Then it's across the Charles River to Charlestown to walk up Bunker Hill Monument (a 294-stair climb if you're feeling energetic), and see the USS Constitution.

Back in the car, you drive through Beacon Hill with its cobblestone streets and red brick row houses, then through Back Bay to see Copley Square and its grand architecture. The route also passes Fenway Park and the Seaport, Boston's most contemporary neighborhood, so you get a sense of how the city layers old and new side by side. Your guide shares the history of each place and the stories that shaped them, but also keeps things current with facts and light-hearted details about how Boston works today.

The final leg crosses into Cambridge, where you drive past MIT's campus and then walk through Harvard's public areas on the oldest college campus in the country. Lunch is not included, but your guide knows good spots in the neighborhoods you pass. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and pickup and drop-off happen downtown, so you don't need to arrange separate transportation to start or end the day.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a fully licensed and approved Boston tour guide.
• downtown Boston pickup and drop-off.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trailblazer Tours Boston - Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide-led mix of walking and driving through Boston and Cambridge in one day, rather than piecing together multiple neighborhoods on foot or public transit.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Freedom Trail and which sites do we stop at?

The Freedom Trail is a walking route through Boston's oldest neighborhoods marking sites from the American Revolution. On this tour you walk parts of it, stopping at Boston Common, the State House, Granary Burying Ground, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Old State House, the Old North Church, and Paul Revere's house before finishing at Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown.

Do we actually go inside Harvard, or just walk around the outside?

You walk through Harvard's public areas on the campus itself, so you're on the grounds and can see the buildings and courtyards, but the tour does not include entry to the college's museums or restricted buildings.

Is climbing Bunker Hill Monument required, or can I skip it?

Climbing the 294 stairs to the top of Bunker Hill Monument is optional. You visit the site either way, but the climb is there if you want it and you're feeling energetic.

How much walking is involved over the six hours?

The tour mixes walking and driving. You walk the Freedom Trail stops in downtown Boston, walk through the North End and Charlestown, and walk through Harvard's campus. The rest of the day is spent in the air-conditioned vehicle driving through Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Seaport and Cambridge, so you're not on your feet the entire time.

Can we stop for food or coffee during the tour?

Coffee, tea and lunch are not included in the tour price. Your guide knows good spots in the neighborhoods you pass, including a cannoli stop in the North End if you want one, and can recommend places to eat, but you'll need to pay separately and the time for meals comes out of the six-hour tour.