Family guide
Boston
Massachusetts
View all family guides →Walkable, historic, and compact enough to explore with kids in tow.
Boston packs a surprising amount of family appeal into a compact, walkable core. The city's history unfolds along the Freedom Trail, while the Public Garden and the Charles River offer green escapes. Children respond to the tangible sense of place, the cobblestones, the ships, the old buildings that look like storybook illustrations.
Good to know
- The T reaches virtually every family destination in central Boston.
- Summer and weekend afternoons draw the largest crowds in tourist areas; spring and fall offer milder weather and fewer people.
- Many of the city's best attractions, including the Freedom Trail, the Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway, are free to visit.
- Boston's brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets make sturdy strollers a practical choice.
- The city's compact footprint means families can walk between many central neighborhoods without relying on transit.
What to do
- Acorn Street
- Boston Common
Getting around
- The MBTA subway system, known as the T, serves most central family destinations. Downtown is compact enough to walk between many stops.
- Driving downtown is slow and parking is limited. Most neighborhoods are best explored on foot or by T.
- Boston's walkable core includes the Freedom Trail, the Public Garden, and the Seaport; a family can cover many main sights without using transit.
- Bluebikes bike share offer a convenient mobility option for adults.
Hidden gems
Plan a trip to Boston for your family