Private City Tour of Boston and Cambridge

5.0 (45 reviews) 7 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

45 reviews

5.0

North End a.k.a. "Little Italy" — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Back Bay from Kendall — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

This private full-day tour will take you through every highlight Boston and Cambridge! The tour will include sights such as the Old North Church, Paul Revere's house, Faneuil Hall, Boston Common, Beacon Hill, Bunker Hill Monument, USS Constitution, Harvard, MIT, Copley Square, Boston Public Library and so much more! The tour is a combination of walking and driving, and we are happy to make adjustments to any mobility level of our guests! Listen to stories about Boston's past, learning about the American Revolution and the city's duality of religious morals and corruption. View a packet of historical maps, photos, and dates during the tour to further immerse yourself in the stories you learn about!

The tour takes a break in the middle for free time for lunch and souvenirs, with options including the oldest tavern in America, the oldest restaurant in America, an artisanal food & goods market with 20+ vendor options (chowder, lobster rolls, doughnuts, coffee, ice cream, etc), and more.

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At a glance

Duration: 7 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–9
Guide: English
Operated by: Boston Hidden Gems

Ages: Adults (8–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Private transportation
Included: Bottled water
Included: Old North Church entrance fee
Included: In-vehicle air conditioning: Air-conditioned vehicle
Included: Surcharges on fuel: Fuel surcharge
Included: Parking Fees
Included: Breakfast: Coffee/Tea & Cannoli

Not included

Not included: Lunch
Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Stop 1

50 min Admission included

After being picked up by your guide, start the day with a classic Italian coffee and cannoli.
North Square Park

20 min

See Paul Revere's House, one of the oldest wooden houses in Boston. Learn about the immigrant history of the North End as told by artwork installed in the square.
Old North Church & Historic Site

30 min Admission included

Our guide will tell you stories of the events at the beginning of the Revolution while you are seated in a historical pew in the Old North Church, one of the locations where it all started.
Copp's Hill Burying Ground

15 min

Visit the second-oldest cemetery in Boston. Occupied by British troops during the Revolution, you'll see bullet holes where troops used gravestones for target practice.
Paul Revere Mall

10 min

Visit the historic Paul Revere Mall park, home to one of the city's most iconic "postcard" locations of the statue of Paul Revere with the backdrop of the Old North Church. View the plaques surrounding the park commemorating many of the other Revolutionary figures. Learn the real story behind the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere!
Boston Public Market

one hour

Free time for lunch and souvineer shopping in Boston Public Market, a artisanal farm-to-table market with 20+ local vendors. Options range from chowdah, to bagels, sandwiches, popovers, smoothies, and more! Or have a pint in America's oldest continuously operated tavern or a bite in the oldest restaurant in America!
USS Constitution

20 min

View the USS Constitution in Charlestown! The oldest wooden ship in the world still in service.
Bunker Hill Monument

20 min

Listen to the story of the battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston! Learn how George Washington and Henry Knox kicked the British out of Boston!
Boston Common

20 min

Walk through the oldest public park in America, listening to stories of how Boston was founded.
Beacon Hill

20 min

Walk through Boston's most prestigious and wealthiest neighborhood, learning about the history of some of Boston's most famous families. Admire the brownstone mansions lining the brick paved streets with gas lamps lighting the area.
Boston Public Garden

20 min

Take a walk through America's first botanical garden, learning about Boston's history through statues around the park. Hear stories about the invention of anesthesia, Boston's most corrupt yet beloved politician, and more.
Kendall Square

20 min

Visit Kendall Square in Cambridge, known as "the most innovative square mile on the planet". A dense urban area packed famous for start-ups and innovation. Currently the location of the Boston offices for Google, Apple, Moderna, and Amazon. The area is also home to projects such as CRISPR, Human Genome Project, and the creation of the guidance computers that enabled Apollo spacecraft to successfully travel to the moon.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

15 min

Drive through the MIT campus and learn about the university's "theory and practice" motto, focusing on belief that the dual approach of learning and doing is the way! Hear all about (in)famous MIT pranks, some of which can be seen to this day! See the main MIT building, the Great Dome.
Harvard University

25 min

Walk through the historical Harvard Yard to see the heart of the first college in America. Learn about the history behind why Harvard was founded by Puritans and how it evolved into the world famous institution it is today.
Harvard Square

20 min

See the very heart of Cambridge, located right next to Harvard University's famous Harvard Yard, the area is full of shops and restaurants. Time for souvenir shopping in Harvard's three-story co-op shop.
Copley Square

30 min

A Boston historical and cultural gem! Copley Square was built to impress visitors with everything Boston has to offer! Famous institutions such as MIT, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, and Northeastern University had their start at this very square. Today Copley Square is home to Copley Library, Trinity Church, Old South Church, and the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel (with a resident dog).

Drop-off at hotel, airport, or cruise terminal in Boston.
Back Bay

10 min

Drive through the historic Back Bay neighborhood. Back Bay is built entirely on land reclaimed from the sea using dirt from hills of Boston to landfill the bay. The neighborhood has been home to the wealthy since its inception in the late 1800s, today it has some of the best preserved examples of 19th century Victorian architecture in the world!

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

Meet your guide at the intersection of Snow Hill and Hull Streets, on the top of Copp's Hill, next to the ramp to the parking garage roof.

End point

Meet your guide at the intersection of Snow Hill and Hull Streets, on the top of Copp's Hill, next to the ramp to the parking garage roof.

Pickup points

Hilton Boston Logan Airport
The Midtown Hotel MOD Collection By Sonesta
Hotel AKA Boston Common
Cambria Hotel Boston Somerville
The Westin Copley Place, Boston
The Newbury Boston
Copley House
Staypineapple, A Delightful Hotel, South End Boston
The Westin Boston Seaport District
Courtyard by Marriott Boston Logan Airport
Courtyard by Marriott Boston Downtown
AC Hotel Boston Downtown

and 108 more pickup points

Pickup not available at Boston Logan Airport.

You will receive a message two days before the tour with your guide's information. Our tour vehicles have a blue Boston Hidden Gems logo on the front doors. We will pick you up outside your hotel in Boston/Cambridge.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Note that per Massachusetts state law: "All children riding in passenger motor vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer's instructions until they are 8 years old OR over 57 inches tall." We do not provide child seats, please bring age appropriate car seats for kids who do not meet these criteria. We will not be able to do the tour if you do not have child seats for everyone that needs one. A refund will not be issued the day of the tour due to lack of proper car seats. All children must be registered as separate tour guests.
Please contact us if you are intending to bring luggage on the tour, so we can ensure that there is enough space for all bags and people on the tour.

Options

Cruiseport Pickup

Cruiseport Pickup: Pickup at Boston Flynn Cruiseport

Pickup included
Standard Pickup

Standard Pickup: Pickup in Boston within 3 miles of the North End, EXCEPT at Boston Logan International Airport or at Boston Flynn Cruiseport

Pickup included