The Boston City Guides tackle the questions every visitor ends up asking: which lobster roll is worth the money, how to follow the Freedom Trail without paying for a tour, where Bostonians drink after dark and which historic towns are an easy train ride away. Every guide is a short list with an opinion: why each place earns its spot, what to order or look for and one practical tip. It opens in your browser as soon as payment goes through.
About the Boston City Guides
- 142 places
- 6 guides
- 9 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Boston guides
Food guide
24 places
Chowder and oysters at historic counters, North End pizza and pastry, modern tables in Cambridge and Somerville, indoor markets and the cannoli queue worth skipping.
Things to do guide
24 places
Museums from science to presidents, the Freedom Trail sites worth paying for, skyline views, grand interiors and the parks and walks in between.
Family guide
25 places
Hands-on museums, an aquarium with a four-storey ocean tank, free parks for running off energy, warm ideas for freezing days and food children will finish.
Nightlife guide
24 places
Cocktail and wine bars, 18th-century taverns, craft brewery taprooms, jazz in small clubs and late food for after last call.
Day trips guide
22 places
Beaches on the subway, Salem and Cape Ann on the North Shore, Concord, Lexington and Lowell to the west, and longer rides to Providence, Plymouth and Portland.
Budget guide
23 places
Free history and buildings, harbour and skyline views that cost nothing, cheap lunches and how to get around without spending much.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places we would start with
Neptune Oyster
North End, Salem Street
Thirty seats, a long wait and the North End’s best lobster roll, served hot with butter and packed with meat. Oysters come by the piece, so mix a few kinds. Not one for big groups. From the food guide.
The Mary Baker Eddy Library
Back Bay, Massachusetts Avenue
Come for the Mapparium, a stained-glass globe three storeys high that you cross on a bridge inside it. A whisper at one end carries to the other. Plan about 45 minutes. From the things to do guide.
Walden Pond State Reservation
Concord, by train to South Lincoln
The pond where Thoreau lived, with a 2.7 km loop path and a replica of his cabin. In winter it is close to empty and often frozen at the edges, and the walk costs nothing. From the day trips guide.
From the game to the guide
World City Trail’s Boston scavenger hunt, escape game and audio tour take you through the historic centre. Afterwards the guides carry on: oysters in the North End, a free walk along the Charles River Esplanade, the commuter train to Salem or Concord, or a warm museum when the wind off the harbour bites.
Boston guides: what people ask
What is included in the Boston City Guides?
142 places spread over six guides: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. For each one you get the reason to go, the neighbourhood, notes on opening times and a practical tip.
How do I receive the guides?
As soon as you pay, the links appear on your order page and in the order email. They open in the browser of any phone or laptop, with nothing to install and no login.
Will the guides work offline in Boston?
Yes. Load each guide once with a connection and it works offline from then on, with your ticks and notes saved. The map links need mobile data.
What languages are the guides in?
English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek and Polish, and you can change language inside the guide at any time.
What do the guides cost?
One guide is $5.99, two are $10.99, four are $18.99 and all six are $23.99. With a World City Trail game the food guide is $4.99 and the full set $17.99.
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