Boston Destination Guide for Groups

Boston is about as American as it gets.

Its top attractions pay homage to America’s favorite pastime, one of America’s favorite presidents and the historic sites where the nation began. Its cultural offerings range from some of the most distinguished collections of fine art in the country to one of the most recognized universities in the world. And its culinary scene capitalizes on fresh seafood and the diverse influence from Irish and Italian immigrants who put down roots more than a century ago.

This long-established city is a favorite because it’s compact, walkable and lets travelers check items off their travel bucket lists. Start building your group’s itinerary with this Boston destination guide for groups.

Main Attractions

Fenway Park

Sports enthusiasts and history buffs alike will enjoy a visit to Fenway Park, the oldest active major league baseball stadium in the country. It has been home to the Boston Red Sox since it opened in 1912 and is considered one of the city’s most iconic attractions. Groups can catch a Red Sox game in season or enjoy a group tour of the stadium year-round. Guided tours last 60 minutes and give visitors a lesson on the park’s history, from iconic players in baseball history to distinct elements of the park’s architecture. That includes the legendary “Green Monster,” a towering green wall that foils countless home runs.

A visit to Fenway Park is a classic choice for group tours — Courtesy Visit Massachusetts

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Boston is widely known for its Colonial history and especially its role in the American Revolution. There are few better places to experience this than the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, located right on Boston Harbor where the act of Colonial rebellion occurred in 1773. The museums, featuring full-scale replicas of Colonial-era ships and buildings and featuring relics from the Boston Tea Party, are guided by costumed interpreters. Groups can even participate in a present-day reenactment of their own by throwing some of the Crown’s tea in the very same harbor where disgruntled Colonists did the same thing more than 250 years ago.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum features full-scale replicas of Colonial-era ships and groups can participate in a reenactment 

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Presidential libraries are always a hit for groups, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is no exception. This museum, which opened in 1979, is dedicated to exploring the life and legacy of the 35th U.S. president. Groups of 10 or more qualify for special rates. They can take self-guided tours of the museum’s exhibits to learn about Kennedy’s life, from his youth to his presidency and his influence on the U.S. space program. The museum has a cafe and offers box lunches for group dining. There is also motorcoach parking in front of the museum.

An installation in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts — By Kyle Klein Photography, courtesy Visit Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The 20th largest art museum in the world by gallery space is Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. With around 100 galleries and an estimated 500,000 works in its collection, the massive museum can entertain groups for hours. They will see works by renowned European masters like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas, as well as pottery, sculptures and other works from ancient cultures around the world. The grounds also include a beautiful Japanese garden. Groups can take guided tours of the museum’s highlights or explore the galleries on their own. The museum also has dining options.

Honorable Mentions:

• Museum of Science

• Boston Public Library

• Boston Common

• Beacon Hill

Hidden Gems

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

While the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is considered one of the most comprehensive art collections in the U.S., the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is an understated (but no less impressive) art museum nearby. The building itself features a stunning courtyard designed like a Venetian palazzo, with lush greenery. Inside, artworks are displayed in intimate galleries. Works by Rembrandt, Sandro Botticelli and Titian are among its most prized artworks, although the museum is also notable for a 1990 heist during which 13 priceless pieces were stolen, including works by Edgar Degas, Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt. Groups can take private guided tours of the museum to learn more about the collection.

Harvard Museum of Natural History

The most visited of the university’s museums, the Harvard Museum of Natural History features an impressive collection of artifacts related to natural sciences and history. Some notable exhibits include the only known skeleton of the Kronosaurus; a massive, 1,600-pound amethyst geode; and “The Glass Flowers,” a collection of Blaschka glass model flowers made by famous artists Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. Groups can take a self-guided tour of the museum to see its thousands of specimens of animals, insects, geological wonders and fossils.

The iconic ivy covered walls of Harvard

Fenway Victory Gardens

World War II shifted the country’s commercial food production to support the troops, resulting in rationing of canned fruits and vegetables. To compensate, the government urged civilians to grow their own food, and victory gardens were born. Today, Boston is home to one of two remaining victory gardens in the country, and the only one that’s still in its original setting. Fenway Victory Gardens is a 7.5-acre public garden that groups can visit. In addition to 500 plots of numerous fruits and vegetables, the park contains herbal and medicinal plants as well as an apiary, a pollinator garden and even an accessible garden. It’s a great spot for groups looking for voluntourism opportunities as well — they can arrange to get their hands dirty and give back to the community.

Popular Tours & Trails

Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile trail through Boston connecting 16 historic sites that played a role in the American Revolution or the country’s early Colonial history. Trail stops include preserved historic sites like churches, burying grounds, museums and meeting halls. The Freedom Trail offers daily tours led by costumed interpreters and guides, as well as a variety of specialized tours, like the Revolutionary Women tour, a lantern tour or even a pub crawl. Groups should contact the official trail in advance for special requests, such as custom or private tours.

A Paul Revere statue stands resolute in front of the Old North Church steeple.

North End Boston Food Tour

Boston’s North End is a hub for Italian American culture. One of the best ways to explore this neighborhood, which is also affectionately known as Little Italy, is through its cuisine. The North End Boston Food Tour, founded and led by local guide and lifelong North Ender Bobby Agrippino, lets groups explore the culture bite by bite. These walking tours last two to three hours and take visitors to family-owned eateries, some with more than a century of history. Guests can expect to sample pizzas, fresh pasta, espresso, olive oil and specialty desserts.

Sightseeing Tours – Old Town Trolley Tours

Boston has a lot of ground to cover, and one of the most efficient ways to explore is via trolley. Old Town Trolley Tours, one of the city’s most prolific tour operators, offers a variety of daily sightseeing tours, as well as holiday variations and ghost tours — and you can’t go wrong with a ghost tour in a city as old as Boston. These tours, which last about two hours, show groups the city’s top attractions from open-air trolleys and are narrated by local guides. Trolleys can also be chartered for groups to take their own private, custom tours.

Whale-watching tours offer groups an unexpected wildlife sighting while visiting a major city like Boston — Courtesy of Boston Harbor City Cruises Whale Watch

Whale-Watching Tour

The waters surrounding Boston are equally worth exploring. Whale-watching cruises, such as those offered by City Cruises, let groups do just that. These cruises take groups to the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, an 842-square-mile protected marine area about 25 miles east of Boston. The area is a feeding ground for more than 500 species of marine animals, so groups can expect to glimpse several species of whales, including humpback whales, fin whales and the North Atlantic right whale. Whale-watching tours are narrated by naturalists from the New England Aquarium, and cruises run May through October.

Group Dining Favorites

Cheers

“Cheers,” the 1980s sitcom that charmed audiences for 11 seasons, was set in a cozy pub in Boston. The pub by the same name that inspired the show has become a phenomenon in the years since, drawing tourists and locals to enjoy its charming ambience. It’s also a great stop for groups, offering multiple prix fixe menus that can accommodate up to 55. Groups can grab some signature pub fare, a cold beer and a souvenir to commemorate their time in Boston’s most famous bar.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a great place for groups to both shop and eat — Courtesy Visit Massachusetts

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Combine a shopping mall, food hall and entertainment complex and you’ve got Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Built in 1742 by wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil as a marketplace and gathering space for the city, it’s still serving that purpose today. It’s a great stop for groups at mealtimes because, in addition to being an attraction in its own right, it’s home to Quincy Market, a food hall with dozens of vendors. Group leaders can set their travelers loose to find local eats, like Boston Chowda and Ned Devine’s Irish Pub, or nationally acclaimed chains like Ben and Jerry’s. Either way, it offers plenty of variety that can accommodate most tastes and dietary restrictions.

Lucca Restaurant & Bar

For a taste of the Italian cuisine that characterizes Boston’s North End, groups can head to Lucca Restaurant & Bar.  Its menu features decadent pasta dishes like gnocchi, rigatoni and pappardelle, as well as entrees like flank steaks, bone-in veal chops and chicken saltimbocca. Appetizers include lobster bisque, mussels and oysters, and the restaurant also boasts an extensive wine list. There are several private dining rooms to accommodate groups, and its sister restaurant on Boston’s South Shore can accommodate larger groups and events.

Union Oyster House

Billed as Boston’s oldest restaurant — with some claiming it’s perhaps the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the U.S. — Union Oyster House has been serving seafood since at least 1826, though the historic building pre-dates the American Revolution. The menu is stacked with seafood and traditional pub fare, and some of the most popular menu staples include the New England clam chowder, lobster rolls and crab cakes. It wouldn’t be the oyster house without its namesake shellfish on the menu; the restaurant’s oyster bar is a coveted spot to grab a chair for some fresh oysters and a drink. The restaurant also has several private function spaces that can serve groups as large as 80.

Group Lodging

Seaport Hotel Boston

Right on the water in South Boston’s Seaport District, the Seaport Hotel Boston is a great unfussy choice for groups. With 428 guest rooms (many of which offer harbor views) this four-star property can handle room blocks without a hitch. In addition to contemporary, polished decor, a fitness center and a pool, the hotel features three dining options: Seaport Cafe is a casual spot for breakfast, lunch and snacks; Aura is a trendy breakfast restaurant; and TAMO Bistro + Bar is an upscale eatery with craft cocktails and seasonal meals made with local ingredients, including some from the hotel’s own rooftop herb garden.

The Liberty Hotel

Located in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, The Liberty Hotel once housed a very different type of guest — it was built in 1851 as the Charles Street Jail. Today, it’s a five-star hotel, part of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection. It has retained much of its original architecture, including a central rotunda, exposed brick walls and iron catwalks. Despite the nods to the hotel’s origins, its 298 guest rooms are upscale and modern, featuring a moody color palette and tasteful finishes like marble. On-site dining options include restaurants and bars Clink and Alibi. The hotel also offers tours for guests curious about its distinct history.

The lobby of Boston Harbor Hotel — By Jessica Mading, courtesy Visit Mass

The Colonnade Hotel

Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood offers some of the city’s premier shopping and dining, as well as easy access to attractions like Fenway Park and the Museum of Fine Arts. That makes The Colonnade Hotel an excellent base for those seeking to explore this walkable district. The four-star hotel is known for its stunning rooftop pool, but the ground floor is home to Lucie Drink + Dine, a restaurant open for breakfast, brunch and dinner that serves elevated takes on comfort food. Natural materials, an earthy color palette and minimalistic decor infuse The Colonnade’s 285 guest rooms with a sense of warmth and sophistication.

The Langham

Another historic hotel in downtown Boston is The Langham, which is housed in the 1922 former Federal Reserve Bank of Boston building. The Beaux-Arts structure is stunning, but inside, visitors will find a curated collection of art by renowned artists, as well as an aesthetic that blends the building’s historic details with contemporary furnishings and finishes. The five-star luxury property has 312 guest rooms, a pool and a fitness center. The on-site restaurant, Grana, serves authentic Italian food, while the cleverly named cocktail bar The Fed serves handcrafted cocktails.

For more information on planning your group trip to Boston, contact:

Meet Boston

617-536-4100

meetboston.com/group-travel