Is a Trolley Tour in Boston a must?

[cet84]

Hi everyone, I am contemplating whether or not I should purchase tickets for old town trolleys. I heard they are really good and tickets are $35, but I didn't know if a trolley tour is necessary in Boston. Is it easy to get around? Is Boston very big? Do they provide transportation stops or is a trolley the best way to go? I will be there on August 19th from 8am till 5pm. Boston is one of our cruise stops.

 

Any advice helps. Thanks :)

[138east]

Hi everyone, I am contemplating whether or not I should purchase tickets for old town trolleys. I heard they are really good and tickets are $35, but I didn't know if a trolley tour is necessary in Boston. IMO it's not really necessary, but it's easy and you don't have to do any prep work to just come and hop on. Is it easy to get around? Yes - the "T" is very good and you can walk anywhere in the downtown area .Is Boston very big? The downtown area is all walkable. Everything is very close. The Constitution is a bit further ("T" water taxi is an option). If you want to go to Fenway or Cambridge, the "T" is best. Do they provide transportation stops or is a trolley the best way to go? Don't understand this question. I will be there on August 19th from 8am till 5pm. Boston is one of our cruise stops.

 

Any advice helps. Thanks :)

 

The thing you get with a trolley tour is running commentary. However, if you are a "do-it-yourselfer", you can plan out what you want to do. On a Thursday it should be very easy to hop on the Silver Line at Black Falcon, go to South Station, and transfer (don't go out an exit) to the Redline direction Alewife for 2 stops to Park St. This is the start of the Freedom Trail. Check out the Boston Common, find the Nat Park Information Center and walk the trail to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. From there you can make a circle through the North End and/or walk over to Long Wharf and take the water taxi to the Consitution ($1.70/pp each way). You can walk along the Harborwalk back to South Station and take the Silver Line back to the pier.

 

Is there anything specific you are interested in? There are so many places to go that it would be better to narrow down your interests.

[cet84]

Thanks for responding!

 

Here is where I want to go...

 

Sam Adams Brewery

Freedom Trail

North End

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Bunker Hill Monument

Beacon Hill, the Bull

Finch Pub

Newbury Street

Chinatown

 

What do you recommend?

[cet84]

oh and boston common too

[138east]

Your list looks like an ambitious day of running around Boston. Everything on that list except for Sam Adams can be accessed from the trolley route. Look at the Old Town Trolley map to see where all these places are - they are really scattered around the city. Here's the Sam Adams information - I think you might have to make some choices. My advice is, if you go to Sam Adams, to take a cab.

 

Tour Hours

Monday - Thursday: 10am - 3pm

Fridays: 10am - 5:30pm

Saturdays: 10am - 3pm

 

30 Germania Street

Boston, MA 02130

MBTA Orange Line - Stony Brook Station

 

Tours start approximately every 45 minutes. Each tour has limited space, so be sure to arrive early! Saturdays are especially busy and we often fill all available tour spaces by early afternoon. Please note that we now open at 10am on Saturdays.

[cet84]

Great! thanks so much :)

[Cheryl H]

When we went, we purchased our Old Town trolley tickets online before going. It saved us a little bit.

 

We had lunch at Legal Seafood on Long Wharf and then walked the short distance to their stop #1 on Atlantic. I think it was Atlantic.

 

If you go to Old Town's website, it details everything at each stop for the tour. We enjoyed the commentary. We did our first stop at Charlestown to see the USS Constitution and Cassin. We also did the stop at the Old Statehouse. I wish we would have had more time. The shops looked really interesting. I think the shops were in the Beacon Hill area.

 

We timed it so that we would be back to stop #1 around 5:00 pm or so. I think that's when the trolleys stopped that day. And we were right there at Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market.

 

It was very enjoyable and saved our feet a lot of walking.

[Underwatr]

You may be disappointed with the inside of the Bull & Finch. Just so you know...

[Keith1010]

One tour I highly recommend is taking an organized tour on the Freedom Trail.

 

Keith

[cet84]

I would really like to take the freedom trail tour, but I am worried they will be sold out, because we will be coming in on a cruise ship.

 

When you went on the Trolley tour, were you able to take pictures or did the trolley go to fast and not stop anywhere. Also, did you have to wait long at each stop?

 

thanks!

[138east]

Here's the Freedom Trail info - lots of choices for a 90 minute tour and you can reserve ahead and buy online. One set goes from the Common to Fanueil Hall or vice versa and the other set does the Faneuil Hall-Constitution half.

 

http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/tickets/tours.html

[dlwfarm]

How do I get to the freedom trail start from the cruise ship?

thanks,

[Cheryl H]

I would really like to take the freedom trail tour, but I am worried they will be sold out, because we will be coming in on a cruise ship.

 

When you went on the Trolley tour, were you able to take pictures or did the trolley go to fast and not stop anywhere. Also, did you have to wait long at each stop?

 

thanks!

 

Old Town had 18 stops if I remember correctly...the rest of the time, we took pictures out the window as we were passing things. Nope, we did not wait long. Old Town had lots of trolleys so never a long wait til they were coming to the stop. However, towards the end of the day, it seemed like they were more full....maybe people were riding around just for the tour and not getting off at the stops? So if there was a full one, a few had to wait for the next trolley, but I only saw that happen once on our tour.

 

Have fun planning!!

[138east]

The Freedom Trail starts at the Boston Common, but the tours start from either there or Faneuil Hall. Remember - the Freedom Trail is not really a "trail" - it's an organized walking route through Boston on regular streets. You can pick it up at any point and do as much or as little of it as you like.

 

To get to the beginning of the trail from the ship you can take a cab to the Visitor Center in Boston Common or for $2/pp take the Silver Line to South Station, transfer to the Red Line direction Alewife and go two stops to Park St. The Visitor Center is on the Common.

[cet84]

I found a freedom trail tour for free. Would you recommend this one?

 

 

 

Freedom Trail historical site (Free 90 min walking tour)

 

The National Park Service offers 90-minute guided tours starting at the Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center. Maps are also available here.

Stops include the Old State House, Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church. You can also discover Paul Revere's house, the site of the Boston Massacre, and the Copp's Hill Burial Ground. At the end of the trail in Charlestown, the Bunker Hill Monument and the U.S.S. Constitution await you.

 

Tour led by National Park Service Rangers along the heart of Boston's Freedom Trail. Discover Boston's role in the American Revolution. For more information call (617) 242-5642. Tours are offered weather permitting. Each tour is limited to 30 people: first come, first served. On day of tour, rangers will distribute free stickers 30 minutes before tour time. Reservations are not accepted. Tours fill up quickly in summer months. Tours start at the Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center, 15 State Street, Boston, MA 02109.

[138east]

I'm not a good person to comment. I've never taken a Freedom Trail tour.

[CMM]

Your list looks like an ambitious day of running around Boston. Everything on that list except for Sam Adams can be accessed from the trolley route. Look at the Old Town Trolley map to see where all these places are - they are really scattered around the city. Here's the Sam Adams information - I think you might have to make some choices. My advice is, if you go to Sam Adams, to take a cab.

 

Tour Hours

Monday - Thursday: 10am - 3pm

Fridays: 10am - 5:30pm

Saturdays: 10am - 3pm

 

30 Germania Street

Boston, MA 02130

MBTA Orange Line - Stony Brook Station

 

 

Tours start approximately every 45 minutes. Each tour has limited space, so be sure to arrive early! Saturdays are especially busy and we often fill all available tour spaces by early afternoon. Please note that we now open at 10am on Saturdays.

 

Old Town Trolleys website lists Sam Adams Brewery as a site to see at stop 8 "Back Bay" I thought it would be close if they listed it. Anyone know.

[138east]

It's not at all close (but that is the closest trolley stop) - you would have to take a cab. Do a mapquest on Prudential Center - 30 Germania St. and you will see how far it is.

[CMM]

It's not at all close (but that is the closest trolley stop) - you would have to take a cab. Do a mapquest on Prudential Center - 30 Germania St. and you will see how far it is.

 

Wow thanks for that information. Under trolley stop 8 you can click on South end neighborhood or somthing like that for more information and Sam Adams comes up. I assumed it was within an easy walk of the stop!

[138east]

Not at all close. Sam Adams is actually in a sketchy area of Boston - you can get there on the "T", but I would go by car or cab. I once drove there to the tortilla factory - not an area I would send out-of-towners to on foot.

[Underwatr]

A couple of years ago we rode the T and walked to Sam Adams. You'd need a map. It didn't appear to be a dangerous neighborhood but there wouldn't be any reason for a tourist to be there other than the brewery tour. Older housing and light industry.

 

It's a nice tour by the way.

[DiTomCruisers]

Thanks for responding!

 

Here is where I want to go...

 

Sam Adams Brewery

Freedom Trail

North End

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Bunker Hill Monument

Beacon Hill, the Bull

Finch Pub

Newbury Street

Chinatown

 

What do you recommend?

 

The Harpoon Brewery is also work the trip.. www.harpoonbrewery.com

And it can complete a little loop for you on the way back to the ship.. ;)