Freedom Trail guided tour or on our own

[idcruisers]

DH and I would like to do the Freedom Tour in Boston in Sept. I have found a 90 minute guided tour leaving from Bostom commons ending at Faneuil Hall for $12 pp. Would it be best to do this tour or is going on our own just as good? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[paylady]

Either method is good.

 

The tour --- It depends whether you want to enhance your walk with historical information that you wouldn't otherwise research on your own.

 

On your own --- The trade off to walking the Freedom trail at your own pace is the ability to move faster or slower as you choose along the way.

[Keith1010]

Having done a tour (through the cruise line) last year I would do a tour through a tour company. You will learn a good deal if the tour is good. If you just do the tour on your own, you will likely not learn much of anything.

 

Keith

[NHBob]

Having done a tour (through the cruise line) last year I would do a tour through a tour company. You will learn a good deal if the tour is good. If you just do the tour on your own, you will likely not learn much of anything.

 

Keith

 

I don't often disagree with Keith, but if you want more than a very superficial tour of the highlights of about half the trail, a 90-minute tour won't fill the bill. First of all, a tour starting at the Common and ending at Faneuil Hall probably would not include important sites like the Paul Revere House, Old North, the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) or the Bunker Hill Monument.

 

Obviously, it is possible to spend a few minutes or hours at many of the sites - depends on individual interests. For serious history buffs, I recommend spending two to three of hours on the southern half of the trail, break for lunch, and then spend the afternoon in the North End, finishing at the Bunker Hill Monument.

 

As for how much can be learned doing the trail independently, there are dozens of guidebooks available for both the trail and the individual sites along the way, and although I haven't checked, I'd be surprised if personal audio guides weren't available. For a start, check the interactive map at http://www.iboston.org/pap/freedom.htm. Google Freedom Trail for lots of information.

 

So, if you all you want is quick overview of some of the high spots, sort of like going to Paris and "doing" the Louvre in 2 hours, a tour may be a good answer. But for any depth, you just about have to do it on your own.

 

Bob

[NHBob]

Oops! Double post.

[Keith1010]

Bob, what you say makes perfect sense. The key is not just walking the trail with no explanation. So, a guide book as you suggested along with an indepth look at all of the sites is ideal. If time is not available then I think an organized tour would be better than just walking it on ones own with no guide book and no stops.

 

Great suggestions on your part, as usual.

 

Keith

[idcruisers]

Thanks so much for the insight. Personally I think I could spend hours, but we will only be in port until 4:00 pm so I don't think we will have time to do the entire trail. I would like some insight into the history of the points along the trail, but with the short amount of time a guide book may be the way to go, and I think DH would like to see Old Ironside. Is it worth skipping some other stops, museums etc on the trail to make sure we see it? I have heard that lines can be very long to do the tour so I would want to allocate plenty of time.

[paylady]

Thanks so much for the insight. Personally I think I could spend hours, but we will only be in port until 4:00 pm so I don't think we will have time to do the entire trail. I would like some insight into the history of the points along the trail, but with the short amount of time a guide book may be the way to go, and I think DH would like to see Old Ironside. Is it worth skipping some other stops, museums etc on the trail to make sure we see it? I have heard that lines can be very long to do the tour so I would want to allocate plenty of time.

 

The guided tour of the USS Constitution is well worth the wait. We waited a half hour in line for the guided tour. If you don't take the guided tour, you will only see the top deck. However, even tht top deck is impressive. They did a great restoration job. The tour is excellent and every guide is Navy personnel. If you don't want to take the T, you can take a boat from Long Wharf to the shipyard. This costs only $1.70 one way, I believe.

[ellbon]

i agree do it on your own. you jsut follow the red lines o nthe road. yuo can walk the whole thing but to Bunker Hill. you can have lunch in the North End and then go to Mike's for dessert. he is famous there..

[Krazy Kruizers]

Years ago we picked up a guide book at a local book store here at home and got the map of the trail and every thing.

 

Then when we got to Boston -- we walked the trail on our own. DH took video while I talked -- it was great when we got home and saw everything with our own narative.

[ellbon]

that sounds so cool!!