Harvard University, Cambridge Tours & Activities

Harvard University, Cambridge: Our most recommended tours and activities

Cambridge: Explore Harvard University on a Student-Led Tour

1. Cambridge: Explore Harvard University on a Student-Led Tour

Join a student-led walking tour of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, around 10 kilometers from Boston. Discover the historic campus through the eyes of a student and visit highlights including the John Harvard Statue and Memorial Hall. Meet your guide in the heart of Harvard Square, and set off on your walk through Harvard Yard. Enjoy the sights while your guide entertains and inspires with tales of Harvard history and personal experience at the university they call home. Get an up-close look at major Harvard landmarks including Johnston Gate, the John Harvard Statue, Memorial Hall, and Widener Library. You'll even become privy to a few Harvard secrets along the way. Gain an insider's perspective on one of the world's most prestigious universities, and hear about famous figures that have attended throughout its long and illustrious history. Experience the pace of student life as you stroll through the grounds. While tours are still fully operational, Harvard Yard is currently closed, meaning that the tour has been modified to take an around-the-yard route, while covering the same material.

Boston: Hop-on Hop-off Old Town Trolley Tour

2. Boston: Hop-on Hop-off Old Town Trolley Tour

Enjoy a hop-on hop-off tour aboard Boston’s charming orange and green Old Town Trolley and visit more than 100 points of interest in the city at your own pace. Enjoy the freedom to hop on or off all day and discover sights like the Boston State House, Liberty Wharf, and the Charlestown Navy Yard. Take in double-decker height views while protected from the elements. The comfortable enclosed trolleys allow you to experience elevated viewing come rain, snow, or shine. Choose between 1-day and 2-day ticket options with free unlimited re-boarding. The Boston Trolley tour covers all the major areas including downtown, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, the theater district, and the waterfront. Conductors narrate the tour, offering a fun mix of trivia and humorous stories. There are 14 stops conveniently located close to over 100 points of interest in Boston, these are: • Stop 1: New England Aquarium/Faneuil Hall Marketplace (200 Atlantic Ave) . • Stop 2: Historic North End (561 Commercial Street) • Stop 3: USS Constitution/Charlestown Navy Yard (Constitution Road between 1st Ave. and 2nd Ave.) • Stop 4: North Station/TD Bank Garden (Westbound side of Causeway Street between Beverly Street and Accolon Way.) • Stop 5: Old State House (State Street between Washington and Congress Streets, across from Old State House Museum) * Stop 6: Beacon Hill/Antique Row (Charles Street at the corner of Mount Vernon Street) • Stop 7: Cheers Bar "The Original" (84 Beacon Street) • Stop 8: Prudential Center/View Boston Observatory (40 Dalton St.) • Stop 9: Christian Science Plaza/Symphony Hall (120 Huntington Avenue) • Stop 10: Copley Place Shopping Galleries (100 Huntington Ave #92 in front of the Marriott Copley Place Hotel) • Stop 11: Copley Square/Trinity Church (Boylston St & Clarendon, directly opposite 545 Boylston St.) • Stop 12: Old Town Trolley Welcome Center (Charles Street South at Boylston Street and Park Plaza.) • Stop 13: Boston State House/ Boston Common/Beacon Hill (Beacon Street at Park Street. - directly across from the State House) • Stop 14: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (discounted admission included) (Sleeper Street - directly in front of 313 Congress St.)

From New York City: Boston and the Freedom Trail Day Trip

3. From New York City: Boston and the Freedom Trail Day Trip

Depart New York along the Eastern Coast through Connecticut to Massachusetts and to its capital, Boston. Your first stop is the city of Cambridge where will find one of the most famous and most prestigious universities in the world: Harvard. The tour starts with a walk in Harvard Yard; the oldest academic ground in America. See Widener library, then rub the shoe of John Harvard for good luck. Continue to a panoramic tour passing by City Hall, MIT and Cambridge College. Then cross the Charles River and arrive in the center of the intellectual capital of the country. Visit Copley Square, home to beautiful Trinity church. Next up is a walk along the Freedom Trail through Boston Common Park. Break for lunch at Quincy Market, and try the world famous Clam Chowder or a lobster roll. After lunch, visit the site of the famous Tea Party and the navy ship Constitution. In the late afternoon, depart southwest for an evening arrival in New York.

Boston: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 45+ Attractions

4. Boston: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 45+ Attractions

The Boston All-Inclusive Pass by Go City provides you access to over 45 of the area’s top activities, attractions, and tours for a single low price. Enjoy planning your own itinerary while saving up to 50%* compared to the cost of individual attraction tickets. Choose a 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7-day pass and visit as many attractions as you like during that time. Take a Trolley Tour, gaze at the city's skyline from the top of View Boston observation deck, or explore the Museum of Science. These and many other options are included in the cost of your Boston All-Inclusive Pass. A free digital guide helps you decide what to do, where to go, and how to get there. Below, "(R)" means that reservations are required. Included attractions with your Boston All-Inclusive Pass: TOURS AND ACTIVITIES • Historic Sightseeing Cruise (Seasonal - April to October) • CityView Hop-On Hop-Off Boston Trolley: 2-Day Ticket (Seasonal - April to November) • Fenway Park Tour • Swan Boats of Boston (Seasonal - April to September) • The Harvard Tour • Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour (Seasonal - April to October) (R) • Boston Bike Rental • Hyannisport Harbor Cruise (Seasonal - May to October) • Cape Cod Canal Cruise (Seasonal - May to October) • Liberty Ride (Seasonal - April to October) • Boch Center Wang Theatre Tours • North End Boston's "Little Italy Tour" • Boston Historic Pub Crawl Tour • Beacon Hill True Crime Tour • Sam Signature Experience MUSEUMS AND PLACES OF INTEREST • View Boston • Old State House Museum & Old South Meeting House Combo Ticket • USS Constitution Museum • Museum of Science • Paul Revere House • Museum of Fine Arts • Salem Witch Museum (R) • Boston Children's Museum (R) • Harvard Museum of Natural History (R) • JFK Presidential Library and Museum • Plimoth Patuxet plus Mayflower II or Grist Mill Combo (Seasonal - April to November) • LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston • Franklin Park Zoo • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum • Peabody Essex Museum • Institute of Contemporary Art • House of the Seven Gables • Buckman Tavern • Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology (R) • Concord Museum • King's Chapel Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check the digital guide included in your confirmation voucher for the full list of inclusions, opening times, and reservation instructions. *Savings based on itineraries on Go City website.

Boston: Charles River Sightseeing Cruise

5. Boston: Charles River Sightseeing Cruise

Enjoy a 70-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing cruise along the Charles River. Your captain and crew will both entertain and educate while pointing out the historic and cultural sights of Boston and Cambridge. Sights include Beacon Hill, Esplanade Park, the Back Bay, Boston University, M.I.T., Harvard and countless sailboats and rowers! Enjoy the sights from a covered seating area, or come out to the front for a better view. Sightseeing cruises depart from Lechmere Canal Park at Cambridge Side. The ticket booth and boat departure is located outside the doors by the Food Court.

Cambridge: Harvard Campus Self-Guided Walking Tour

6. Cambridge: Harvard Campus Self-Guided Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Note: This 1 mile-long tour covers the essentials of the Harvard Campus in 2-3 hours. Explore your way on this self-guided walking tour of Harvard University’s campus in Cambridge. Visit the most iconic spots of the Ivy League campus with the help of an app that functions as your guide, narrator, and map. See animated videos that let you visualize parts of the tour. To start, simply set up the tour guide app on your phone and arrive at the starting point of the tour. Step into the life of a Harvard student and visit the heart of Harvard University's campus: Harvard Square. See and learn about the John Harvard Statue, Widener Library, former dorms of famous alumni like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman, and more.

From NYC: Boston City and Harvard Guided Day Trip

7. From NYC: Boston City and Harvard Guided Day Trip

Come discover beautiful Boston. Have your transportation and itinerary taken care of your while your only job is to sit back and enjoy this stunning city. Explore the best Boston has to offer including: Fenway Park stadium, home to the Boston Red SoxHarvard University Main campus: Harvard Yard, Old Yard, John Harvard Statue, Johnston Gate, Harvard souvenir store.Copley Square: Trinity church, Fairmont Copley Hotel, Boston Public Library, John Hancock Tower, “End line” to Boston MarathonBoston Common and the public gardens  Freedom trail: Massachusetts State house, Old state House, Granary Burying ground, Kings chapel, Faneuil hallQuincy Market Start your day in New York City, where your tour guide will share stories of different places on your journey to Boston. Once in Boston, begin your tour at Copley Square, have lunch at Quincy Market and visit Harvard University's main campus.

From NYC: Exclusive Spanish-Language Day Trip to Boston

8. From NYC: Exclusive Spanish-Language Day Trip to Boston

Your trip to Boston begins in Midtown Manhattan at the entrance of your preferred pickup hotel: Millennium Broadway, Pennsylvania, or Manhattan at Times Square. Once you have been picked up, head north to the capital city of Massachusetts. There will be a stop halfway, where you will have time to have breakfast and use the services. Once you arrive in Boston, the first stop is Copley Square, where you can appreciate the architectural contrasts of the city. See iconic sites such as the first public library in the United States, the Hancock Tower, the Church of the Holy Trinity, and the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Within Copley Square, discover the monument to the Hare and the Turtle, which commemorates the cemetery of the Boston Marathon.  The next stop will be in the Church of Christ Scientist. Following, head through Massachusetts Avenue where you will see the Back Bay neighborhood, famous for its Victorian houses. Pass by Berkeley College, the largest private music school in the world. Then, marvel at the monument to Domingo Faustino Sarmiento and get up close to the Baseball Stadium Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. Continue towards Cambridge where the MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the prestigious Harvard University are located. Walk through the Harvard University Campus and past the famous monument of the three lies, after which you will have time to buy souvenirs. After this experience, back in Boston, walk one of the most attractive and expensive neighborhoods in the city "Beacon Hill." Leaving the neighborhood, pass by the bar made famous by the TV show "Cheers" and through the first public park in the USA. Cross through the Massachusetts Governorate, part of the Freedom Trail and the Financial Center, and the place of the Boston Massacre of 1770. The last stop will be at Quincy Market. At its inception in 1826, it was used as a center of production, purchase, and exchange of food products and is now the city's cultural center. In the market, you will have free time for lunch. Your guide will advise you as to where the best clam chowder and lobster sandwiches are sold, two of Boston's most famous local dishes. Finally, after lunch, head back to NYC and get dropped off where you were picked up.

Boston: Charles River Sunset and Cocktail Cruise

9. Boston: Charles River Sunset and Cocktail Cruise

Experience the spectacular scenery of Boston and Cambridge from the calm waters of the Charles River during this 90-minute cruise. With cocktail music in the background and a refreshing drink in your hand from our full-service bar, you will watch the setting sun over the cities of Boston and Cambridge. Guests can purchase drinks and light snacks from a full service bar on board. Charles River Sunset Cruises depart from Lechmere Canal Park located directly outside the Food Court at CambridgeSide Mall. Cruises run rain or shine!

Ultimate Boston Self-Guided Walking Tours Bundle

10. Ultimate Boston Self-Guided Walking Tours Bundle

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map. Note: Each tour covers essential sights and takes 2-3 hours, over 3+ miles. Start in the city of Boston and walk in the footsteps of Revolutionary War heroes. Hear the story of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and relive the fight for American Independence with a self-guided walking tour of Boston’s Freedom Trail. Immerse yourself in the stories of the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party, and the Sons of Liberty as you stroll along Boston’s scenic Harborwalk. Uncover Boston's historic and storied past while enjoying its beautiful harbor views between South Station and Long Wharf. Then, travel to the city of Cambridge outside Boston and explore the heart of Harvard University's campus at Harvard Square. Use the app to take a self-guided walking tour that covers must-see campus sights like the John Harvard Statue, Widener Library, and former dorm rooms of famous alumni like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman, and more. Next, discover Cape Ann with a self-guided driving tour along the scenic waterfront. Enjoy the vistas, beaches, and natural beauty of the New England coastline at your own pace. Visit the famous Fisherman's Memorial, beautiful Beauport, all while diving into the stories of Massachusetts of days past. Shifting the scene to Salem, begin at the Salem Visitor Center. Learn about the Salem Witch Trials at the dedicated memorial and the Old Burying Point Cemetery. Stop by historic spots like the Old Town Hall, the Joshua Ward House, and Gedney House. Marvel at the Witch House and end your tour at The House of the Seven Gables, immersing yourself in the haunting history of Salem's Witch Trials. This Bundle Includes: • Freedom Trail • Bunker Hill Monument • Harvard Square • Boston Harbor • Boston Ghost • Cambridge (Bonus Tour)

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What people are saying about Harvard University, Cambridge

Overall rating

4.5
(2,552 reviews)

Excellent tour. Our driver cum guide was obviously passionate about his work and gave us great descriptions and detailed stories about many historical buildings as we passed by them . Due to limited time availability, we didn’t get off the bus. It still took almost 2 hours to complete the full tour - definitely worth the money 👍🏼

We had a great time on the tour! We started early in the morning to do a complete loop before picking where we wanted to hop off. Gonzo was our driver for that full loop and was the best of the day, highly recommend!

Nora was amazing. She explained everything so well and we could see how much she loves talking about Harvard. And she was super fun algo 😊🇵🇹

Mason was the best, he really knew all about Salem and he was super prepared. I really recommend it this tour.

The tea party reenactment was amazing! Loved how enthusiastic our guide was and how he got everyone involved!