Boston: Historic Freedom Trail App-Based Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app that will function as your personal guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Your journey will begin in the center of the city at Boston Common. Here, you’ll turn back the clock all the way to the city’s founding in the 1930s, then learn about the first murmurs of independence from Britain. You’ll get to know the Stamp Act Riots, the Liberty Tree, and much more! Then, you’ll head to the historic State House (complete with a dome of real gold!) and find out about the time capsule placed there in 1795. On your way to the Park Street Church (a landmark loaded with history), you’ll stop by the memorial to Robert Gould Shaw, famous for his role in a different war: The Civil War! Then, we will return to the 1700s and learn what led Britain to levy such harsh taxes against the colonies and how those colonists responded. Then, at the Granary Burying Ground, you’ll have the chance to visit the graves of famous figures like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere! After that is King’s Chapel, the first Anglican church in Boston, which dates all the way back to 1754! Even older is the Latin School, up next, founded in 1635. Benjamin Franklin, Robert Paine, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams all studied here! Then it’s on to the Old South Meeting House, where you’ll get the many ins and outs of the true story behind the famous Boston Tea Party protest. Next is the Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians! Then you’ll head to the site of the infamous (and oft-misunderstood) Boston Massacre and get the truth behind that fateful night. Following a stop at the famed marketplace of Faneuil Hall (where you’ll find just about any kind of refreshments you need), you’ll see the beautiful Rose Kennedy Greenway. It may not be an official stop along the Freedom Trail, but this gorgeous urban park is well worth a look regardless! Continuing on, you’ll get a great look at the historic Custom House, one of Boston’s most iconic structures, before reaching Paul Revere’s house, perfectly preserved since his famous Midnight Ride. Past that is the Old North Church, where Revere famously asked for “one lantern if by land, two if by sea.” The next stop is almost impossible to miss—it’s the USS Constitution! This enormous ship, nicknamed Old Ironsides, is enough to make the trip worth it all on its own. Here, you’ll get familiar with some of the old warship’s most nail-biting battles. Finally, you’ll arrive at the Bunker Hill Monument, memorializing a pivotal battle during the Revolutionary War. Your tour concludes here, but there’s lots more of Boston to see, including a bonus tour that dives deep into the Battle of Bunker Hill itself!