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  • Explore Boston
  • Places to see
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  • Top sights
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  • Outside Boston

Fenway Park

Boston Harbor

Freedom Trail

New England Aquarium

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

Franklin Park Zoo

Charles River

Cheers Boston

Museum of Science, Boston

USS Constitution

View Boston Observation Deck

TD Garden

Viewing points

Museums & exhibitions

Multi-day trips

Island tours

Religious & spiritual activities

Sporting venues

Nearby destinations

Cambridge, Massachusetts tours

Salem tours

Newport, Rhode Island tours

Concord, Massachusetts tours

Portsmouth, New Hampshire tours

Providence tours

Nearby sights

Harvard UniversityAttraction in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyAttraction in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Narragansett BayAttraction in Rhode Island, United States

Newport HarborAttraction in Newport, Rhode Island, United States

Old Burying Point CemeteryAttraction in Salem, United States

Harvard SquareAttraction in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

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Sailing trips & boat tours

Boat parties

Hop-on Hop-off tours

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Speed & jet boat tours

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Explore more things to do in Boston

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Boston travel guide

Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill

Top rated
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8
19 reviews
Activity provider:
Hub Town Tours
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Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill
Top rated
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8
19 reviews

Join a Civil War walking tour in Boston and explore hidden landmarks in Beacon Hill, the city's luxury locale. Walk the Black Heritage Trail and hear 19th-century tales prior to the U.S. Civil War.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 2.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

5
5 out of 5 stars
M
Marion – Australia

Will was a fantastic guide - extremely well-informed, passionate about his subjects, engaging and interesting. He crafted stories about important individuals and events in a way that really brought them to life, including kinda acting out certain scenes! Congratulations Will on your presentation and many thanks!

5
5 out of 5 stars
C
Carol – United States

Our tour guide, William, was very knowledgeable. He presented the information clearly and directed it to the whole group with wonderful enthusiasm.

Select participants and date

Participants

Itinerary

  • Starting location:

    Soldiers and Sailors Monument

  • Boston Common

    Guided tour (10 minutes)

  • Mount Vernon Street

    Guided tour (5 minutes)

  • Acorn Street

    Guided tour (5 minutes)

  • Louisburg Square

    Guided tour (10 minutes)

  • Phillips School

    Guided tour (15 minutes)

  • John J Smith House

    Guided tour

  • Charles Street Meeting House

    Guided tour (15 minutes)

  • Charles Street

    Guided tour

  • Lewis & Harriet Hayden House

    Guided tour (15 minutes)

  • The Vilna Shul

    Pass by

  • John Coburn House

    Guided tour

  • Otis House Museum

    Pass by

  • Old West Church

    Pass by

  • Charles Sumner House

    Guided tour (15 minutes)

  • Smith Court Residences

    Guided tour

  • African Meeting House

    Break time, Guided tour (20 minutes)

  • Abiel Smith School

    Guided tour

  • George Middleton House

    Guided tour (15 minutes)

  • Park Street Church, Boston

    Scenic views on the way

  • Massachusetts State House

    Pass by (15 minutes)

  • Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

    Guided tour (20 minutes)

  • Finish at:

    Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

Main stop
Other stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Avoid large crowds and congested sidewalks on this small-group tour
  • Visit essential historic landmarks such as the African Meeting House
  • Walk the Black Heritage Trail and see homes on the Underground Railroad
  • Hear crucial overlooked stories behind the lead-up to the U.S. Civil War

Full description

Learn about the tumultuous three decades that culminated in the American Civil War on this small-group walking tour. As you stroll the narrow lanes of Beacon Hill, you'll follow in the footsteps of 19th-century Bostonians, black and white, who grappled with an intractable conflict over racial slavery looming over their young nation.

Start your walking tour on Boston Common, where the Black Heritage Trail originates. From there, you'll head right into historic Beacon Hill, where a free African-American community resided mere blocks from the wealthiest of Boston. Learn about the struggle for equality in education, debates over racial integration, and growth of anti-slavery political movements, while on the very doorstep of homes along the famed Underground Railroad.

Your walking tour loop concludes in front of the Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial on Boston Common, just up Beacon Street from where the tour initially began.

Includes

  • Black Heritage Trail (10 landmarks)
  • Local historian & expert guide
  • Beacon Hill neighborhood
  • Gratuity for guide (optional)
  • Admission inside museums

Not suitable for

  • Children under 6 years
  • People with mobility impairments
  • People with low level of fitness
  • Wheelchair users

Meeting point

Meet your guide at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Boston Common, steps from the Boston Common Visitors Center at 139 Tremont Street (02108). Look for a white granite column topped by a female figure holding a flag; four bronze statues surround the base of the central column.

Open in Google Maps

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

Not allowed

  • Luggage or large bags
  • Video recording

Know before you go

  • Walking tour travels approximately 2.0 miles (3.2 km)
  • Activity operates rain or shine; tour is entirely outdoors
  • Inaccessible: steep hills, non-ADA-compliant sidewalks
  • Tour duration varies, but won't be more than 3.0 hours
Save up to 10%

From $35 $32 per person

Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today
Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5
4.8 out of 5 stars

based on 19 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    5/5
  • Value for money
    5/5
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5
5 out of 5 stars
M
Marion – AustraliaJune 22, 2025 – Verified booking
Will was a fantastic guide - extremely well-informed, passionate about his subjects, engaging and interesting. He crafted stories about important individuals and events in a way that really brought them to life, including kinda acting out certain scenes! Congratulations Will on your presentation and many thanks!

Response from provider

June 23, 2025

This is so gratifying to read, Marion! Will has impressed Boston visitors and residents alike for years as a park ranger with his incredible historical knowledge and presentation skills. We're so lucky Will decided to bring his talents to Hub Town Tours to become our Research Manager! Thank you for supporting a local business with your stellar review.

5
5 out of 5 stars
C
Carol – United StatesMay 27, 2025 – Verified booking
Our tour guide, William, was very knowledgeable. He presented the information clearly and directed it to the whole group with wonderful enthusiasm.

Response from provider

May 28, 2025

Thank you for the wonderful review of Will's tour, Carol! Will is truly a master of sharing Boston's revolutionary history with passion.

5
5 out of 5 stars
A
Alecia – United StatesNovember 11, 2023 – Verified booking
William was a Great guide who was very passionate about the tour! It was nice to learn about the black history in Boston.

Product ID: 440353

Activity provider:
Hub Town Tours
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