Begin your tour at the Old State House, where you’ll learn about its role in colonial Boston and the events surrounding the Boston Massacre. From there, walk down historic State Street toward Long Wharf, one of Boston’s oldest and most historic wharves.
Continue along the Harborwalk, passing Long Wharf, Central Wharf, and the New England Aquarium area while discussing Boston’s development as a major seaport. Along the way, see historic and modern landmarks including the Boston Harbor Hotel and its distinctive arch, Rowes Wharf, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and the historic Northern Avenue Bridge.
At Rowes Wharf, see the many harbor cruise and commuter vessels that continue Boston’s maritime traditions today. Your guide brings nearly 30 years of experience having worked aboard Boston Harbor tour boats with Massachusetts Bay Lines, providing a firsthand perspective on the harbor and its changing waterfront.
Cross Fort Point Channel into Boston’s modern Seaport District. From the vantage point of Fan Pier, enjoy some of the most impressive views of Boston. Pass the John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse, site of several high-profile trials, including the trial of local mob boss Whitey Bulger and one of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers.
Continue along the Harborwalk past the Institute of Contemporary Art and toward Boston’s World Trade Center at Commonwealth Pier, a former major ocean liner terminal. Explore Boston’s connections to ocean liners, immigration, international trade, and maritime disasters, including the arrival in Boston of a large section of Titanic’s hull known as “The Big Piece,” recovered from the wreck site in 1998.
On the return route, learn about the transformation of many of the older buildings in this part of South Boston into lofts, shops, and modern commercial spaces. Pass the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, where you’ll hear about the events that led up to the Boston Tea Party and see replicas of the Eleanor and Beaver, two of the ships associated with the event.
Nearby, hear about the Great Boston Fire of 1872, which devastated much of Boston’s commercial district. Despite the destruction, the city recovered and rebuilt, and learn how Boston has continued to grow and evolve.
Continue through the Rose Kennedy Greenway, created after the elevated Central Artery was removed as part of the Big Dig and replaced with green space. Along the way, various Boston skyscrapers and architectural landmarks will be discussed, including the Custom House. The original Custom House was completed in 1847, while the tower was added many decades later and completed in 1915—an excellent example of a recurring theme in Boston, where the new often builds upon the old.
