The Freedom Trail is one of the top rated walking tours of Boston, so what better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than to get outside + see where it all began?
Grab your walking shoes (or better yet, a BlueBike) and this handy dandy guide for a day of history on the ~2.5 mile trail that celebrates 16 of the most iconic landmarks of the American Revolution.
Start your historic tour with these six stops along the Freedom Trail.
The Park Street Church is located by the Boston Common + the State House. | Photo by BOStoday team
Start your tour with a long stroll through America’s oldest public park. The 44-acre green space was established in 1634. The park features ballfields, green spaces for dogs to run, and the Frog Pond + the spray pool is now open for the summer. Dig into the roots of the nearby Public Garden too.
Look for the 217-ft tall steeple that was once the first landmark travelers saw when arriving in Boston. The steeple earned Boston the tallest building in the US title for 36 years. Before it was a church, this was the location of the City’s grain storage + where the sails for the USS Constitution were made.
The oldest school in America was founded on April 23, 1635 and offered free education to young boys. The original school house opened in 1645 and the mosaic in the sidewalk marks the location of the building today. Did you know that five signers of the Declaration of Independence attended school here?
Look for helpful signage posted along the Freedom Trail. | Photo by BOStoday team
This location has stood the test of time, fire, and revolution as the oldest surviving public building in Boston. On July 18, 1776, Bostonians gathered under the balcony to hear the Declaration of Independence for the first time. Pro tip: you can go inside the building and take a look around with multi-sensory exhibits and artifacts.
Much like the building is today, this was the hub for commerce in the mid-1740s. This marketplace was also the location where Americans first protested the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act of 1764 — you know, the one that stated “no taxation without representation.” Pro tip: while you are here, head over to Sam Adams Boston Taproom next door for the Freedom TrALE — a newly released session brown ale.
Known as Boston’s oldest church that also launched the revolution, the location is famous for being the destination where Paul Revere warned that British troops were advancing “one if by land, two if by sea.” The church is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pro tip: the church will host a Fourth of July celebration ringing the bells at 12 p.m., a fifes and drums performance at 2 p.m. + a scavenger hunt.
Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular | Mon, July 4 | 7-11 p.m. | Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade | Free | Enjoy a special performance of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular after a three-year hiatus with guest artists Chaka Khan + Heather Headley.
City of Boston Independence Day Parade | Mon., July 4 | 9-10 a.m. | City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square | Free | Enjoy the Independence Day parade, beginning at City Hall Square and ending near the Old State House. 🇺🇲
Josh Groban | Wed., July 6 | 7 p.m. | Leader Bank Pavilion, 293 Northern Ave. | $50+ | Raise the night up with the singer + songwriter at the “Harmony Tour” show.
Thursday
Over the Bridge | Thurs., July 7 | 7 p.m. | Time Out Market, 401 Park Dr. | Price of purchase | Kick off the summer concert series with this reggae-rock band from Gloucester. 🎵
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Tiffani Faison’s Orfanohas closed. The upscale Italian restaurant at 188 Brookline Ave. opened in 2019. What’s cooking for the four-time James Beard Award nominee? There is a new concept coming soon at the former Tiger Mama location and Fool’s Errand, the adult snack bar, is expected to fully reopen. (Eater Boston)
Sports
News around the ice rink is buzzing. The Bruinshave namedJim Montgomery as the new head coach. The NHL team is working to confirm a three year, $2 million per year deal for the St. Louis Blues assistant. 🏒 (ESPN)
Pets
Fireworks + celebrations can be fun for people, but scary for pets. The Animal Rescue League of Boston has tips for keeping your animals safe during the celebrations today — including updating their identification tags, using a white noise machine, and securing their environment. 🐶
Concert
The Boston Parks and Recreation Department will host summer concerts at the City’s two golf courses. All shows will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evenings through August at the George Wright Golf Course Clubhouse (420 West St.) + the William Devine Golf Course Clubhouse (1 Circuit Dr., Dorchester). View the lineup here.
Arts
The Latinx Theatre Commons announced the recipient of the first Diane Rodriguez Teatrista Award, Patricia Garza. The award was created to celebrate an individual who increases representation for the Latinx community + comes with a $5,000 unrestricted grant. Nominations for the 2023 award will open in the fall. 🏆
Ranked
No. 3. That’s where Massachusetts ranked on WalletHub’s recent list of the most independent states in the US. The list was created by analyzingdependency factors including consumer finance, the government, job market, international trade + personal vices.
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Head to Boston Burger Co. today and get yourself a Red, White + Boom — strawberry cheesecake ice cream accompanied by Twizzlers, a strawberry shortcake ice cream popsicle, cotton candy + sprinkles. Need we say more?
Run, don’t walk to th eCambridge, Downtown, or Somerville locations to light up your sugar fix this Independence Day. 🍦
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Editor’s pick:Where are my fellow Stranger Things fans? No spoiler alerts, I promise.On Friday, the last two episodes for Season Four of the popular Netflix show were released, and if you haven’t watched it yet, you are going to need to block four hours out to see what happens to the gang from Hawkins.
Take a look at this flashback, courtesy of A4cde, when the world’s best babysitter + Newburyport native Joe Keery(aka Steve Harrington) was in town. While we all wait for the next and final season, let me know — which song would save you from Vecna?
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