Boston is filled with wonderful things to see and do. Fenway Park hosts Major League Baseball whenever the Boston Red Sox are in town. The Museum of Fine Arts can fill a day or more for those who wish to tour its galleries. Then there are the Harbor Cruises or a trip to the Aquarium. As exciting as all of these events sound , they all cost money and if you are bringing along a family, that translates to lots of money. Fortunately there are also free summer activities in Boston that are easy to access and enjoy.
The Square, the Market, The Common. During the summer months you can find plenty of enjoyment without separating yourself from a dime by spending a few hours soaking up the sunshine and the atmosphere and just being part of the audience for whatever free entertainment is being offered at any of these three Boston gathering spots. At Harvard Square, in adjacent Cambridge, you can browse the merchandise at the Harvard Coop, check out the kiosks around the square, enjoy the live music and even take a walking tour through Boston’s most prestigious university, Harvard. There’s all of this and people watching too at Harvard Square it’s some people’s favorite free summer activity in Boston.
In the heart of the city is spacious Boston Common. Lying at the foot of Beacon Hill, the Common provides wide open spaces in the midst of downtown Boston where you can easily spread out a blanket, enjoy the lunch you brought from home, play ball or toss a Frisbee. After lunch you can enjoy a peaceful and beautiful walk through the adjacent Boston Public Gardens, where the flowers and trees can be enjoyed for no extra charge.
Perhaps the liveliest people-watching location is Quincy Market. There the shopping and eating opportunities draw a real cross section of Bostonians and out of towners. The outdoor entertainment is diverse and plentiful and best of all its free.
The Constitution. You can give your kids a surprise and a lot of fun if you tell them that you are taking them to see the “Constitution. They may think this is a trip to see an old piece of historic paper. Instead you can plan to take them to see the “U.S. S. Constitution” a U. S. warship built more than two hundred years ago and named by then President George Washington.
Summer hours are from Tues-Sun from 10a.m. until 5:50 p.m. Tours are given at 30 minute intervals. You can give your kids a real experience of the nautical life of the late 18th and early 19th century. It’s a very popular tour and is one of the best free summer activities in Boston. You can also spend time touring the adjacent U. S. S. Constitution Museum for no charge. If you arrive by car, take advantage of one of the numerous nearby Constitution parking lots that will leave you only about a 5 minute walk to actually see the Constitution. Visitors should also be advised of the security clearance that must proceed boarding the ship. Because the Constitution is a national treasure it is essential that security precautions be taken.
Boston Landmarks Orchestra. If you are a classical music lover or simply a lover of good music, one of the best free summer activities in Boston is provided by Boston Landmarks Orchestra. The goal of this organization is to make high quality music available so that people can come to enjoy and appreciate great classical music . Landmarks also attempts to provide classic backgrounds against which newer music can be presented.
Begun in 2001 under the direction of Conductor Charles Ansbacher , the Boston Landmarks Orchestra is sponsored by major Boston businesses, cultural organizations and civic groups. The orchestra performs at various locations throughout the city at places like Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade, Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common and Jamaica Pond.
For this year’s schedule continue to check at www.landmarksorchestra.org. It’s great entertainment and a free summer activity in Boston.
Just out of the City. You can find a great free summer activity near Boston by driving just 10 miles to Norwood Center. There is an old fashioned town common setting you can make Sunday night something special. Pack up the family and stake out a place on the common and get ready for musical entertainment each Sunday beginning at 7 p.m.
It’s not the Boston Pops but there is a variety of musical entertainment here that will keep your children happy and your own feet tapping. It’s free, it’s near Boston and its a free summer activity in the Boston area that is really family friendly. Each week different groups perform and the variety is something that will keep you coming back, so is the price. Concert run through Sept. 4
If you choose you can follow up on the concert with some light refreshment you can walk to eateries and ice cream parlors that are on the very next block. But you can enjoy the concert at no charge.
There is lots to do in the Boston. You are welcomed to spend your hard earned money if you wish but don’t forget some of these great free summer activities in Boston.
