Boston, United States

Photo spots in Boston

• Freedom TrailHistoric
  2.4-mile red-brick path linking 16 historic sites; self-guided free
• Public GardenParks
  Iconic Victorian park with duck sculptures and ornamental lake
• Boston CommonParks
  Oldest public park in US; tree-lined grounds and scenic vistas
• Back Bay BrownstonesArchitecture
  Victorian brownstone neighborhood; Newbury Street shopping area. Neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts; carries an official heritage designation
• Copley SquareArchitecture
  Trinity Church and ornate buildings surrounding public plaza
• Faneuil Hall and Quincy MarketMarkets
  Iconic marketplace and meeting hall; street performers and shops
• Beacon HillArchitecture
  Historic neighborhood with gas lamps, brick sidewalks, and townhouses
• Old State HouseHistoric
  1713 building at heart of downtown; balcony where Declaration read
• USS ConstitutionHistoric
  World's oldest commissioned warship still afloat; tours available
• Paul Revere HouseHistoric
  Oldest building in downtown Boston; iconic North End landmark
• Charles River EsplanadeWaterfront
  Scenic riverside park with bike paths and walking trails
• Massachusetts State HouseArchitecture
  1798 Neoclassical building with gilded dome; tours available free
• Boston Harbor Islands ViewWaterfront
  Views of Harbor islands and waterfront from downtown promenades
• Longfellow BridgeBridges
  Iconic salt-pepper shaker towers spanning Charles River
• North End WaterfrontWaterfront
  Harbor views, outdoor seating, and waterfront promenade
• Museum of Fine Arts BostonMuseums
  The Shapiro Family Courtyard and the glass-roofed Art of the Americas wing are the only places with real daylight; everything else is tungsten. Handheld photography without flash is allowed, and Wednesday evenings are the thinnest crowds.
• Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumMuseums
  The four-storey Venetian courtyard is lit entirely through its glass roof, so bright overcast beats hard sun. Photography is permitted in the courtyard only, no tripods, and anyone named Isabella gets in free.
• New England AquariumZoos & aquariums
  The Giant Ocean Tank spirals four storeys and the top two levels have the least glare and the best angle on the sea turtles. Timed tickets sell out on rainy days, which is exactly when everyone shows up.
• Museum of ScienceMuseums
  It sits on a dam between Boston and Cambridge, so the parking-deck side hands you a clean Charles River skyline before you even buy a ticket. Inside, the lightning show in the Theater of Electricity is the real photo; shoot 1/125s and burst it.
• View BostonViewpoints
  Three floors at the top of the Prudential Tower, including an open-air roof deck that beats shooting through glass. Book the last slot before sunset and you get golden hour and the lit skyline on one ticket.
• Franklin Park ZooZoos & aquariums
  Head to the Tropical Forest gorilla house at opening while the animals are still active. The glass is scratched throughout, so a rubber lens hood pressed flat against it is the difference between usable and not.
• Boston Tea Party Ships & MuseumMuseums
  Costumed guides and two replica brigs moored in the Fort Point Channel, with the ship decks outdoors, so time it for late-day light. From the Congress Street Bridge you can shoot the rigging against the Financial District without a ticket.
• Fenway Park TourSports
  Non-game-day tours put you in the Green Monster seats, which is the shot; game-day tours do not. Take the first tour of the morning for an empty field and side light down the third-base line.
• Boston African American National Historic SiteHistoric
  National Historic Site — NPS unit; centroid coordinates, so aim for the main entrance or visitor center when you arrive.
• Boston Amtrak StationTransit
  Amtrak stop BBY — platform, trains and station architecture; historic depots often photograph best from the track side at golden hour.
• Boston National Historical ParkParks
  National Historical Park — NPS unit; centroid coordinates, so aim for the main entrance or visitor center when you arrive.
• Bunker Hill MonumentViewpoints
  294 steps, free — Charlestown rooftops and the Zakim bridge.
• JFK Presidential Library and MuseumMuseums
  I.M. Pei's white pavilion on the harbor. Presidential library and museum for U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Boston, Massachusetts
• TD GardenSports
  TD Garden — exterior and marquee shots are free any day; coordinates curated from general knowledge, confirm exact position before publishing.
• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation AreaParks
  National Recreation Area — NPS unit; centroid coordinates, so aim for the main entrance or visitor center when you arrive.
• Boston Navy YardMuseums
  Shipbuilding facility in the United States Navy; carries an official heritage designation
• Fort IndependenceHistoric
  Fort on Castle Island in South Boston, Massachusetts; carries an official heritage designation
• Metropolitan Waterworks MuseumMuseums
  Museum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts; carries an official heritage designation
• Peabody Museum of Archaeology and EthnologyMuseums
  Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Harvard BridgeBridges
  Bridge over the Charles River near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• The Graves LightLighthouses
  Lighthouse, built 1903.
• Francis L. Murphy Skating RinkIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Allied Veterans Memorial RinkIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Simoni Skating RinkIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Porrazzo Skating RinkIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Quincy Youth ArenaIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Cronin Memorial Skating ArenaIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Lawrence Larsen RinkIce rinks
  Indoor ice rink, open year round.
• Deer Island LightLighthouses
  Lighthouse, built 1890.
• Long Island Head LightLighthouses
  Lighthouse, built 1901.
• Scituate LightLighthouses
  Lighthouse, built 1811-09-19.
• Minot's Ledge LightLighthouses
  Lighthouse, built 1850.
• Boston Harbor City Cruises (Long Wharf)Waterfront
  Departure point for Boston Harbor City Cruises' sightseeing tours at One Long Wharf, beside the New England Aquarium; the end of the wharf has open views across the harbor.

Where to stay

Hotels near these spots are shown on the map as bed pins, grouped into three price bands, with a booking link for each one. Open the map and tick “Hotels” in the legend.