To read the first part of my review: Click Here.

The First Public School and Ben Franklin were the next sites, but I don't really remember seeing them. We then passed the Old Corner Bookstore which is now a jewelry store and sits right across the street from a very large Borders.

From here we went to the Old South Meeting House. We skipped the $7 museum. (We were on a budget.) It was from this meeting house the angry colonists marched to the Boston Harbor to dump tea. While the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum isn't part of the Freedom Trail, it is a suggested detour and worth the visit. Just be sure that it is open because a fire in 2006 has kept it closed until sometime in 2007.

From the meeting house we went to the Old State House. This is where the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts took place. Outside of this is also the site of the Boston Massacre. The path does not take you directly over the small area where the five colonists were killed. Instead, the guidebook tells you to look for it cobblestones in a circle in the middle of the street.

After this you are taken to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. This by the way, is where the detour to the Boston Tea Party Museum is. This is a great place to get in some shopping, eating or just sit and relax. Quincy Market has a great variety of food from local favorites to international cuisines. The walk from Faneuil Hall to Paul Revere's house (the next stop) is the longest area on the path between sites. This is also where the red line seems to disappear. Crossing over to the North End, we lost the line, only to retrieve it shortly before getting to Paul Revere's home.

I have to say, if you didn't eat at Quincy Market, you are going to want to eat in the North End. There are many Italian Restaurants and everything smelled delicious. If it's a warm day, stop for a gelato and if it's a cold day stop for a cappuccino.

Next is the Old North Church, which is right next to the Paul Revere mall. The mall is just a beautiful garden/patio area with a statue of Revere. The Church was used to signal to other neighborhoods that the British were coming.

The last stop on the Boston part of the Freedom Trail was Copp's Hill Burying Ground. I almost wasn't willing to go this far because I figured once you saw one burial ground, you saw them all. I was wrong. Go to this location. It is on a hill overlooking the harbor and onto Charlestown. It was very scenic, and worth the trip.

This is where it ended for me. I think the Freedom Trail is great for first-time visitors to Boston to witness the history of the United States.

The Freedom Trail is an absolutely free way to see Boston's historical sites. A red painted or doubled red brick line acts as a guide through the city, with a freedom trail marker telling you that yes, this is historical. There are some places where the line might disappear for a second and because of that, it might be useful to get a map. There is also a chance that you will want to know what you are looking at and if that's the case, get the guidebook. The map and guidebook are available at the Boston Common Visitor Center, which is conveniently also the start of the Freedom Trail! The Trail starts in Boston and ends in Charlestown, right across the river. We only went through Boston, which ended in the North End. It was less than 2 miles one way. (To do Charlestown also is a total of 2.5 miles.)

Before starting, make sure you have at least 3 hours to devote to this, some cash, comfortable shoes, and a camera. We decided against purchasing the map and just got the guidebook. The guidebook was only $7, the map $2. The guidebook included suggested detours off of the trail, but we decided not to do those. We began at Boston Common. The history of the common is as old as the history of Boston itself. Like many parks in America's cities its diverse usage includes agriculture and hangings.

We next marched up to the New State House. The guide book told us that the New State house is actually 200 years old, but is called new because it is newer than the Old State House. The day we were there, there was a protest outside of the State House. It was great to see government in action. We did not get to really enjoy the site, but it is still a pretty magnificent building. If anyone has seen the movie "The Departed," this building is the view Matt Damon's character has when he gets his Boston condo.

We followed the red line to Park Street Church. It's a simple church that could probably go unnoticed. On the steps of this Church the song "America" or "My Country Tis of Thee" was first sung. Right next to the church is the Burial ground that according to the guidebook holds a large number of famous historical names. A big statue in the center of the cemetery marks the graves of Benjamin Franklin's parents.

Next was King's Chapel. We weren't able to go in this trip, but I have been in before and found it to be quite different than any other chapel I have ever been to. I recommend it. There is also a Burial ground next to this.

On the way to the next stop, you will walk by the Omni Parker House Hotel. Here you can eat Boston Creme Pie and the Dinner Roll from the very place that invented it.

Part 2

Boston Common is the beautiful piece of parkland that is framed by Charles, Tremont, Beacon, and Boylston Streets in the middle of the city. Its 50 acres are beautifully kept and well preserved - especially since this is thought to be one of the oldest public parks in the United States.

Boston Common has served different purposes throughout the centuries. In the beginning of the Revolutionary War, it was used by the British as a campground. In the early 1800s, it was used as the place for mob scenes and hangings. With all the historical turmoil that took place here, it's no wonder that the popular rumor nowadays is that the Common is haunted.

The Common these days is more of a place for a quiet picnic as opposed to a revolution. Walkers and casual lunchers flood the area during sunny afternoons. In the summer, there is a theatre company that puts on "Shakespeare on the Common" shows every evening in the rotunda in the southeast corner. The shows are free and offer an excellent low-budget cultural escape from the everyday.

Those that are athletically inclined are also drawn to the Common to participate in sporting events - both organized and not. The southwest corner is home to a well-lit ballfield for area teams. Some people bring their frisbees to play with their friends or toss to their dogs (which are allowed in the park).

Boston Common lies at the beginning of Beacon Hill, so is set at a higher altitude than the surrounding neighborhoods to the south. This offers an excellent view of the Back Bay area of Boston peeking through the trees on the well-kept paths.

To get to the Common, you can take the red or green subway lines to Park Street. The Common is also the first stop on the Freedom Trail, which is extremely popular for most tourist tours. The Common is a sight in itself, though, so plan to spend some time on a nice day poking around.

Walking around Boston Common on a sunny day is very pleasant - not too crowded and filled with green grass and lots of flowers. Like a mini-Central Park!

The Common is the nation’s oldest public park and was established in 1634. During it’s nearly 400-year history, this 50-acre green space in downtown Boston has been the site of concerts, military training exercises, concerts, protests, outdoor recreation, picnics, and the city’s first public water system. It also sits above the nation’s first subway tunnel, which is still in use along Tremont Street between the Park and Boylston Streets T stations. There are also several historic sites within the park, including the Great Elm where hangings once took place, and the Central Burying Ground, where many British and American casualties of the Battle of Bunker Hill were laid to rest. A number of military memorials are also scattered throughout the Common.

Visitors to The Common today will find a beautiful park that’s open all year to a variety of activities. In the winter, the park is a popular site for ice skating on the frozen Frog Pond and sledding on the snowy Flagstaff Hill. Summers are filled with kids splashing on the banks of the Frog Pond, free Shakespeare plays staged in the Parkman Bandstand, concerts, recreational sports, and other activities. Year-round, a collection of street vendors and colorful characters preaching their random thoughts from a soapbox can be found near the Park Street T station entrances in the Common’s northeast corner.

The Common’s central location also makes it, and the adjacent Public Garden, the centerpiece of a variety of must-see sites. Surrounding the Common are the Massachusetts State House; Park St. Church; Old Granary Burying Ground; and the beautiful, upscale, and historic Beacon Hill neighborhood. You’ll also find the Downtown Crossing shopping district, theater district, Back Bay, and Newberry Street shopping area within a few blocks of the parks.