Another great thing to do while in Boston is to walk the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail is a marked walking path that is absolutely free to walk. There are several sites on the path that request a small fee ($5 or under) or a donation. Our GoBostonCard, included these fees and donations, so walking the trail was a completely free attraction for me.

The trail is marked by a double red brick line or a wide red painted line. It runs for about 2 1/2 to 3 miles and encompasses sights like Bunker Hill, old graveyards, and Paul Revere's home. This was a really neat thing to do and you could spot people following the trail all over Boston. This is the best way to take in the historical sights. What a feeling to walk down streets where patriots like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere walked!

One of the neatest sights on the trail for me was the Old North Church, where the lanterns were hanging to signify which way the British were invading. The church still holds services today and Paul Revere's prayer box is marked and still maintained by his family. As the trail winds its way past monuments, graveyards, and homes of patriots, you can just imagine the conversations and excitement present during the Revolutionary period of American History. It was really an awesome way to spend the afternoon.

This being said... do not forget really good walking shoes. Also my friend, who has a heart condition grew tired on some of the hills along the trail. People who have physical conditions may need to break up the trail into different segments over longer periods of time. Also, we never found a really good map available of the trail to help plan our progression. There are maps available at the Visitor Center, near the Old North Church, but I found it to difficult to handle and read.

Overall, this was a wonderful way to see Boston and to take in a lot of history. It is something I would suggest that everyone do at least some of if the come to Boston. It was nice to tour the streets of Boston as we wandered from sight to sight, and you just can beat the price ---free!

Visit Paul Revere's house. There is access to Old Ironsides in the Charleston Harbor. Visit Fanuil Hall and go upstairs to see where many of our famous orators gave their speeches. In this city of bustling newness, there is engrained a marvelous sense of history and wonder at how we came to be as a nation. It will take you about four hours to walk the trail but spend time at each place soaking up the feeling. Bring your children when they are old enough for they will delight in what they see and remember it when the have it in history class.

Begin at the Tourist Information Center located in Boston Common behind Park St Station (Red and Green lines on the T). Get yourself a map (or snag one ahead of time from your hotel lobby) and follow the red line on the sidewalk which snakes throughout the city, taking you on a magical history tour. The past is one with the present as you explore Faneuil Hall where the Colonists debated separation from England while right next door your teenager can shop at Abercromby's!

The Trail can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on how much you take in at each historical site. Also, there are a number of interesting shops and eateries along the way. If you plan to do the Trail in one day, be sure to get over to Charlestown by 3:30 for the last tour of the U.S.S. Constitution.

The walk is easy. It's up to you how fast or how slow to go. Some do it in a half-day, walking past sites without more than a glance while others feel compelled to go inside every building on the route and take two days. However, not all sites are created equal. Plan on the better part of a day. Take your time. See what interests you and have lunch somewhere along the route but get a guide book or free brochure (from the National Parks Service, corner of State and Devonshire, next to the Old State House) so you have some idea of what you're looking at!

Sites are in no particular order - they're a jumble covering buildings and events from different times - so your route doesn't matter. Start at the "end" of the trail, at Old Ironsides in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Go on the ship and take a look in the museum - it's free. This end gets crowded as the day goes on, so that's another reason to start here. From downtown, take the water shuttle from Long Wharf, next to the aquarium. It's a great way to start your day of sightseeing - a 10 minute ride through the harbor to the Navy Yard for only $1.25.

After Old Ironsides, follow the red line up to Bunker Hill. Climb the tower if you must (free, but 294 steps). The view must have been better when it was first built, but it's not much these days. Then it's over the bridge to the North End and Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burial Ground and Paul Revere's House. If there's not much of a line, stop in at Old North - a speaker regularly gives a 10 minute summary of the church and its moment in history. Continue on, under the Expressway, to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall. Find the entrance to Faneuil Hall (it's neither obvious nor inviting) and go up to the second floor. There National Parks Rangers describe the Hall and Boston's role in American revolutionary history in a 15 minute talk. The Hall is air conditioned and it's a great place to rest before moving on.

Grab a snack in Quincy Market, then follow the trail past the Boston Massacre site, Old State House, Old South Meeting House, Old City Hall (do you notice a theme here? This is the old part of town...). Next it's King's Chapel, a couple of burial grounds (gravestone rubbing no longer allowed), Park Street Church, the State House and Boston Common.

I'm tired already and I'm only typing...Enjoy your walk!