A Family Day in Boston: Where to Take Kids, by Age

At a glance

• Where: Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Common to the waterfront, Fenway-Kenmore and Dorchester
• Hours: Typically 9am to 5pm for museums; check each official site before you go
• Cost: Free: Boston Common, Public Garden, Arnold Arboretum, USS Constitution ship. Paid: museums, from a suggested $15 to about $40 per adult
• Best for: Ages 0 to 12 and up; pick two or three stops per day

Our top things to do in Boston with kids are Boston Common and the Public Garden for free outdoor time, the Freedom Trail for history, and the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Boston Children's Museum and Franklin Park Zoo for rainy or hot days. All of them are inside the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Pick two or three, not eight: this guide tells you which suit which ages, where to park and when to leave.

What is the best order for a family day in Boston?

Start outdoors in the morning, do one indoor anchor after lunch, and leave before the kids hit the wall. The full route is near the end of this guide, and the picks below are sorted so you can swap stops in and out.

If you only remember one thing: Boston Common was founded in 1634 and the City of Boston calls it America's oldest park, while the Public Garden next door, established in 1837, is described by the city as the first public botanical garden in America. Two firsts, one street crossing, no admission.

How we chose

Every pick is inside Boston city limits and was checked against its own official site in November 2026 for address, typical hours and a kid-relevant detail. We left out places where we could not confirm the basics. Hours and prices change, so check each official site before you go.

Which Boston stops suit toddlers and preschoolers?

For ages 0 to 5, choose the Boston Children's Museum, Boston Common and Franklin Park Zoo.

Boston Children's Museum (Fort Point / Seaport)

The Boston Children's Museum, 308 Congress Street, is typically open Wednesday to Monday, 9am to 4pm, and closed Tuesdays. Admission is listed at $24 for adults and for children ages 1 to 15, and infants under 12 months are free. PlaySpace is the area designed for ages 0 to 3. The museum validates parking at four garages, including Stillings Street and Farnsworth Street. By T, the museum says it is about three blocks from South Station on the Red Line, across the Congress Street bridge, and you will know you have arrived when you see the 40-foot milk bottle out front. Go on a weekday morning and plan to leave by early afternoon.

Boston Common (Downtown / Beacon Hill)

Boston Common, at 139 Tremont Street, is free and has a spray pool at Frog Pond in summer and ice skating in winter, according to the City of Boston. The page also mentions a tot lot. It is the easiest first stop of the day because the Freedom Trail starts here and there is no ticket to buy. If you drive, the Boston Common Garage on Charles Street is the closest garage to the Public Garden, per the Swan Boats site.

Public Garden (Back Bay)

The Public Garden is the flat, stroller-friendly neighbor of the Common, with a pond and paths. The Swan Boats are seasonal: the official Swan Boats site says they run daily from April to September, rides last 10 to 15 minutes, and strollers can be folded on board or left by the dock. Outside that season the garden itself is still free and open for a good walk. The Green Line to Arlington is about a four-minute walk away.

Franklin Park Zoo (Dorchester / Roxbury)

Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, is typically open 9am to 4pm daily from November 9 to March 31 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas), with the last ticket sold an hour before closing. Parking is free in the lots at the Giraffe and Zebra entrances, which makes it the cheapest car-based pick on this list. By transit, take the Orange Line to Ruggles or Jackson Square and then a bus. Ticket prices vary by date, so buy ahead online. The zoo has a Children's Zoo area for younger kids.

Which stops suit ages 6 to 10?

For ages 6 to 10, choose the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science, the USS Constitution Museum and the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.

New England Aquarium (Downtown waterfront)

The New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, is typically open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm. Admission is listed at $39.95 for adults and $30.95 for children 3 to 11, with children 2 and under free. The Blue Line's Aquarium station is about 100 yards from the door. The aquarium has no parking of its own, and nearby garages run roughly $42 a day without validation, so take the T. Weekends often sell out, so book ahead.

Museum of Science (West End / Science Park)

The Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, typically opens its exhibit halls daily 9am to 5pm. Admission is listed at $33 for adults and $28 for children 3 to 11, and under-3s are free. Planetarium, Omni and 4-D shows add $6. The museum garage is free for nonmembers for 30 minutes or less, then $15 for up to an hour and $18 for up to two hours, and the Green Line's Science Park station (D and E branches) is the nearest stop. Tip for planners: it closes at 2pm the day before Thanksgiving and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

USS Constitution Museum and USS Constitution (Charlestown)

The USS Constitution Museum in the Charlestown Navy Yard is typically open daily 10am to 5pm, with suggested admission of $15 standard and a pay-what-you-can range. The ship itself is typically open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, is free, and is first come, first served. It is an active-duty Navy vessel, so expect security screening, and visitors 18 and over need photo ID. Both the museum and the ship close on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The museum recommends the Nautica parking garage at 88 Constitution Road.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (Seaport / Fort Point)

The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, 306 Congress Street, runs tours daily from 10am, with the last tour at 4pm and general admission listed from $36. It sits across the street from the Children's Museum, so the two make a natural pairing if you have a mixed-age group. Discounted parking is offered at the Farnsworth Street Garage and Atlantic Wharf Garage.

Which stops suit tweens and the whole family?

For ages 10 and up, choose the Freedom Trail, the Paul Revere House, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Arnold Arboretum.

The Freedom Trail (Downtown to Charlestown)

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile red line leading to 16 nationally significant historic sites, and the foundation says the trail was preserved and dedicated by Boston's citizens in 1951. The trail begins at Boston Common, and the official site lists daily Walk Into History guided tours at 10am, 11am, noon, 1pm and 2pm, and describes the costumed-guide tours as excellent for families. Do not try to walk all of it with kids: do the first mile, to the Old State House area, and ride the T for the rest.

Paul Revere House (North End)

The Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, is typically open 10am to 4:15pm from November 1 to April 14 and 10am to 5:15pm from April 15 to October 31, and it is closed on Mondays in January, February and March. Check the official site for admission. It is a short stop that works well for ten-year-olds and up.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Fenway-Kenmore)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington Avenue, is typically open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, Thursday and Friday 10am to 10pm, and closed Tuesday. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Adults are $30, ages 7 to 17 are $14, and ages 0 to 6 are free, though every visitor needs a ticket. The museum links a Visiting with Kids and Family guide from its visit page. On Thursdays and Fridays the MFA stays open until 10pm, so a late-afternoon visit with older kids is easy to fit after a busy day.

Arnold Arboretum (Jamaica Plain)

The Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, is open daily from sunrise to sunset and is free. The Visitor Center is typically open 10am to 4pm and offers self-guided family activities, such as a scavenger hunt and a wildlife search, that you can print or pick up. Free street parking is available along Arborway, Flora Way and Walter Street. Go here when everyone needs room to run.

Where to park and when to eat

The short answer: take the T for the waterfront and downtown, and drive only to Franklin Park Zoo, the Arnold Arboretum and the Charlestown Navy Yard. Franklin Park Zoo has free lots and the Arnold Arboretum has free street parking, while the New England Aquarium's nearby garages run about $42 a day without validation.

For meals, our advice is opinion, not a rule: eat early, around 11:30, or late, after 1:15, to skip the lunch crush, and carry snacks for every leg. Boston Common and the Public Garden are good picnic spots in decent weather. Check each venue's official site for food rules and cafe hours before you rely on them.

Leave each place on a high note. Two hours is the sweet spot for most museums with under-8s, and anything past 4pm usually ends in tears. Several stops close at 4 or 5pm, which helps.

What does one full day in Boston with kids look like?

This route works Wednesday through Monday (the Children's Museum and MFA are closed Tuesdays) and suits ages 5 to 12. Adjust for naps.

1. 9:30am: Boston Common. Run it out at the Frog Pond area, then cross to the Public Garden for a stroller-friendly loop.
2. 11:00am: The Freedom Trail, which begins at Boston Common. Join the 11am or noon Walk Into History tour, or follow the red line on your own for the first stretch.
3. 12:30pm: Lunch break. Eat before the next stop so nobody tours an aquarium hungry.
4. 1:30pm: Take the Blue Line to Aquarium and spend two hours at the New England Aquarium.
5. 4:00pm: Head home or to dinner. Do not add a fourth stop.

Rainy-day swap: replace steps 1 and 2 with the Museum of Science. Toddler swap: replace the Freedom Trail with the Boston Children's Museum.

For more planning, see the Downtown, Fenway-Kenmore and Seaport District area pages, and the Boston weather page before you pick indoor or outdoor.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Boston with kids?

The most reliable picks are Boston Common and the Public Garden, the Freedom Trail, the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science and the Boston Children's Museum. All are inside the city of Boston, and each has its own official site for hours and tickets.

What is a good Boston activity for toddlers?

The Boston Children's Museum at 308 Congress Street has PlaySpace, an area designed for ages 0 to 3. Boston Common also has a tot lot and a spray pool at Frog Pond in summer, according to the City of Boston.

Where can I park when visiting Boston with kids?

Franklin Park Zoo has free lots at its Giraffe and Zebra entrances, and the Arnold Arboretum has free street parking. For downtown and the waterfront, the T is easier, since garages near the New England Aquarium run about $42 a day without validation.

Is the Freedom Trail good for kids?

Yes, in small doses. The Freedom Trail begins at Boston Common, and its official site lists daily Walk Into History guided tours and calls the costumed-guide tours excellent for families. The full trail is 2.5 miles, so most families do the first section only.

Does the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston have free admission for children?

Only for younger children. Ages 0 to 6 are free, ages 7 to 17 pay $14, and every visitor needs a ticket, per the museum's official visit page. Check the site before you go, since prices change.