Summer is a great time to visit Boston. You’ll find plenty of fun outdoor activities in the city, from cocktail gardens to hammocking! Here are 25 fun Boston summer activities that range from enjoying the summer heat to cooling off indoors.
Last Updated: January 9th, 2024
[ez-toc]
Disclaimer: This website contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you make a booking using my links at no extra cost to you.
Best Boston Summer Activities
Picnic or Kayak the Charles River Esplanade
First on the Boston summer activities list is spending the day at the Charles River Esplanade. The 3-mile-long park is perfect for all sorts of activities, from hammocking, running, rollerblading, and biking (there’s a Blue Bike stand near the bridge). My friends and I personally enjoy grabbing takeout from a nearby restaurant and eating it on a hammock!
For the most adventurous types, you can rent a boat or kayak at the Charles River Canoe & Kayak. There are boating stations throughout the river. It’s a pretty popular Boston date activity in the summer!
Whether you’re a tourist or a local, a unique Boston summer activity is to take a 2.5 Hour City View Bike Tour to see and learn more about the city!
Sip at a Rooftop Bar
Summer is the perfect time to admire the city skyline from a rooftop bar. Here are some of Boston’s best rooftop bars:
- Lookout Rooftop & Bar in Seaport
- Deck12 at Yotel in Seaport
- Six West in South Boston, located inside the Cambria Hotel (pictured). Their truffle fries are awesome!
- Over the Charles in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Boston’s Allston
- Dorchester Brewing Company. They have a rooftop overlooking Dorchester which is combined with M&M BBQ.
- Felipe’s Rooftop & Bar in Harvard Square. They have a much more casual vibe compared to the others and are typically filled with the college-aged crowd.
View Boston also recently opened. It’s a 360-degree viewing platform atop the Prudential building. I will admit that the admission is pretty pricey, though – starting at $35 per person.
Go Whale Watching
A fun and unique Boston summer activity is to take a whale-watching cruise! (1,600+ reviews). The three-hour cruise allows you to see whales and dolphins up close while also learning facts about them from the tour guide. It’d be a great family activity in the summer.
Check out the Rose Gardens
Between May and August, check out the roses at one of the rose gardens across the city. In the Back Bay Fens, you’ll find the Keheller Rose Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Rose Garden in the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. Both are free to enter — I recommend going sooner to see them in full bloom.
Further Reading: 39 Completely Free Things to Do in Boston
Eat a Cold Treat
There’s nothing I love more in the summer heat than a refreshing dessert. There are plenty of options around Boston. Top ice cream spots include Toscanini’s in Cambridge, Berryline for frozen yogurt, and JP Licks.
While I love ice cream, I enjoy other cold treats as well. Helado Juli’s (pictured above) near the Blue Line Airport Station in East Boston is one of the best for refreshing Latin American desserts. I recommend their Minuta Tropical, which is a shaved snow with your choice of three syrups, fresh fruits, condensed milk, and tamarind puree on top. The shaved ice is easily large enough to be shared among two people, and it’s super refreshing.
Further Reading: Boston Dessert Guide (31+ spots!)
Go on a Food Tour
On the topic of food, another must-do Boston summer activity is to go on a guided food tour. It’s a great way to explore Boston’s cuisine and make new friends! These are some highly-rated tours around the city:
- North End to Freedom Trail History Food Tour
- North End Pizza Tour, which includes 3 slices and a cannoli!
- North End Secret Food Tour
- Boston Underground Donut Tour
Attend a Baseball Game at Fenway Park
March to October is baseball season. Enjoy a game at the historic Fenway Park, which is one of the oldest baseball stadiums in the United States’ MLB League. They host games fairly regularly, and tickets for most games have inexpensive options (I’ve gotten tickets for around $25!)
While you’re there, enjoy the iconic Fenway Frank with a beer. These hot dogs are boiled and then grilled for a satisfying texture.
Alternatively, you can take a 1 Hour Guided Tour of Fenway Park that uncovers the history of the stadium and Red Sox, as well as other insider access!
Go on the Iconic Duck Tour
Whether you’re a local to the area or a first-time visitor, the Boston Duck Tours (1,800+ reviews) is definitely the most iconic Boston summer activity you can do! The tour traverses through all the city’s historical landmarks and even drives into the river at the end.
Alternatively, take the popular Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour (600+ reviews).
Traveling to Boston? Check out my handy 3 Day Boston Itinerary
People-Watch on Newbury Street
Back Bay is one of the most lively and action-packed Boston neighborhoods. During the summer, they close Newbury Street off from cars so that pedestrians can walk through. From street vendors to food stands to live music, the street becomes bustling with plenty of people.
My friends and I particularly enjoy having a meal on one of Newbury Street’s outdoor patios (Gre.Co for gyros is my top pick).
Sowa Market
Every Sunday, SoWa in Boston’s South End neighborhood hosts the city’s largest open outdoor market. With 100 regional and local vendors, food trucks, and stores, there’s no shortage of shopping. You can buy everything from handmade jewelry, handbags, clothing, art, and produce.
While one side of the market focuses on shopping, the other side is filled with local food trucks and outdoor seating. You’ll find the best Boston foods including Black Bird Donuts, Kohi Coffee Company, and When Pigs Fly. The outdoor seating area is relatively large (and thankfully has umbrellas to protect against the sun), but it fills up quickly on really nice days.
Check out the SoWa Website for more details!
Cool off at a Museum
On days when the heat is impossible to bear, enjoy the AC at a Boston museum. You can easily spend hours in the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
If you’re visiting more than one museum in a day, I recommend buying a Boston Go City Pass to save money on admission to each museum! This bundle saves about 40% on admission.
Further Reading: 23+ Best Boston Indoor Activities.
Enjoy Some Seafood
Boston is a major seafood city, so enjoying a cold lobster roll, fried clams, or oysters is one of the best Boston summer activities for foodies.
- James Hook & Co or Yankee Lobster for lobster rolls
- Neptune Oyster for oysters
- The Daily Catch for fried calamari, seafood boils, & pasta
Swing at the Lawn on D
The Lawn on D in South Boston is the perfect place to take pictures. The hangout spot is iconic for its Insta-worthy circular swings that light up at night.
Besides that, you can find small bites and drinks, giant-sized versions of Jenga and other board games, and occasional live music on the weekends. I recommend checking out Lawn on D’s calendar for upcoming events.
Go to a Boston Taproom
There’s nothing like an ice-cold beer on a hot day. There are plenty of outdoor breweries and distilleries around the city – you can even go on a guided pub crawl!
One of my favorites is the Sam Adams Brewery, with locations in Roxbury and Fanuiel Hall. I’ve been to the Faneuil Hall location and absolutely loved it. The beer hall has plenty of space, including an outdoor terrace rooftop that overlooks the marketplace. There are over 20 beer options (I opted for #3), and small bites like pretzels and chicken tenders.
Further Reading: 17+ Best Boston Fun Restaurants & Unique Bars
Eat Well During Restaurant Week
Dineout Boston (Previously known as Restaurant Week), runs every summer. The program offers multi-course meals at various Boston restaurants at discounted prices. To make the most of this deal, I always opt for a steakhouse like Ruth Chris or Del Frisco’s in Seaport. I went for lunch and got an appetizer salad, steak, and dessert for only $25!
Play Beach Volleyball
If you’re looking for a sporty Boston summer activity, I recommend beach volleyball at Carson Beach right near Castle Island in South Boston! On weekends, the beach stretch is filled with volleyball nets, and people of all experience levels playing.
Stroll Through the Arnold Arboretum
Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain is a botanical research institution and a free public park. There’s a large collection of trees, plants, and shrubs that have been collected from around the world. What’s crazy is there are over 15,000 plants! You can also get a great view of the Boston skyline from the Peters Hill viewpoint.
Mid-May, you can also see the lilacs bloom.
Boston Summer Activities Near the City
These last few activities will be the best Boston summer activities that range from 15 minutes outside the city to full-day trips.
Go Hiking
Okay, Boston is pretty, flat, but there are a few hiking areas just outside the city. The closest one that I recommend is the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton. The reservation has trails and areas for all experience levels and ages. I typically see families enjoying a picnic at the Houghton’s Pond Recreational Area.
My personal favorite is the Skyline Trail, which is marked by a blue line. The moderate-to-difficult trail lasts for about 2 hours and has a LOT of ups and downs (so bring your hiking shoes). The best part of the trail is at the top, there’s a watchtower where you can get a view of the Boston skyline in the distance.
Go Golfing
Located just near Milton, head to the Granite Links in Quincy for some golf. The golf club is located on top of the hills of the Quincy Quarries, so you get a grand view of the city skyline. Paired with the elegant atmosphere and bar area, it’s a great place to spend the day. People even get married here (that’s how beautiful it is).
You can do a 27-hole golf course or the driving range. At the range, Each set of 30 golf balls is about $15. There are plenty of slots to play at, so it’s likely that you’ll find a spot even on a busy day.
Berry Picking
Another popular Boston summer activity is to go berry and flower picking! Brooksby Farm is a favorite among many families. In the summer you can pick your own berries, see the barnyard animals, and kids can go into the play yard at no extra cost. They also have a farm store with locally sourced products and a bakery with apple cider donuts.
Other popular berry-picking locations around Boston include Belkin Family Lookout Farm in South Natick and Honeypot Hill Orchards in Stowe. The Bostonmoms blog wrote a full article about berry-picking locations around Boston that I recommend!
Have a Beach Day
While Boston itself doesn’t have the greatest beaches, Cape Cod is only about a 2-hour drive away! Popular beach destinations include Mayflower Beach and South Cape Beach.
If you want to go to a nice beach a bit closer to the city, I recommend Crane Beach in Ipswich and Nantasket Beach in Hull.
Go on a Day Trip
Last on the Boston summer activity list is to go on a full-day trip! There are so many quaint New England towns just within 3 hours of the city. Here are some of my favorite places and their top activities:
- Portland, Maine: enjoy potato donuts at the Holy Donut, lunch at Duck Fat, and the best lobsters at the Highroller Lobster Co. Then, walk around Old Portland and then see the iconic Portland Headlight.
- Newport, Rhode Island: check out the town center and stroll through the Cliff Walk. Newport is well-known for their mansions, including the famous Breakers. You can book a mansion tour to see them all!
- Salem, Massachusetts: located on the North Shore of Massachusetts, this historic town was the birthplace of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. It’s now a famous tourist destination, with many shops and restaurants themed around witchcraft and magic.
Further Reading: 21+ Best Day Trips From Boston
Other Fun Boston Summer Activities
- Visit the Franklin Park Zoo
- Spend a day at the Boston Aquarium (make sure to check out the Omni Theater for some cool 4D shows!)
Local’s Tips for Summer in Boston
- Summer gets HOT and humid in Boston, at about 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit between May to September. Make sure to pack an insulated water bottle, sunscreen, and a baseball cap when you go out.
Wrapping Up: Boston Summer Guide
That wraps up my ultimate Boston summer guide for 2024! After making your way through Boston’s best summer things to do, check out my neighborhood guides:
Or, explore the city through its cuisine:
Leave a Reply