Boston Pass: 40+ Things To Do – Includes Franklin Park Zoo

Boston’s best sightseeing bargain may be a phone screen: the Go City Boston All Inclusive Pass covers more than 40 attractions for one to seven consecutive days. You can ride a trolley, cruise the harbor, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, then trade city streets for Salem or Plymouth.

I like the freedom to build your own day, and I like the mix of major sights with smaller historic places such as Buckman Tavern and the Paul Revere House. The pass can pay for itself quickly if you visit several high-priced attractions, but seasonal closures and app problems can turn a good deal into an expensive headache.

• Franklin Park Zoo is included, making the pass more useful for families.
• The CityView Trolley Tour ticket is valid for two days, but the service is seasonal and closed from December through March.
• Salem and Plymouth require extra planning, since these attractions are outside central Boston.
• Some attractions require reservations, including the Salem Witch Museum and Harvard tour.
• Each attraction can be visited once, so choose your stops carefully.
• The pass activates on your first visit and runs for consecutive calendar days, not 24 hour periods.

How the Boston Pass Works

The pass costs $79 per person, with one, two, three, four, five, and seven day options available. The exact value depends on the version you choose and how many attractions you fit into its active period.

You receive a digital pass through the Go City app. The app provides the current attraction list, admission instructions, and reservation details. You can also use the digital guidebook as a PDF.

At each included attraction, you show the pass on your phone and tap or scan for entry. You may visit each attraction once. That rule matters, especially if you are tempted to use the trolley as a casual ride throughout the day.

The pass is valid for one year from purchase before activation. Once you use it at your first attraction, the clock begins. A three day pass covers three consecutive calendar days, not three separate 24 hour blocks. Activate it early in the morning if you want the best use of the first day.

The Best City Sights for Your First Day

Start with the CityView Trolley Tour if it is operating. The fully narrated route gives you an overview of Boston and helps you decide where to spend the rest of your time. The open-air views are useful for getting your bearings, while the commentary adds context as you pass museums, shopping areas, and historic districts.

The trolley is seasonal and closed from December through March. It may also have queues, limited operating times, or route rules that are not obvious from the pass description. Check the Go City app and the operator’s instructions before you set out. A map from the Boston Common Visitor Center can also save you a long walk to the correct starting point.

The Museum of Science can fill three hours easily. More than 700 interactive exhibits cover electricity, animals, the human body, dinosaurs, and other science subjects. It is a strong choice for families, but adults traveling without children can also make good use of it if they enjoy hands-on displays.

At the Museum of Fine Arts, give yourself at least three hours. Its collection includes about 450,000 paintings, sculptures, textiles, and artifacts, ranging from ancient Egypt to modern works. This is one of the pass attractions that can justify the cost on its own, especially if you prefer a substantial museum visit to a quick stop.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum offers a very different art experience. The collection is arranged inside a 19th century building modeled after a Venetian palazzo, with plants and trees forming part of the setting. Allow about 90 minutes, and expect a more intimate visit than at the Museum of Fine Arts.

At the View Boston Observation Deck, you rise to the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower for 360 degree views. The visit takes about an hour and works well late in the day, although the pass does not guarantee that a specific time slot will be available. Check reservation instructions before you go.

Historic Boston, From Paul Revere to Old Ironsides

The Paul Revere House is a short but worthwhile stop in the North End. Revere lived here, and the house is one of Boston’s oldest buildings. You get a closer look at the man behind the famous midnight ride, along with the cramped domestic setting where he lived.

Allow about an hour, then continue to the USS Constitution Museum. The museum explains the story of Old Ironsides, the wooden-hulled frigate launched in 1797 and famous for its service in the War of 1812. Your pass covers the museum, but the USS Constitution vessel is separate and free to visit, so do not confuse the two admissions.

The Boston Harbor City Cruises historic sightseeing cruise takes about 90 minutes. You travel through the inner and outer harbor while hearing about the Revolutionary War, Boston’s working port, local sea stories, waterfront homes, and the country’s oldest continuously manned lighthouse. It is one of the easiest ways to rest your feet while seeing a different side of the city.

The Swan Boats are shorter, lasting about 30 minutes. These foot-pedal boats are a Boston tradition and travel across a lagoon in the Public Garden. This is a simple, pleasant choice between larger museums, though it is not a major sightseeing cruise.

At the Boch Center Wang Theatre, a 45 minute tour covers the building’s history and architecture. The theater opened in 1925 and has hosted performers including Ella Fitzgerald, Queen, Elton John, and Lady Gaga. Advance reservations are recommended, and the tour may appeal more to theater fans than to visitors trying to cover the biggest landmarks.

Family Stops That Make the Pass Pay

The Boston Children’s Museum is designed for active participation. Children can climb, work through a large maze, and make art. Plan on about three hours, especially if you are visiting with young children who need time to play rather than rush through displays.

The Franklin Park Zoo covers 72 acres and includes themed animal exhibits. Allow about two hours. It is a useful inclusion for families because it gives you a full outdoor activity beyond museums and historic buildings.

The Museum of Science, Boston Children’s Museum, and Franklin Park Zoo can make a one or two day pass worthwhile for a family. They also spread your day across different types of activities, which helps prevent museum fatigue.

The Harvard area offers two separate choices. The Harvard tour, also called the Hahvahd Tour, lasts about 70 minutes and is led by Harvard students. It includes Harvard Yard, Memorial Hall, Harvard Square, and the John Harvard Statue, with a theatrical style rather than a plain walking route.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History usually takes about 90 minutes and covers dinosaurs, insects, meteorites, minerals, and other specimens. The supplied information lists it as temporarily unavailable, so check the live app listing before planning your day around it.

Salem, With Witch Trials and Old Houses

The pass reaches Salem, but it is not mainly a Salem pass. If Salem is your central goal, check the attraction list carefully before buying. If Salem is one part of a wider Boston trip, the pass can add worthwhile stops.

The Salem Witch Museum presents the 1692 witchcraft trials through stage sets and narration. The visit lasts about 45 minutes, and reservations are required. The subject is dramatic, but the experience is structured and brief, so pair it with another Salem attraction rather than making it your only stop.

The House of the Seven Gables includes a tour of the 1668 mansion and access to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s house. The visit lasts about 45 minutes and connects colonial Salem with the literary history of The House of the Seven Gables.

The Peabody Essex Museum is the larger Salem choice. Its collection includes art from many cultures, maritime manuscripts, early photography, Indian sculpture, and a Chinese merchant’s house moved from China and rebuilt in the United States. Allow 90 minutes, or longer if you prefer museums to quick sightseeing.

Salem works best when you reserve required activities and confirm opening days before leaving Boston. A pass does not remove the need to plan transport or check schedules.

Plymouth, Concord, and the Wider Boston Area

The Plimoth Patuxet Museums take you beyond Boston into a recreated 17th century New England setting. You can see period homesites, historically accurate buildings, farm animals, Native and Pilgrim presentations, and a craft center where historic skills such as bread making and candle making are demonstrated.

Allow two hours for the main site. The pass also includes the Plimoth Grist Mill when operating, a working reproduction of the 1636 mill. That visit takes about 30 minutes. The supplied information also lists the mill as temporarily unavailable, so confirm current operation before making the trip.

Plymouth is about an hour’s drive from Boston, according to the practical timing provided for the excursion. Transportation is not included unless specifically stated, so you must arrange your own way there. This is a good use of a five or seven day pass, but it can consume much of a day on a shorter pass.

The Concord Museum covers American history through artifacts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. It is a quieter stop than the major city museums and takes about an hour.

At Buckman Tavern in Lexington, a self-guided audio tour explains the tavern’s role on April 19, 1775, when local militiamen gathered as British troops approached. The visit takes about 30 minutes and fits well with other Revolutionary War sites.

The Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House tour takes about an hour and focuses on the farmhouse where Alcott wrote Little Women in 1868. The attraction is listed as temporarily unavailable, so check before setting aside time for it.

Cape Cod and Brewery Options

The pass includes a Hy-Line Cruises Hyannisport Harbor Cruise, a one hour ride around Hyannis and nearby landmarks. It offers a change of pace, but Hyannis is not a quick side trip from central Boston. This choice makes more sense for a longer stay or a separate Cape Cod day.

The Samuel Adams Boston Brewery in Jamaica Plain offers a 90 minute brewery visit tied to the company’s history and the Samuel Adams name. The attraction is listed as temporarily unavailable in the supplied information, so confirm the current status before relying on it.

These outlying attractions show both the strength and weakness of the pass. You get access to places that would be costly to arrange separately, but you need time, transport, and careful scheduling. A seven day pass is much better suited to this wide area than a one day pass.

Price, Savings, and the Planning Tradeoff

At $79 per person, the pass is not automatically a bargain. It becomes a good deal when you combine several paid attractions in one day, especially a museum, cruise, observation deck, or trolley tour.

A simple plan might combine the Museum of Fine Arts with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Swan Boats. Another could pair the Museum of Science with the harbor cruise. You should compare the current individual admission prices before purchase, since attraction costs and included partners can change.

The pass is less useful if you prefer slow mornings, long meals, or one major museum per day. You also lose value if seasonal closures leave you with fewer operating choices. Attractions can change, and several listed locations have temporary or seasonal restrictions.

One practical warning deserves attention: keep your QR code ready before reaching the entrance. Some pass users have had trouble transferring tickets from Viator into the Go City app, with codes failing to appear or showing as expired. Other problems have involved a code recognizing one person but not another. Download the Go City app, sync the pass immediately, and check it before your first attraction.

If the app fails, contact Go City promptly rather than waiting until the next day. The pass is nonrefundable and cannot normally be changed after purchase, so confirm the dates, attraction list, and seasonal hours first.

Who Should Buy the Boston Pass

I would choose this pass for an active first visit, a family with several planned attractions, or anyone staying five to seven days. It suits people who enjoy museums, historic houses, cruises, and short tours, and who do not mind keeping an eye on schedules.

I would be cautious with a one day pass unless you already know exactly what you want. You cannot comfortably cover the full list in a day, and outlying stops such as Plymouth, Hyannis, and Salem take time away from central Boston.

You should also think twice about a winter visit if your main goal is the trolley, brewery, or outdoor attractions. The included list may look broad, but availability is the key question.

Should You Book It?

Book the Boston Pass if you will visit several included attractions, can organize reservations in advance, and have enough days to handle seasonal schedules. The strongest value comes from combining high-cost museums, the harbor cruise, View Boston, the trolley, and family attractions.

Skip it if you want only Salem, only the trolley, or one or two carefully chosen sights. In that case, individual tickets may be simpler. For everyone else, this is a flexible sightseeing tool, but only when you treat the app, operating dates, and calendar day rules as part of the trip planning.

FAQ

How many attractions are included with the Boston Pass?

The pass includes admission to more than 40 Boston area attractions. The current list is available in the Go City app and digital guidebook.

How long can I use the pass?

You can choose a pass lasting one, two, three, four, five, or seven days. It operates for consecutive calendar days after activation, not 24 hour periods.

When does the pass activate?

The pass activates when you first visit an attraction. It remains valid for the number of consecutive days purchased.

Can I visit the same attraction more than once?

No. Each included attraction can be visited once with the pass.

Is the CityView Trolley Tour included?

Yes, when operating and included under the current attraction list. The trolley service is seasonal and is listed as closed from December through March. Its ticket is valid for two days.

Do I need reservations?

Some attractions require reservations. The Salem Witch Museum and Boch Center Wang Theatre are specifically noted as requiring or recommending advance booking, and the Go City app provides instructions.

Is transportation included?

Transportation to and from attractions is generally not included unless the attraction listing specifically says otherwise. You must arrange transport to places such as Plymouth, Salem, and Hyannis.

Is Franklin Park Zoo included?

Yes. Franklin Park Zoo is listed as an included attraction, and a visit takes about two hours.

Can I cancel or change the pass?

The experience is nonrefundable and cannot normally be changed after purchase. If the activity is canceled because of poor weather, you may be offered another date or a full refund.