Location: Downtown
Top Things to do in Downtown
What to do and see in Downtown, Massachusetts (MA): The Best Shopping
Walk the Freedom Trail the first time you visit Boston and you'll quickly get a sense of this coastal city's revolutionary spirit and history. But make sure you also explore some of Boston's fine museums (try the Isabella Stewart Gardner, featuring masterpieces displayed in their collector's mansion) and old neighborhoods (like the North End, Boston's Little Italy). You can't claim to have experienced real Boston culture, though, until you've watched a Red Sox game from the bleachers.
Restaurants in Boston
1. Haymarket
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 137 reviews
During daylight hours on Fridays and Saturdays, the Haymarket on Hanover Street, near Boston's North End, is rich with culture and bargains. Visitors who stroll through the crowded alley can spend very little and come home with a full load of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood sold by local vendors.
Reviewed By 473scarletc - New York City, United States
Come and bundled up so you could walk around stall by stall. Wear hats, gloves, and walkable shoes. Ohh, bring your reusable shopping bags too. There are tents and tents of fruits, veggies, and more. Meat and fish too. One particular and honorary mention is the Harry’s cheese and cold cut. You can’t miss it as it is the only one in the market. The shop/stall has been around for 40 some years. A variety of cheeses, cold cuts and olives. Both staff are most attentive, funny, and hospitable. They advise you to try, and ways to enjoy the antipasto. The shopping experience was fun, and we haggled like long lost friends. Love it!
2. Brattle Book Shop of Boston
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 83 reviews
The country's oldest antiquarian bookstore, the Brattle has over 200,000 used and out-of-print books, magazines and more.
Reviewed By randyb07 - New Orleans, United States
Just off Boston Common sits this gem of a bookstore! Rare and unique books abound - you never know what you'll find...Worth a trip!
3. Ten Thousand Villages
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By notdenise - Goshen, United States
I always try to visit Ten Thousand Villages stores when I am traveling. The stores have a variety of unique items - home decor, jewelry, gifts, food and more. Take time to read the tags on each item to see in which country they are made, and ask questions to learn more about the artisan group that made them. Beautiful, high quality items, all fairly traded.
4. Pepper Palace
5. Quincy Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,518 reviews
Reviewed By BeachGirl242
We past this area during our Freedom Trail walking tour, and didn't think much of it. I didn't go inside because it was food and shops and we still had plenty of walking to do. We went back on Saturday night because I needed souvenirs and was hoping to find something. WOW!!!! The energy and crowds were Amazing! A farmers market were I picked up some fresh fruit for breakfast, Several different truly talented street performers, Take time to watch them and donate to their cause, it's totally worth it. Then going inside it was way more than I expected. So many different food shops and restaurants, and vendor booths. It was the icing of the cake to end our quick little getaway.
6. Boston Public Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 425 reviews
The Boston Public Market is an indoor, year-round marketplace featuring 35 New England artisans and food producers housed under one roof offering fresh foods, prepared meals, crafts, and specialty items. Residents and visitors alike can find seasonal, locally sourced food from Massachusetts and New England, including fresh produce, meat and poultry, eggs, dairy, seafood, baked goods, specialty items, crafts, and prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Everything sold at the Market is produced or originates in New England.
Reviewed By AdventureDiva - Manchester, United States
This marketplace has food producers housed under one room offering prepared fresh foods, crafts and many specialty items. I stumbled upon this place while getting to another destination and was glad to have found this artisan marketplace gem.
7. Commonwealth Books
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By morrigan716 - Wichita Falls, United States
My husband and I managed to stumble upon this gem of a bookstore one night while visiting Boston, and it was amazing. We could have stayed for hours but ended up leaving with only one book. In any case, it was a beautiful, wonderful, old-fashioned book store.
8. Christmas in Boston
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By victorian986 - Gateshead, United Kingdom
The only other place I have seen as many Christmas decorations is Disneyland! This place certainly comes a good second. There are decorations for literally every possible decoration idea, including an amazing wine themed tree! They even had a Halloween tree selection which I thought was very unique. The shop had two levels and many areas to explore. I really enjoyed it.
9. Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 7,748 reviews
Located in the heart of downtown Boston, this bustling complex of novelty carts, distinctive shops, national chain stores, performers, food stands and restaurants brought new life to a historic meeting place.
Reviewed By Sallprice - Chelmsford, United Kingdom
This is a great food hall omg every food imaginable of every nationality you most visit here we always love to find the local food Market and this didn’t disappoint great atmosphere and great foods
10. Old South Meeting House
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 307 reviews
No Tax on Tea! This was the decision on December 16, 1773, when 5,000 angry colonists gathered at Old South Meeting House to protest a tax...and started a revolution with the Boston Tea Party! Built in 1729, Old South Meeting House was the largest building in colonial Boston. From outraged protests over the Boston Massacre, to the night when Samuel Adams gave the secret signal to throw 340 crates of tea into Boston Harbor, colonists came to the Meeting House to protest British rule. Our museum and historic site is an important stop on your Freedom Trail Tour or visit to Boston, and our award-winning Museum Shop is a favorite of tourists and locals alike! From our informative exhibits, 3D map of colonial Boston, and scavenger hunts, to taking in the beauty of our historical meeting house interior, to browsing the titles, locally-sourced goods, and revolutionary gifts of our museum shop, we have something for everyone.
Reviewed By SarahS233 - Spring Hill, United States
We decided to tour the inside and the admission was very reasonably priced - check their website for the different pricing and hours open. At the Meeting House you can see tea leaves and a tea crate label from the Boston Tea Party, a popular 3-D model of colonial Boston that is over 100 years old, John Hancock's portable writing desk, a a statue of enslaved poet Phillis Wheatley and her first-edition 1773 book - and more. The girls really enjoyed the different scavenger hunts available to help them explore the exhibits, with multiple levels available depending on the age of the children. There is a small gift shop downstairs and a place to get a National Parks Passport Stamp if you are collecting them.
