Top 9 non-touristy things to do in Boston: Stray off the beaten path!

Boston is one of the most-visited cities in the US, and for good reason: It was founded more than a century before the Declaration of Independence, and its harbors were home to one of the most important moments in American history leading up to our war against the British. When you look for things to do in Boston, though, you’ll typically see all the same recommendations: The Freedom Trail, going to a Red Sox game, the Tea Party Museum. What if you’re looking more for non-touristy things to do in Boston?

If that’s you—and you want unique things to do in Boston than the usual guide book tips—you’ve come to the right place.

When I recently traveled to Boston, I wanted fun things to do, of course. But I also wanted to shake up Boston a little bit. Yes, it’s one of the oldest cities in the US. That means it has plenty of history—and plenty of weird things hidden in plain sight!

So if you’re hoping for non-touristy things to do in Boston, I got you. Read on for my top 9 picks.

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1.The Boston Mapparium: A hidden gem

When I recently went to Beantown, close to no one I spoke to had ever heard of the Mapparium—yet it was one of my favorite non-touristy things to do in Boston. Within the Mary Baker Eddy Library, the building named after the founder of the Christian Science Monitor, this breathtaking and unique destination draws off-the-beaten-path visitors looking for hidden gems.

The Mapparium is a spherical room made from stained glass. It depicts the world as it was in 1935. As you walk through the inside of the globe, you’ll see most of Africa still ruled by colonial powers, and the Soviet Union sprawling across Eurasia.

The guided tour takes about 20 minutes and includes an audio presentation when you’re inside the globe. The Mary Baker Eddy Library is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm, and these unique tours cost $6 for adults. Kids five and under are free.

My girls weren’t with me on this trip to Boston, but I’ll definitely bring them to the Mapparium when we travel to Beantown together!

2. Odd and creepy Warren Anatomical Museum

The small but definitely non-touristy collection of odd medical artifacts shows just how far medicine has evolved. So if you’re looking to explore Boston off the beaten path, put this on your itinerary.

The Warren Anatomical Museum, which includes a handful of glass cases within the Harvard Medical School, only takes about a half-hour to see. And it’s not a great thing to do in Boston if you’re squeamish: The collection houses specimens that doctors used to teach students about conditions like degenerative bone disease. It also includes tools that used to be standard in medical procedures (along with descriptions of how they were used—shudder).

If you’re nearby and like TV shows like CSI or House, you’ll definitely want to visit the Warren Anatomical Museum.

3. The non-touristy Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was one of the highlights of my entire Boston trip. This non-touristy Boston attraction bears little resemblance to all the other art museums you’ve ever visited.

Isabella Stewart Gardner was a wealthy socialite who collected art, furniture, sculpture and much more across the globe. Then she built a palace, which became the museum, to house it all. Unlike most museums, much of the Gardner Museum is staged as rooms aristocrats might have used, with priceless paintings hung on walls and ornate furniture filling its floors. Some rooms even have a tea service laid out, as if Boston’s rich and famous were about to waltz in and ask for a slice of coffeecake.

The Gardner Museum’s real gem is the Courtyard. At the center of the palace, an elaborate garden filled with palms and other exotic plants blooms. Fountains, sculptures and other art are sprinkled throughout the garden. As you wander the museum, peek out the windows throughout the four floors, which give you new perspectives on the courtyard below.

Find lodging in the neighborhood you want by searching here:

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4. Relax on the Charles River

Of all the non-touristy things to do in Boston, hanging out on the Charles River is the one recommendation locals enjoy the most. On a summer evening, I took a run along the Charles River Esplanade—and it seemed as if half of Boston was out with me!

The Charles River separates Boston from Cambridge, and bike and running paths run its length. If you really want to go local in Boston, you should sunbathe on the many docks, visit pop-up beer gardens that sometimes open here, or—best of all—bring a hammock to relax between some trees.

As you explore these different things to do in Boston, you’ll probably want to do and see the most famous spots, too. Get all the details with a Boston guide book.

5. Eat a donut ice cream sandwich

What’s better than a donut? A donut cut in half and filled with ice cream, that’s what!

When you’re looking for the best things to do in Boston, don’t overlook a trip to Blackbird Doughnuts. Yes, their donuts are delicious, but the real star is the donut ice cream sandwich. You get to choose whichever donut strikes your fancy (I went for the chocolate with sprinkles one), then magically turn it into the most extravagant dessert-breakfast you’ve ever had.

If you want even more delicious ideas—and really, who wouldn’t?!—don’t miss my post on the best places to eat in Boston.

6. Explore Boston’s spooky side

Boston has some grisly history. Yes, it was home to the Boston Strangler; the city also gave rise to the serial killer nicknamed the Angel of Death. Even if totally creepy crime history isn’t your thing, exploring Boston’s graveyards deserves a spot on the best non-touristy things to do in Boston.

Since this colonial city is more than a century older than the United States, it has plenty of history. And there were plenty of dead people who needed to get buried. For example, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the second-oldest cemetery in the city, and roughly 11,000 people were interred in this tiny scrap of land.

Level 10 travel tip: If you make it to Copp’s Hill, keep an eye out for the narrowest home in Boston. Nicknamed a spite house, legends say the original owner built such a skinny home to block light to its neighbors.

If you’re looking for more ways to explore Boston’s creepy side, read my review of the Boston Ghosts and Gravestones tour.

7. Boston Public Library

Libraries aren’t usually at the list of top unique things to do in Boston, or any other city, for that matter. But the main location of the Boston Public Library, located across the street from Copley Square, is a must-visit stop.

Travelers looking for free things to do in Boston will be super-pleased here. You can pause in its gorgeous courtyard, check out the installation art that mimics the city’s skyline with books, or drink a cup of coffee while the local public radio records a show in the middle of its Newsfeed Cafe.

If you’re looking to deepen your experience of Boston off the beaten path attractions, you can always sip a cocktail or have high tea at one of the Boston Public Library‘s restaurants. Take a peek at my post on the best Boston restaurants for a more in-depth take on these unusual spots!

8. Find your favorite story at Brattle Books

When you’re walking the Freedom Trail, take a detour to Brattle Book Shop. This independent bookstore is full of three stories of used and antique books, as well as vintage post cards and other old bric a brac.

My favorite part of this book store, though, are the murals in the empty lot next to the shop. You might not find what you’re looking for inside the book store, but you’ll definitely recognize some of the larger than life titles in the murals.

9. Smoots on the Harvard Bridge

What’s a smoot, you ask? The better question is who is a smoot!

The Harvard Bridge, aka the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, is measured in feet—but also in “smoots,” after Oliver Smoot. He was an MIT student and, as a totally weird prank, he and his fraternity brothers measured the length of this bridge by how many Smoots it would take lying end-to-end to cross it. The answer: 364.4 smoots!

When you cross this bridge, which connects Boston’s Back Bay to Cambridge, you’ll see numbers on the asphalt every so often. These colorful numbers mark the number of smoots from that part of the bridge.

Fill your itinerary with different things to do in Boston

When I travel, I of course like to see the sights and do the activities that are likely on everyone’s itinerary. But I also like to stray off the beaten path to find different things to do—you know, the adventures that surprise people when you talk about your vacation.

That’s why I’m so excited to have shared this list of fun—and weird—things to do in Boston. I’m betting there are at least a few recommendations that you’ve never heard of. Am I right??!

So whether you’re traveling to Boston for just a day or much longer, put at least a few of these unique destinations on your list of things to do. You definitely won’t be disappointed!

And while you’re researching all the fun things to do in Boston, don’t forget to figure out where you’re staying. Compare locations and prices so you find a budget-friendly hotel in a neighborhood you like.

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While you’re in the neighborhood, why not check out Boston’s sister city across the river? Find even more to do with these offbeat things to do and see in Cambridge!