Boston Harborwalk Self-Guided Audio Tour

Explore Boston independently

Use a self-guided audio app at your own pace

Choose to begin the tour whenever you like

Learn about Boston’s revolutionary history

Our historic tour begins at one of Boston's most underappreciated marvels of architecture: South Station. We'll take a moment to analyze the enormous eagle and clock dominating the facade.

The Harborwalk is 43 miles long, but we’ll focus on the historic Waterfront District from South Station to Long Wharf. That’s only about 1 mile. We’ll cover everything from the Boston Tea Party to the newest skyscrapers along the shore.

Right across the street, we'll find a stunning example of modern architecture with the Federal Reserve. As we walk past, we'll learn the intriguing stories behind the bland name.

At Russia Wharf, we're officially at the start of our Harborwalk journey and our trip into the past. We'll learn about the booming international trade during the colonial era.... the foundation which would later lead to the epic Boston Tea Party.

As we walk along Boston's Harborwalk, we'll look out across the water for a glimpse of an actual blast from the past: a colonial ship packed with tea crates! We'll learn about the events of Boston's Tea Party but we'll also dive deeper: what really caused this riot? Why were taxes so high? What did a far-away international war have to do with the price of tea in Boston?

Our journey brings us to Rowe's Wharf — named for one of the tea smugglers who encouraged the "Tea Party"! We'll learn about John Rowe and his adventures with the law as we walk through.

The Harbor Hotel is a stunning piece of architecture, blending modern and colonial styles seamlessly. Its 80-foot copper dome contains a glass cupola. If you walk to the center of the archway and look straight up, you can see all the through the top of the dome to the glass cupola above.

As we continue our walk along Boston's Harborwalk, our journey back in time takes us from the Boston Tea Party into a more recent era. As we walk, we'll admire the beautiful Moakley Courthouse across the water and learn about its significance to the city and its people.

The Brutalist-style Harbor Towers are unmissable. Brutalism was all the rage in the 1970s. Today, the style polarizes observers. Some people see a kind of strange beauty in the sparse, overbearing structures. Others see, well, just plain ugly buildings! These days, you can always identify the style anywhere by its grim, fortress-like appearance. We'll learn about the towers, Boston's struggle between affordable and luxury living, and one of the city's most ambitious projects: cleaning up this very harbor.

We're now approaching a popular stop in Boston and along the Harborwalk: the Aquarium! This huge attraction is partially built over the Harbor, allowing the aquarium access to the natural environment of Boston's Harbor.

Our tour along the scenic Harborwalk ends at one of Boston's most historic spots: Long Wharf. From colonial battles against the British to modern crowds of tourists, this Wharf remains a Boston hotspot. Enjoy the views and history as we conclude our story at this scenic stop.

Easy to use: Stories play automatically by GPS. Hands-free. Get HELP all day: Call, Chat, or Email.

Don’t miss a thing: Full itinerary, travel tips, professionally narrated, videos, text, hidden gems.

Offline use: No cell signal or wifi required. Offline GPS Map & route. Stop-to-stop direction.

App on your phone: A link to download the Tour Guide App by Action and Password for your tours.

Flexible schedule: Use any day, any time. Travel over multiple days or on next trip. Never expires.

Transportation, parking fee, food/drinks.

Entry tickets, or reservation.