(800) 814 COOL Questions? Call Us Now!

Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill

98 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 98 reviews collected by City Boat Tours and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 100% of reviewers |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Boston, USA

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 21 (0) days in advance.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation

Overview

Boston's role in the fight to end legalized slavery is linked by the Black Heritage Trail in historic Beacon Hill. This pedestrian path is best experienced on foot, in a small group, with a knowledgeable local guide! Your 2.5-hour loop tour travels from Boston Common to visit Underground Railroad sites, elite homes of "Boston Brahmins," and abolitionist landmarks such as the African Meeting House.

Our small-group walking tour delves deeply into the years 1833 to 1863, the tumultuous years leading toward Civil War. We walk in the footsteps of 19th-century Bostonians, all of whom grappled with the "peculiar institution" of racial enslavement in the U.S.

With a captivating storytelling approach, Hub Town Tours provides the perfect introduction to Boston's role in America's "Second Revolution." As we travel past landmarks from Civil War Boston, your guide shares the gripping story of local Bostonians finding their voices and demanding an end to injustice across their young nation.

What's Included

  • Small Groups (16 guests max)
  • Black Heritage Trail (All 10 landmarks)
  • Beacon Hill Neighborhood
  • Admission inside Museums
  • Guides in Period Costume
  • Gratuity for Guide (optional)
See 3 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02109, USA

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Freedom Trail
Boston, MA 02108, USA

Your 2.5-hour tour concludes in front of the Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial, across the street from the Massachusetts State House. This special loop tour of Beacon Hill ends within 0.2 miles of its starting location at the Prescott House.

What To Expect

Soldiers and Sailors Monument

Meet your guide at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Boston Common, steps from the Boston Common Visitors Center at 139 Tremont Street (02108). Look for a white granite column topped by a female figure holding a flag; four bronze statues surround the base of the central column.
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Boston Common (Pass By)

Oldest public land in the Americas and Boston's communal grazing pasture (1634)
Read more

Acorn Street

Narrow cobblestone alleyways wind throughout historic Beacon Hill
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Louisburg Square (Pass By)

Elegant neighborhood square from elite world of 19th-century "Boston Brahmins"
Read more

Phillips School

Built as a whites-only school in 1824, but among the first schools to integrate in Boston by 1855
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

John J Smith House

Home of leading abolitionist, state legislator, and former barber
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Charles Street (Pass By)

Primary thoroughfare of Beacon Hill, lined with local shops and restaurants
Read more

Charles Street Meeting House

Historic meeting house (1807) and site of contentious debate over racial integration
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

John Coburn House (Pass By)

Home of African-American community activist and abolitionist
Read more

Lewis and Harriet Hayden House

Underground Railroad safe house owned by the Haydens, staunch abolitionists who were formerly enslaved
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Otis House

1796 residence of Harrison Gray Otis, Boston mayor and nephew of revolutionary James Otis, Jr.
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Old West Church (Pass By)

Historic 1806 church designed by noted architect Asher Benjamin
Read more

20 Hancock St (Pass By)

Home of outspoken abolitionist and U.S. Senator beaten unconscious in the Capitol over the issue of slavery in 1856.
Read more

Smith Court Residences (Pass By)

Homes of several African-American abolitionists, including historian William Cooper Nell
Read more

Abiel Smith School (Pass By)

Founded in 1835 as segregated school for Boston's African-American children
Read more

African Meeting House

Cultural center of Boston's African-American community and oldest extant black church building in the U.S. (1806)
Read more

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

5 Pinckney St

Oldest extant house in Beacon Hill (1787) was home to African-American Revolutionary War veteran
Read more

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Massachusetts State House (Pass By)

Massachusetts state capitol and "Hub of the Solar System" (1798)
Read more

Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

Our tour concludes beside the Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial opposite 24 Beacon Street.
Read more

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 17 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Not recommended for travelers who have difficulty standing for extended periods
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EDT).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-66111P4

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.00
98 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 98 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
98
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 21 (0) days in advance.

Similar Tours & Activities

Her Story - A Women's History Walking Tour of Boston

Her Story - A Women's History Walking Tour of Boston

2
 1 hour 30 minutes  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
from
$25

Boston Freedom Trail History and Food Tour

Boston Freedom Trail History and Food Tour

 2 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
from
$39

True Crime Tour of Boston

True Crime Tour of Boston

 2 hours  Free Cancellation
from
$26

Beacon Hill Boston History + Photo Walking Tour (SMALL Group)
Likely to Sell Out

Beacon Hill Boston History + Photo Walking Tour (SMALL Group)

 1 hour 30 minutes  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
from
$45

Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Boston Duck Boat Sightseeing City Tour with Cruise Along Charles River
Likely to Sell Out

Boston Duck Boat Sightseeing City Tour with Cruise Along Charles River

 1 hour 20 minutes  Free Cancellation
from
$59.75

Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour

Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour

 2 hours  Free Cancellation
from
$41.95

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 13 Stops

Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour with 13 Stops

 30 to 120 minutes  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
from
$52.45

Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour
Likely to Sell Out

Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour

 1 hour 10 minutes  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
from
$23

What's Included

Activity name

  • Small Groups (16 guests max)
  • Black Heritage Trail (All 10 landmarks)
  • Beacon Hill Neighborhood
  • Admission inside Museums
  • Guides in Period Costume
  • Gratuity for Guide (optional)

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Not recommended for travelers who have difficulty standing for extended periods
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Report Product Issue

Activity name

Language
Currency

Site Settings

Activity name

Currency

Activity name

Free Cancellation

Activity name

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EDT).
  • This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Sorting, ranking, and search results

Activity name

City Boat Tours wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through City Boat Tours over a 12-month period.

The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.