THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Discover Boston’s oldest burying grounds on a 1.5-hour walking tour revealing Puritan customs, gravestone art, and burial traditions. Unearth stories from the city’s past on this one-of-a-kind experience.
Discover Boston’s oldest burying grounds on a 1.5-hour walking tour revealing Puritan customs, gravestone art, and burial traditions. Unearth stories from the city’s past on this one-of-a-kind experience.
Book with Boston By Foot
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Boston By Foot · Boston, Massachusetts
Explore Boston’s rich history on the private 1.5-hour "Grave Undertakings: Boston's Burying Grounds" tour with Boston By Foot. This unique walking experience takes you through three significant burying grounds in downtown Boston, offering a fascinating look into the customs surrounding death in Puritan New England. You'll uncover the stories behind old gravestones and the evolving art of memorializing the deceased during a time when burial customs were deeply entwined with cultural beliefs and religion. Along the way, your expert guide shares insights on the symbolism etched into the stones and how these cemeteries act as open-air museums reflecting Boston’s early society. Perfect for history buffs and curious travelers alike, this intimate tour paints a vivid picture of life, death, and tradition from centuries ago. The experience not only provides a glimpse into Boston's past but also invites reflection on how these historic spaces are preserved today. Whether you’re a local or visiting, this tour connects you to Boston's cultural roots in an unforgettable way.
easy.
1.5 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels given the gentle walking pace and short duration
Yes, children ages 8 and up typically enjoy the tour, but younger kids may find the topics more challenging.
The historic sites include uneven paths and cobblestones, which may limit wheelchair access.
Photography is encouraged, but please be respectful of the sites and other guests.
Yes, Boston By Foot offers this tour throughout the year with seasonal adjustments.
Wear comfortable shoes and dress according to the season; layers are recommended in cooler months.
Tours are typically small and private to ensure a personalized experience.
Boston’s burying grounds date back to the 1600s and serve as resting places for many prominent colonial figures.
Local organizations work to preserve these historic sites through careful maintenance and community education.
Boston By Foot presents guided walking tours across Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods and hidden corners. The organization offers a diverse calendar of small-group, interpretive walks that interpret local architecture, social history, and urban change. Tours range from neighborhood explorations—Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fort Point and Seaport, East Boston—to thematic programs on Art Deco design, the Gilded Age, and literary and revolutionary-era stories. Many tours run about 1.5 hours and focus on primary sources, built environment, and human stories. Highlights include an in-depth look at the Back Bay land reclamation and Victorian townhouses; a Fort Point and Seaport walk tracing industrial waterfront change; a Beacon Hill series that covers dramatic social history and seasonal Boo! tours; and specialized walks such as Johnny Tremain’s Colonial route and a Black Voices program centering nineteenth‑century writers. Guides prioritize historical accuracy, site-based interpretation, and respectful treatment of difficult subjects. Public programs accommodate adults, families, and students and are suitable for visitors seeking cultural context and local insight. The organization’s tours serve as an accessible introduction to Boston’s layered past, from Indigenous Shawmut Peninsula history through immigration, reform movements, and urban redevelopment. For travelers and residents alike, these guided walks offer structured storytelling, architectural observation, and connections between past and present. Tours are updated regularly to reflect new research and changing city landscapes. Interpretive materials and route notes emphasize primary sources, archival research, and on-site evidence to give visitors a grounded, evidence-based experience. Many guides are local historians and long-term residents who know the neighborhoods intimately.
Book with Boston By Foot