Quick Guide to Beacon Hill in Boston, Massachusetts

This is a quick tour guide to Beacon Hill in Boston Massachusetts – a historic neighborhood near Boston Common and a popular destination for visitors.

This is the second piece in my series on Boston neighborhoods - in my last post I covered Boston’s North End. Today we tackle the most picturesque of the neighborhoods – Beacon Hill.

Beacon Hill is residential with most of the red brick buildings built in the 19th century. A visit to Beacon Hill whirls you back 150-years to the days of gas lamps, streets lined with elm trees, red-brick houses and sidewalks, and hidden gardens. Some of the oldest houses in Boston can be found on Beacon Hill.

Most times I’ve visited Beacon Hill I’ve tended to amble around the streets heading for Louisburg Square. But then I discovered a route that ensures you see the highlights of the area and experience the uniqueness of this neighborhood. This is a walking tour, so all you need are a comfortable pair of shoes and a willingness to explore.

First though just a little bit of history to set the scene.

Back in the 18th Century before any buildings were here atop the hill sat the central beacon for the city providing a guide and focus for the area. In the early 19th century the hill was developed to make room for the State House designed by Charles Bulfinch.

The creation of the Beacon Hill neighborhood happened mostly in the 19th century with the south slope of the hill fronting Boston Common being the more affluent section. Beacon Hill was a hotbed for the abolition movement in Boston and one of the guided walking tours you can take in the neighborhood is the Black Heritage Trail.

Today the gas lamps are lit 24-hours a day and the neighborhood boasts approx. 10,000 residents with notable names past and present such as: Louisa May Alcott, Senator John Kerry, Charles Bulfinch, Michael Crichton, Robert Frost, Carly Simon, Uma Thurman, and Jack Welch.

Beacon Hill Walking Tour:

Most tours in the area begin at one of the most striking building in Boston – Massachusetts State House. Its gilded dome was originally copper and installed by none other than Paul Revere. Tours of the building are free and conducted weekday between 9-00am-5:00pm near the entrance at the General Hooker statue.

On exit from the tour walk down Beacon Street and turn right onto Joy Street and walk up the hill to the intersection with Mt. Vernon Street and turn left. Mt. Vernon cuts through the area from the State House down to busy Charles Street passing Louisburg Square on its journey.

Walking down Mt. Vernon you’ll pass the Nichols House Museum and then at 85 Mt. Vernon Street film buffs may stop and notice a striking resemblance of this 1802 Bulfinch-designed house with its cobblestone driveway, to a house used in the original “Thomas Crown Affair” movie. They are one and the same.

A short walk further along Mt. Vernon will bring you to Louisburg Square – the most prestigious address in all of Boston. These Greek revival style house were built in the 1830s and in the past have been home to Boston’s intellectuals, and more recently politicians.

Directly opposite the square is Willow Street and half-block down Willow on the right is Acorn Street – considered by many to be the most photographed street in America. Walk down Acorn Street and notice how narrow these once-servants quarters are by today’s standards. At the bottom of Acorn turn right onto West Cedar Street and then left back onto Mt. Vernon. Now walk down to Charles Street and explore this hub of Beacon Hill with its restaurants, antique and collection shops.

There are detours you can take along this route. Back on Joy Street you can elect to continue passed the Mt. Vernon intersection and walk up to the African Meeting House which also houses the Museum of Afro-American History. Ranger tours in the area leave from the Abiel Smith School next to the Meeting House.

There are no rules and restrictions on where you can walk on Beacon Hill. Just be respectful this is a residence area and trespassing just to get a better look or shot with a camera is invading somebody’s privacy and legally you can be arrested and hung from the highest tree on the… sorry, wrong era. Anyways, just be a good citizen and explore and enjoy this uniquely Bostonian neighborhood.

For many more suggestions on things to see and do see my Boston vacation guide here and this page for the best list of free things to do in Boston.

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Vacation Guide