Shift Roams · Boston
The Freedom Trail
All 16 official Freedom Trail sites and four centuries of history — the marked trail is 2.5 miles; expect about 3.5 miles of walking end to end. Walk from Boston Common through downtown to the North End, then across the bridge to Charlestown. Grab a cannoli on the way through. Complete 10 of 16 to earn the badge.
Numbered pins are the roam's stops; gold rings are bonus stops. Check in at each stop in the Shift app to complete the roam.
The route, leg by leg
Boston Common → Massachusetts State House
0.41 mi · ~8 minLook up — the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House gleams at the top of Beacon Hill. Charles Bulfinch designed it in 1798.
Massachusetts State House → Park Street Church
0.31 mi · ~6 minHead down Park Street. The white steeple ahead has been a Boston landmark since 1809 — William Lloyd Garrison gave his first anti-slavery speech here.
Park Street Church → Granary Burying Ground
0.06 mi · ~1 minRight next door. The Granary is the final resting place of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and the victims of the Boston Massacre.
Granary Burying Ground → King's Chapel
0.14 mi · ~3 minContinue down Tremont. King's Chapel was the first Anglican church in Boston — the burying ground beside it is the oldest cemetery in the city.
King's Chapel → Benjamin Franklin Statue
0.12 mi · ~2 minTurn onto School Street. The statue of Benjamin Franklin marks the site of Boston Latin School — the first public school in America, founded 1635.
Benjamin Franklin Statue → Old Corner Bookstore
0.09 mi · ~2 minA few steps to the corner of Washington and School. The Old Corner Bookstore published Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Old Corner Bookstore → Old South Meeting House
0.03 mi · ~1 minJust across the street. Old South Meeting House is where colonists gathered before marching to the harbor for the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
Old South Meeting House → Old State House
0.1 mi · ~2 minUp Washington Street. The Old State House is Boston's oldest surviving public building — the Declaration of Independence was read from its balcony.
Old State House → Boston Massacre Site
0.05 mi · ~1 minLook down at the cobblestone circle just below the balcony. This marks the site of the Boston Massacre of 1770 — easy to miss if you're not looking.
Boston Massacre Site → Faneuil Hall
0.14 mi · ~3 minFollow Congress Street toward the waterfront. Faneuil Hall — the 'Cradle of Liberty' — has hosted public meetings and debates since 1743.
Faneuil Hall → Paul Revere House
0.3 mi · ~6 minCross under the Greenway into the North End. Hanover Street is wall-to-wall cafés and pastry shops. The Paul Revere House on North Square is the oldest building in downtown Boston.
Paul Revere House → Old North Church
0.26 mi · ~5 minUp through the North End on Salem Street. The Old North Church spire is visible from blocks away — this is where the lantern signal sent Paul Revere on his midnight ride.
Old North Church → Copp's Hill Burying Ground
0.17 mi · ~3 minA short walk up Hull Street. Copp's Hill Burying Ground is the highest point in the North End — great views of the harbor and Charlestown beyond.
Copp's Hill Burying Ground → USS Constitution
0.92 mi · ~18 minDown through the Charlestown Locks, across the Charlestown Bridge into the Navy Yard. USS Constitution — 'Old Ironsides' — is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
USS Constitution → Bunker Hill Monument
0.44 mi · ~9 minThrough the Navy Yard and up the hill into Monument Square. Climb the 294 steps inside for a view of the whole city — the end of the Freedom Trail.
Roam it for real
Open this roam in the free Shift app to follow the route, check in at each stop, and earn the Freedom Walker badge.