Before flying out to Seattle last summer, my wife and I spent a day in Boston, Massachusetts. Thanks to a good friend who lives in the Boston area, we got to see a lot of the city’s historical and famous sights in just a day.

Fishing boats docked at the Boston Fish Pier in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 1250, EV +0.3, 50mm Focal Length.

Before we meet up with her, we walked around the area near our hotel. Being that the city of Boston was incorporated in 1822 and was settled even farther back in 1630, you can imagine there is a lot of history everywhere you look or, in our case, walked. The Boston Fish Pier was a few minutes stroll from the hotel’s lobby. Being a Sunday, there was little activity. We did see people cleaning fish of all sizes from a fishing boat which had docked earlier in the day. Boats were being readied for the next day’s voyages.

Woman walking past the Seaport Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/8, ISO 6400, EV +0.3, 24mm Focal Length.

Speaking of our hotel, the Seaport Boston Hotel was one of the nicest ones we have ever stayed at. No need for a taxis as there is free bus service from Boston’s Logan Airport. It was there we meet up with our friend, Karen, and our adventure began.

Outside and inside of Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts.

After a short Uber ride, we arrived at our first destination: The Old North Church. In American history, Paul Revere told three Boston patriots to hang lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church so he could warn other patriots on the movements of the British Army in 1775.

Bobby Orr statue (left) and Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge (right) in Boston, Massachusetts.

For the rest of the day, we walked along or near the Freedom Trail with a few side trips. One side trip was to see the Boston Garden and the statue of Boston Bruin’s legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr depicting his famous after goal celebration which won the Stanley Cup for the Bruins in 1970. Nearby was the engineering marvel of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River.

Quincy Market in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 2000, EV +0.3, 24mm Focal Length.

From there we wandered over to the Quincy Market and explored all its wonders both food-wise and merchandise-wise before having lunch in a nearby Pub. We did go back here for dessert.

Next to the Quincy Market is Faneuil Hall often referred to as “the Cradle of Liberty”.

Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 1000, EV 0, 58mm Focal Length.

Inside is The Great Hall where famous Bostonian and patriot, Samuel Adams, who made several speeches encouraging independence from Great Britain. It is also home to a very large painting by George Peter Alexander Healy which took seven years to complete. It depicts Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster debating with South Carolina Senator Robert Y. Hayne on preserving the Union when the country was on the brink of the Civil War.

The Great Hall inside Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/30s, f/11, ISO 6400, EV 0, 24mm Focal Length.

We saw several ways people can tour Boston besides walking from Duck “boats” to Swan boats.

From top left, Duck Tour vehicles, Segway Tour, Codzilla Boat Tour and Swan Boats.

Our next stop was to pay our respects to Paul Revere who is buried in the Granary Burying Ground.

The gravestone of Paul Revere at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/4, ISO 140, EV 0, 120mm Focal Length.

Afterwards we made our way over to The Common which is Boston’s central park. The Freedom Trail goes right through it.

People walking along the Freedom Trail at the Common park in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/9, ISO 500, EV 0, 120mm Focal Length.

Next to the Common is a statue or statues honoring the Make Way for Ducklings children’s picture book author and illustrator Robert McCloskey. First published in 1941, the book tells the story of a pair of mallards who decide to raise their family on an island in the lagoon of the Boston Public Garden.

Make Way for Ducklings statues in the Common park at Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 4500, EV 0, 32mm Focal Length.

The last stop on our “tour” was the Boston Public Library’s Bates Hall reading room. I guess a movie was filmed here featuring an actor our tour guide Karen goes ga-ga over. 😉

People using the Bates Hall reading room inside the Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/125s, f/4, ISO 1400, 24mm Focal Length.

In all, we probably covered about 8 miles in about 6 hours of touring on a soggy summer’s day. I would like to thank Karen (see photo below) for her mostly historical and sometimes hysterical tour. Getting insights from a true Bostonian made for a very special day.

Our tour guide, Karen, for our day in Boston inside the Bates Hall reading room at the Boston Public Library. Nikon D750/24-120VR, 1/100s, f/9, ISO 6400, EV 0, 24mm Focal Length.