Highest-rated free things to do in Massachusetts by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Massachusetts.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Massachusetts using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#30. Copley Square

- Rating: 4.4/5 (841 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#29. Castle Island

- Rating: 4.5/5 (544 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#28. Gray's Beach

- Rating: 4.5/5 (228 reviews)
- City: Yarmouth Port Yarmouth Cape Cod
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#27. Cape Cod National Seashore

- Rating: 4.8/5 (654 reviews)
- City: Truro Cape Cod
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5 / 30

#26. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,070 reviews)
- City: Cambridge
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6 / 30

#25. Old Burying Point Cemetery

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,560 reviews)
- City: Salem
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#24. New England Holocaust Memorial

- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,560 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#23. Aquinnah Cliffs

- Rating: 4.6/5 (552 reviews)
- City: Aquinnah Martha s Vineyard
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#22. Back Bay

- Rating: 4.6/5 (645 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#21. Main Street Hyannis

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,171 reviews)
- City: Hyannis Cape Cod
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#20. Boston's Waterfront

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,851 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#19. Sandwich Boardwalk

- Rating: 4.5/5 (550 reviews)
- City: Sandwich Cape Cod
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#18. Old North Church & Historic Site

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,140 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#17. Shining Sea Bikeway

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,073 reviews)
- City: Falmouth Cape Cod
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#16. USS Constitution Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,672 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#15. Bunker Hill Monument

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,946 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#14. Commercial Street

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,340 reviews)
- City: Provincetown Cape Cod
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#13. USS Constitution

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,509 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#12. Newbury Street

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,523 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#11. Samuel Adams Boston Brewery - Jamaica Plain

- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,579 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#10. Salem Witch Trials Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,106 reviews)
- City: Salem
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#9. Beacon Hill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,420 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#8. Harvard University

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,212 reviews)
- City: Cambridge
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#7. Quincy Market

- Rating: 4.3/5 (3,719 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#6. Faneuil Hall Marketplace

- Rating: 4.2/5 (7,852 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#5. Boston Common

- Rating: 4.4/5 (6,564 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#4. Boston Public Library

- Rating: 4.7/5 (4,167 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#3. Boston Public Garden

- Rating: 4.7/5 (10,012 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#2. North End

- Rating: 4.7/5 (7,263 reviews)
- City: Boston
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#1. Freedom Trail

- Rating: 4.6/5 (17,958 reviews)
- City: Boston
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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