Faneuil Hall Marketplace – Boston’s Famous Dining & Shopping Destination
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
FaneuilHall is a historic shopping, dining and entertainment marketplace located near the waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established in 1742 and was the site of America’s first town meeting. Many famous political figures have made speeches here including Samuel Adams. Mike and I decided to explore a bit during our walk on The Freedom Trail. Faneuil is one of 16 historic sites conveniently located right along the route, so you can explore some history and get some food.
Historical significance aside, today it is a popular dining and shopping district, especially amongst tourists. There are a number of restaurants and pubs, including the popular “Cheers” Restaurant/Pub from the TV show, Ned Devine’s Irish Pub, Boston Chowda, and many other themed and/or seafood restaurants. The Quincy Market Colonnade features over 36 international food vendors, making it the largest food hall in New England.
UPDATE: Cheers is sadly closed. However, you can still visit the classic bar on Beacon street. This location was actually used for filming exterior shots of the long running TV series. You can dine here, take some nostalgic pictures, and check out the gift shop.
There are lots of themed eateries and New England specialities to enjoy. If you like seafood, check out Wicked Lobsta or The Fisherman’s Net. At Boston and Maine Fish Company, est. in 1984, you can enjoy a hearty bowl of clam chowder or a fresh lobster roll! Another iconic restaurant is Ned Devine’s, a long running Irish pub featuring classic Irish comfort food like Fish N’Chips and Bangers N’Mash.
We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, which is my favorite tourist restaurant. I love the music, atmosphere, and food. This particular Hard Rock isn’t my favorite, but it is in a good location if you are visiting Boston and plan on shopping at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. I recommend ordering the “Jumbo Combo.”
UPDATE: Hard Rock is now sadly closed. However, there are many other fun themed restaurants to visit including Margaritaville and Sugar Factory.
You will find plenty of places to shop here including traditional mall shops and souvenir shops selling all kinds of Boston apparel. Check out the full shopping directory. You will find a mix of everything including: souvenir shops, apparel stores, hat shops, boston team sports stores, a Samsonite luggage shop, a comics store, and much more. We didn’t have a ton of extra time, but we enjoyed browsing through some of the Boston themed gift shops.
Street performances at Faneuil
One of the main draws for tourists are the street performances which take place at various times during the week. During our trip we were able to see a few unique circus themed acts. It was weird and fascinating at the same time. If anything, a nice entertaining break after a lot of walking for the day. Check the events calendar for upcoming acts.
Nearby city attractions
Other tourist attractions in the area include the New England Aquarium, which is located about 2 blocks away on Central Wharf. There are also trolley tours and whale watching tours available in the area.
A great break along The Freedom Trail
Faneuil Hall is located on The Freedom Trail, making it a great place to stop for a snack, shopping excursion, or just rest your feet. I highly recommend not leaving the city until you have walked this historic path. It’s a self guided walk of about 2.5 miles.
It’s the perfect activity for history buffs and those who enjoy taking photographs of historic architecture. The cobblestone streets (which you will follow the entire route) add to the historic ambiance. I recommend visiting on a weekday when it is less crowded – weekends are very busy!
Check out my guide and map for more details.
Tip: go early in the morning to find street parking. We were able to avoid the expensive parking garages and luckily found a free spot (just watch the signs!).
Boston waterfront
From Faneuil Hall, it is a 5-10 minute walk to the water. We took a stroll and snapped a few pictures by Long Wharf. There were plenty of people out whale watching and participating in other sightseeing tours. You will be able to purchase tickets for your desired cruise. As it was a really hot day (upper 90s), we were not able to hang around very long. I hope to visit again on a less crowded and cooler weekday morning!
UPDATE: After living in the area for a a few years and exploring nearly every weekend, I’ve come up with a guide to the city’s best free attractions that you will not want to miss out on. Despite the city’s reputation for being a pricey place to live, there are a number of notable free activities to enjoy.
