Things to do in fenway at night

This post covers things to do at night in Boston, including a top 10 list, free, as well as family-friendly activities.

We also cover restaurants, museums, and attractions that are open late.

Let's get started!

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON AT NIGHT

The following section will cover our top ten things to do in Boston after the sun goes down. 

For more ideas, make sure to read our master post covering some of the best things to do in Boston.

Don’t forget that some of the best attractions with late hours will be included on most Boston tourist passes. 

1. Go to a Concert

There are a lot of great concert venues in Boston that welcome some of the most notable musical artists in the world.

Below we list a few key venues, but you can find a full concert schedule here.

For concerts in a specific month, check our monthly things to do posts.

2. Attend a Sporting Event

Boston is definitely one of the biggest sports towns in America.

Not only do they have some of the best teams in the country, but the fans in this city are some of the most supportive you’ll ever see.

Most of these teams offer night games whenever they are in season.

As you can see, no matter when you choose to visit Boston, there will probably be at least one sporting event to attend.

To find out more about the specific games you can see, make sure to read our monthly things to do posts. 

3. Go on a Sightseeing Tour

Just because the sun has gone down doesn’t mean you can’t take a tour of the city.

There are still quite a few places you can visit and learn about after dark.

Here are a few of the best tours available at night in Boston:

Beacon Hill Crime Tour 

This pay-what-you-wish walking tour covers some of the most notorious criminal histories that have taken place in the Beacon Hill area.

Ghost Tours 

In a city this old, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are more than a few ghost tours in Boston. Haunted history outings are available as either walking tours or bus tours.

We offer a pay-what-you-wish ghost tour on Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm during the summer season.

Evening Cruise 

If you’re interested in seeing the skyline of Boston from the water, consider taking either a dinner cruise or a sunset cruise.

Don’t forget that you can always take a self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail for free whenever you want. This is a great opportunity that is available both day and night.

4. Get a Tourist Pass

Some of the best nighttime attractions in this city are included with Boston tourist attraction discount passes. These passes can save you up to 55% off retail prices.

Here are some of the activities you can enjoy with these services:

• Museum of Science
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Boston Red Sox Game
• Boston Children’s Museum
• Six Flags New England
• Institute of Contemporary Art
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
• And more!

5. Grab a Drink at the Cheers Bar

Boston is the home of the original bar which was the inspiration for the hit television show Cheers, and you can still visit this Beacon Hill establishment today.

While it doesn’t look exactly like it did on TV, there is a second Cheers bar that was opened up in Quincy Market after the success of the show, and it is designed to look like the bar depicted on television.

In addition to various pub grub and beer, you can also purchase an authentic Cheers mug while you’re here!

If you’re looking for a different kind of food or drink, make sure to read our section covering the best restaurants and food to eat after dark in Boston.

6. See a Musical

No matter when you choose to visit Boston, chances are that you’ll find at least a few musicals to attend.

There are several great venues in or nearby the city.

These theaters are known for hosting fairly major productions such as Hello, Dolly and Les Miserables.

For specific months, read our monthly things to do posts or browse this performance calendar to attend.

7. Enjoy a Night at the Museum

There are quite a few museums you can visit after dark in Boston. Some of them close up early, but others have fairly late hours.

Here are a few of our favorite examples:

• Children’s Museum | Open until 9 pm on Friday
• Boston Fire Museum | Open until 8 pm on Friday
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | Open until 9 pm on Thursday
• Museum of Fine Arts | Open until 10 pm Wednesday – Friday
• Museum of Science | Open until 9 pm on Friday

Families can learn about even more fun activities for kids in our family-friendly activities section. 

8. Go on a Brewery Tour

Boston is home to a lot of great breweries, and some of them offer tours in the evening.

While Samuel Adams provides special VIP tours which can run into the early evening, you’ll have to pay for admission to get a look behind the scenes.

For a free alternative, Night Shift Brewing Company offers tours at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday night.

This is an excellent opportunity that won’t cost you a dime, and you’ll get to see how they make their beer.

The only thing they ask for in return is a donation to the Greater Boston Food Bank!

For even more great activities you can enjoy without worrying about your budget, make sure to check our section devoted to free things to do at night in Boston. 

9. Go Shopping at Prudential Center

Located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, the Prudential Center is one of the best malls in the entire city.

In addition to offering several popular stores to shop at, they also provide special events throughout the year.

This shopping center is open until 9 pm from Monday – Saturday each week.

Don’t feel like shopping? This is far from the only attraction open at night in Boston.

There are several additional locations you might want to consider visiting after the sun goes down, but we can’t cover them all here.

If you’re looking for more places you can visit after dark, make sure to read our list of the best nighttime attractions and museums in Boston. 

10. Enjoy a View of Boston

There are several great places to get a good look at the skyline of Boston.

One of the most historic locations is the Bunker Hill Monument, which is a 221 ft tall obelisk that you can climb to the top.

You'll need a pass to do this, but they are free! Just go to the Bunker Hill Museum and ask for a pass.

If you're willing to go a bit out of the way, consider a trip to Mount Auburn Cemetery in West Cambridge for almost unbeatable views of the city skyline.

Another option is at Piers Park in East Boston. While you won't get a view from above, it is one of the best places to see the skyline from below.

Make sure to read our full post covering Boston tourist passes to learn more about how they work.

FREE THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT

In the following section, we will provide a list of fun activities you can enjoy after dark in Boston. Be sure to read our other sections as well for free evening activities.

And for any time of day, read our master post on free things to do in Boston and our free museums in Boston post.

If you’re working with a strict budget and you want to keep your costs low, consider some of the following options:

You’ll find even more information about these and other activities you can enjoy without paying a dime on our master post for free things to do in Boston.

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS AT NIGHT

This section will provide a list of great things parents can do with their children after the sun goes down in Boston.

Take a look at our top 10 section to find even more ideas like going to a musical, attending a sporting event, visiting the Skywalk Observatory. 

For more family-friendly activities any time of day, be sure to read our master post on things to do with kids in Boston.

If you’ve got any teens in the family, our pay-what-you-want Beacon Hill Crime tour might actually be one of the best activities for you to try.

This outing focuses on true crime stories from throughout the history of Boston, giving older kids an excellent opportunity to learn about some of the creepier things that have happened in the area – and perhaps even play detective to try and solve a crime!

For even more great ideas, consider some of the following family-friendly opportunities:

If you want to learn about these and more attractions you can visit with your kids after dark, make sure to read our full post covering things to do with kids in Boston.

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS WITH LATE HOURS

There are a lot of great sites to see and activities to enjoy in this city, but many of them close up when the sun goes down.

Thankfully, there are still quite a few attractions you can visit after dark.

This list will cover most of the museums and other locations with late hours in Boston.

Many of these attractions are included with a Boston tourist attraction discount pass. 

Limited Night Hours

Always Open After Dark

If you’re looking for even more places you can visit after dark, make sure to read our top 10 section for great theatres and concert venues.

RESTAURANTS AND FOOD AFTER DARK

Most restaurants are open after the sun goes down, so we won’t bother to list every single establishment in the city.

Instead, this section will provide a breakdown of the best foods in Boston and where you can find them after dark. 

Clam Chowder

This may be one of the most popular dishes in the Northeast, and most restaurants in Boston serve at least one chowder. Here are some of the more popular options:

• Boston Chowda Co (map)
  • Open until 9 pm Monday – Saturday
• Boston Sail Loft (map)
  • Open until 2 am each night
• Salty Dog Seafood Grille and Bar (map)
  • Open until 12 am each night
• The Daily Catch (map)
  • Open until 10 pm each night 

Lobster

Thanks to Boston’s location right next to the ocean, they have excellent seafood - including lobster.

We have a post detailing some of the best places for lobster in Boston.

Here are a few of the best places to get Lobster after dark:

• Luke’s Lobster (map)
  • Open until 9 pm each night
• Legal Sea Foods (map)
  • Open until at least 10 pm each night
• Summer Shack (map)
  • Open until at least 10 pm each night
• Atlantic Fish Co (map)
  • Open until at least 11 pm each night

NOTE: Most of the restaurants that serve clam chowder also have at least one Lobster dish.

Pizza

This city may not be known for its pizza, but thanks to the sizeable Italian community in Boston, there are quite a few great pizzerias.

We actually cover one of these locations on our pay-what-you-want Little Italy food tour, making it easier to discover the best Italian restaurants with ease.

Here are some of the best places to grab a slice after dark:

• Ernesto’s Pizza (map)
  • Open until 11 pm Friday & Saturday
• Rina’s Pizzeria (map)
  • Open until at least 10 pm each night
• Regina Pizzeria (map)
  • Open until at least 11:30 pm each night
• Crush Pizza (map)
  • Open until at least 9 pm most nights

Family-Friendly Restaurants

If you’re looking for a place to take your family, there are several great options to consider, we cover a variety of great kid-friendly restaurants in our post about things to do with kids in Boston.

That said, here are some of the best establishments for families with late hours:

• King’s Dining & Entertainment (map)
  • Open until at least 1 am most nights
• The Friendly Toast (map)
  • Open until at least 9 pm most nights
• Roxy’s Grilled Cheese (map)
  • Open until 11 pm Sunday – Thursday
• Hard Rock Cafe (map)
  • Open until 11 pm Sunday – Thursday

Discounts

Before you head out to the restaurant, you may want to look into any coupons or discounts that could be available at the establishment of your choice.

Several of the tourist attraction discount passes include 10-25% off at select restaurants.

This is one of the best ways to save money on food while you’re visiting the city.

THINGS TO DO BY MONTH AT NIGHT

There are a lot of activities and events that only happen during specific months of the year.

If you want to learn more about what’s going on when you visit, make sure to read our post covering all the different things you can do in Boston during the month of your trip.

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