Walking Boston - Tours
Walking Boston - Tours
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Walking Boston offers a fun, private, educational tour of historic Boston. Very entertaining & informative guide. Walking Boston is Boston’s only historic tour given by a children’s book author with family ties to the Sons of Liberty and Paul Revere. Imagine yourself touring Boston with an actual relative of the legendary Paul Revere! Ben Edwards is a creative and engaging tour guide who offers private tours at a comfortable pace. His private guided walking tours for groups and families provide a personalized approach ensuring plenty of time for questions and the flexibility to stay longer at many of the sites. As a tour participant, you'll "hold history in your hands" as Ben shares rare documents and original colonial newspapers from his personal collection along the tour route. You'll also receive free access to a number of bonus items that support the tour.
Boston, Massachusetts
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Walking Boston - Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
390 reviews
Excellent
389
Very good
1
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0
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0
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mdbarg
3 contributions
Oct 2021
Ben Edwards provided a tour that my group is still commenting positively about! This was the fourth time I took my group on his Boston Walking Tour and I'm still learning new details about Boston and American Heritage sites from him. Typical comments from my group's ten participants included, "Fantastic! Best tour I've ever experienced!" and "This tour was more than worth every hour of my time! I never knew these things before!" Demand for another tour is building and we will try to schedule one for some time in early Spring 2022. Ben brings many of his original rare documents and stories to share during the tour that distinguishes him from most other less professional tour guides.
On our most recent tour, we gave Ben a Boston Cream pie birthday surprise as a token of our appreciation for his professionalism and exceptional ability to make everyone in our group feel welcome and engaged with the tour. Ben adapted quickly to the external disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a successful and enjoyable tour of historic Boston for our group of OIF and OEF veterans including a few of their children.
On our most recent tour, we gave Ben a Boston Cream pie birthday surprise as a token of our appreciation for his professionalism and exceptional ability to make everyone in our group feel welcome and engaged with the tour. Ben adapted quickly to the external disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a successful and enjoyable tour of historic Boston for our group of OIF and OEF veterans including a few of their children.
Written October 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
185jeff
Manhattan Beach2 contributions
Jul 2021
Ben was a great guide for our family of 5. He kept the kids engaged with trivia and prizes and knows just about everything there is to know about Boston history. He had a lot of very cool old documents to supplement the stories he was telling us, Mostly, I was extremely impressed with Ben's stamina and his willingness to be flexible during the tour. We happened to take our tour on a record cold day in Boston, in the high 50s. We stopped halfway through the tour to buy sweatshirts and sweatpants for the kids at the Gap and then hot chocolate and coffee, and Ben was very accommodating. Even after that delay he didn't rush through any part of the tour. What was supposed to be a 2.5 hour tour ended up closer to 5 hours and I think Ben was ready for 2 more after that. Thanks for the memories Ben!
Written July 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stquaranta
Hillsborough, NC9 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
My family and I visited Boston over the July 4th holiday. We love American history and wanted an in-depth private tour that would really give us a feel of the city and its historical past. I did a lot of research to find the perfect tour guide and did I ever hit the jack pot with Ben Edwards! He was so engaging, thorough, knowledgeable, and full of energy. He kept the attention of my 10 year old son with games, questions, prizes and lots of cool historical facts. We were “on the go” from 9:30 am until he dropped us off at 5pm at our hotel, with stops for breakfast and lunch at historical restaurants. He brought to life the colorful past of the city, its role in the American revolution, how the Revere family story is woven through Boston’s history, and many other amazing facts one would never know without the guidance of someone who had spent their life studying and researching its history. He had maps, books, coins, artifacts, and a backpack full of treasures to give picture to the story he told. It is evident that Ben does this job because he loves it. He has dedicated his life to preserving his family’s past, understanding Boston’s complex history and sharing his knowledge with others. He’s particularly good with kids - my son loved meeting Ben and spending the day with him and claims our day with him was his favorite day on our trip!
Do yourself a HUGE favor and hire Ben to share his knowledge about Boston. I HIGHLY recommend him and his tours. You will not be disappointed.
Do yourself a HUGE favor and hire Ben to share his knowledge about Boston. I HIGHLY recommend him and his tours. You will not be disappointed.
Written July 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie C
Kansas City, MO1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Family
The best historic tour our homeschooling family has ever taken! We celebrated 25 years of homeschooling and field trips to historic America by traveling from the Midwest to Boston to walk Ben's private tour of the Freedom Trail. Our 4 kids, 17-30, were riveted for hours by the fascinating, fun, personal, and truly brilliant Ben Edwards. He is very good with kids and adults and continually wove a tapestry of history and Boston sites based on our interests and knowledge. Uniquely bringing his own family's front-row seat and involvement from the 1700's to the patriotic story of freedom, Ben is a treasure to anyone who loves the history of our country's founding. He had rare documentation for each site that brought history alive. He gave us a signed copy of his book. Ben is also a connoisseur of Boston and the city's charm and fabulous food. We had a taste of heavenly bread in one of the North End bakeries and highly recommend the Boston Cream Pie at Parker's Restaurant! A full day overflowing with new historical intrigue, delicious food, wonder, and great company. Thank you, Ben.
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Homeschoolfanatic
2 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
My family and I are homeschoolers and have been studying the revolutionary War. We live in WV, and my husband and I discussed wanting to take our children to some of the original sites of America and the revolution. We started our trip in Philadelphia on a self-guided tour, then the next day we went on a Boston Tea Party tour, and then the following day met Ben for a tour on the Freedom trail. It was fantastic and by far the best part of our trip yet (We are going to Ft McHenry tomorrow, but I'm sure it will be no comparison).
My kids, ranging in age from 6 to 11, all absolutely loved Ben and wanted to take him home with us! Ben gave super cool prizes along the way (some of which we will use in homeschooling), and kept the kids engaged. He is very knowledgeable and personable. The kids invited him to lunch with us, and he was so nice to accept and recommend a restaurant. The kids (and parents alike) had a blast getting to chat with him.
Ben is by far the best attraction in Boston. If you want to learn more about or just experience where events of the Recolutionary War took place, you won't want to miss out on a tour with Ben!
My kids, ranging in age from 6 to 11, all absolutely loved Ben and wanted to take him home with us! Ben gave super cool prizes along the way (some of which we will use in homeschooling), and kept the kids engaged. He is very knowledgeable and personable. The kids invited him to lunch with us, and he was so nice to accept and recommend a restaurant. The kids (and parents alike) had a blast getting to chat with him.
Ben is by far the best attraction in Boston. If you want to learn more about or just experience where events of the Recolutionary War took place, you won't want to miss out on a tour with Ben!
Written October 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sujhar
Atlanta26 contributions
Jul 2021
My 10 year old son and I had a WONDERFUL experience with Ben. Within 15 minutes my son told me he was having a great time and the tour was awesome. Not only is Ben extremely knowledgable but he has amazing ability to engage kids and keep them engaged during the tour. He kept it fun with quiz questions throughout the tour and special prizes. The prizes were awesome. He truly loves what he does and that shows during the tour in the things he shows you and photos and other special items he shares with you. He also took great photos of us during the tour and shared them via text allowing us to keep our phones away and enjoy the tour. I highly recommend this tour if you want a guide that is knowledgeable, fun and passionate and a tour that is very kid friendly.
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mdbarg
Lexington, MA2 contributions
May 2022
This was the fifth time I hosted my group to take the Boston Walking Tour with our superb guide, Mr. Ben Edwards. Ben provided an exceptionally professional and enjoyable experience that engages our imaginations and inspires us to learn more about historic Boston. I plan another tour with Ben in the Fall because of the strong, positive feedback from all participants indicating his planning and execution resulted in a totally enjoyable experience.
Written July 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris
Brisbane3 contributions
Sep 2022
Superb! That is the best word to describe the guided tour that Ben conducts along Boston’s Freedom Trail. He has extensive knowledge of his subject, but is also enthusiastic, entertaining and very generous with his time. His passion for Boston is apparent from the moment the tour begins. I would strongly recommend him to anyone who wants to learn about this city and it’s essential history.
Chris (Australia)
Chris (Australia)
Written September 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
john c
1 contribution
Apr 2023
My wife and I had a wonderful full day tour of the Boston Freedom Trail by Ben. His personal connection, family connecting file to history, knowledge, and enthusiasm touched every aspect of our experience with him. From the opening breakfast in the Omni Parker House (special table where JFK proposed to Jackie), through the various points of history before lunch were just fantastic! His knowledge and experience enables him to not only surely pass on the compulsory matters, but enriches it with points of interest that are not so apparent but so relevant to understanding the history of this area. We also had a wonderful lunch in the oldest restaurant (Union Oyster House), and had another opportunity for a JFK connection with a nice photo in JFK's favorite booth. Ben's connection came to a climactic moment when we visited the Revere House, the Old North Church, and Copp's Hill cemetery where his family personal connection became ever more real. Ben takes the time to get to know you, and tailored some approaches and conversation to us, and we enjoyed his family's military connection(s) and outreach as we are both retired military. Another superb aspect was his photography and taking just the right set of photos with us in the many major sights, and then forwarding them with captions later in the day. It made the day's tour ever more enjoyable and we now have just the perfect keepsake portfolio. My wife and I are very grateful for the wonderful tour, and our being able to be enriched by Boston's history and Ben's approach to it. A wonderful day that we will long remember.
Written May 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah R
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
Ben is careful to detail, passionate, and knowledgeable of accurate history. And he is fun and personable. All of the characteristics that make a unique and exceptional experience!
I was looking for more than just a short, average, walk through Boston. I wanted a personalized, caring, and living educational experience through such a fascinating time of history. Ben is a gifted story teller, full of behind the scene facts, fueled with truth and a personal account of Boston's early history. He diligently brought our homeschool families on a six hour living experience through the footsteps, buildings, holding of original documents, and events leading up to the Revolutionary War and their win for Independence.
He has a wonderful ability of bringing history to children in a way for them to be excited about. He took the time to answer all of my personal questions about specific details of events. He equipped our families with a wide variety of information to prepare learning prior to the trip, personally signed copies of his book, and a follow up email the same evening with more interactive learning for our children. He covered it all.
I am a firm believer in a living education. And Ben did a fantastic job at providing an experience of early American history by helping our children live it. Every detail was appreciated, with the highlight of the day ending with a view of the Old North Church looking at the window where the lantern signal was held on the night of April 18th, 1775.
I absolutely recommend Ben as your personal tour guide to travel back through colonial times in Boston with!
I was looking for more than just a short, average, walk through Boston. I wanted a personalized, caring, and living educational experience through such a fascinating time of history. Ben is a gifted story teller, full of behind the scene facts, fueled with truth and a personal account of Boston's early history. He diligently brought our homeschool families on a six hour living experience through the footsteps, buildings, holding of original documents, and events leading up to the Revolutionary War and their win for Independence.
He has a wonderful ability of bringing history to children in a way for them to be excited about. He took the time to answer all of my personal questions about specific details of events. He equipped our families with a wide variety of information to prepare learning prior to the trip, personally signed copies of his book, and a follow up email the same evening with more interactive learning for our children. He covered it all.
I am a firm believer in a living education. And Ben did a fantastic job at providing an experience of early American history by helping our children live it. Every detail was appreciated, with the highlight of the day ending with a view of the Old North Church looking at the window where the lantern signal was held on the night of April 18th, 1775.
I absolutely recommend Ben as your personal tour guide to travel back through colonial times in Boston with!
Written October 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Ben. How are you? It is possible to do a tour tomorrow? Me and my husband. I tried to book on the website, but I couldn't.
Written June 28, 2018
Hi we will be in Boston and would like to do this tour. Wondering if it’s dog friendly? If so what are the costs? How long is the tour?
Written June 10, 2018
Hello! I would not recommend dogs on this tour as you will be in and out of several historical buildings where dogs would not be welcome ( not to mention eating establishments if you elect the full day tour). The length of tours vary depending on your needs/wants. My sons and I did 5.5 hours costing $650.00 ( with a nice tip) and it was worth every penny. I hope this is helpful.
Written August 19, 2018
Hi, I’ll be in Boston in May and would like to take this tour ! How do I book it
Thanks
Mark
Written March 31, 2018
Greetings,
The tour could be booked by phone
617.670.1888 with the tour guide Ben
or website walkingboston
Written April 1, 2018
I would like to take this tour on November 22, 2017. Will be flying into Boston at 9:45am. What time does the tour start?
Where is the meeting point?
Thank you,
Lynne McCoy
Written October 29, 2017
Hi Lynne,
I will be away - traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday - on November 22. If you click on the "Book Online" link on my website and then on the "contact Ben Edwards directly" link to reach me by email I would be happy to pass on the names of and links to other tours you might try.
Ben
Written November 1, 2017
Ben,
We are interested in having you be our tour guide in Boston. My husband gave the gift of a weekend in Boston to our history buff 11 year old. They are planning to be available for tour 2/18/17. She is interested in Paul Revere, the Freedom Trail, the tea party and everything she can learn. She has a passion for learning. So my questions are, are you available and can you share what you would cover and costs? Thanks - Tina
Written January 18, 2017
Hi Tina,
Thanks for contacting me. As noted on my website, I offer private tours from late March to the end of December. I am closed during the winter months. I do have weekend openings in April, beginning with April 1 and 2. I see that you are from New Jersey. Do you have the option to visit Boston in the spring? If February 18 is your only option I can recommend another tour you might try. Feel free to contact me at my direct email address. A link to it is located at the bottom of the Your Guide page on my Walking Boston website.
Look forward to your reply.
Ben
Written January 19, 2017
How do we sign up and where do we go to do a walking tour and which ones at what time. T hanks much for your help.
Written November 13, 2016
Walking Boston offers private tours only. We don't combine individuals or smaller parties into groups. A private tour is defined as your family, friends, or group of people you've assembled. Information on the two private tours we offer, pricing, and answers to other frequently asked questions can be found on the "Private Tours" section of our website. There is also an online booking form on the site.
Written November 13, 2016
Hola!quisiera saber como hago para informarme acerca de los walking tours de Ben. Hay alguna web de contacto?
Written March 6, 2016
Hi there! We're 2 people interested in doing your tour. How do I book and how much will the cost be?
Written September 23, 2015
well I have no doubt you'll thoroughly enjoy!
Written September 24, 2015
what kind of pace is this tour? i have some slow walkers? are there many hills and such?
Written July 31, 2015
If you are doing Ben Edward's Tour he is fantastic! He will pace it, whatever you like. It is flat a lot of the time, but there are some small hills to walk. You go at your pace that you can. I am 60 and have RA and I did it fine! So anyone can do it! Ben is a super person and he is actually related going all the way back in time. It is like touching history thru Ben, AND IT REALLY IS!
Written August 1, 2015
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