Harvard Yard, Boston
Harvard Yard is the beating heart of Harvard University's 209-acre campus in good ol' Cambridge. Back in the day, before it became the brainscape it is today, the Yard was just a fancy name for a cow hangout – a real pasture for those bovine scholars. Now, it's got more gates than a medieval castle (27 to be precise), some fresh-faced freshman dorms, several academic buildings, and enough Harvard Library branches to give you paper cuts for days – and they say it's the biggest academic library system in the entire universe.
When you stroll through Harvard Yard, you'll feel like you're in a real-life Harry Potter movie, minus the magic wands. You've got these charming red-brick buildings and lush lawns that scream "we're smarter than you", where the Harvardians of tomorrow come to sharpen their minds and pretend to be grown-ups. It's like a giant study hall with bonus socializing points, and when the grads finally snag their diplomas, it's like the epic finale of an academic reality show.
And if you need a break from all that brainpower, just mosey on over to the Plaza (right outside Bradstreet Gate on the north side) – the campus's cool hangout spot, complete with food trucks, farmers markets, ping-pong tables, and other shenanigans that change with the seasons. So, if you ever find yourself here, bring your thinking cap, your picnic blanket, and your best philosophical questions.
When you stroll through Harvard Yard, you'll feel like you're in a real-life Harry Potter movie, minus the magic wands. You've got these charming red-brick buildings and lush lawns that scream "we're smarter than you", where the Harvardians of tomorrow come to sharpen their minds and pretend to be grown-ups. It's like a giant study hall with bonus socializing points, and when the grads finally snag their diplomas, it's like the epic finale of an academic reality show.
And if you need a break from all that brainpower, just mosey on over to the Plaza (right outside Bradstreet Gate on the north side) – the campus's cool hangout spot, complete with food trucks, farmers markets, ping-pong tables, and other shenanigans that change with the seasons. So, if you ever find yourself here, bring your thinking cap, your picnic blanket, and your best philosophical questions.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Boston. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Harvard Yard on Map
Sight Name: Harvard Yard
Sight Location: Boston, USA (See walking tours in Boston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Boston, USA (See walking tours in Boston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Boston, Massachusetts
Create Your Own Walk in Boston
Creating your own self-guided walk in Boston is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Boston Introduction Walking Tour
The capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States and it had played a key role in the country's struggle for independence. Founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England, it witnessed many events of the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston.
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Bunker Hill Walking Tour
Bunker Hill, sitting on the bank of the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, is a historic site that holds great significance in American history. At its heart stands the Bunker Hill Monument, a towering obelisk commemorating the Battle of Bunker Hill, a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary War.
The battle took place on June 17, 1775, when American patriots faced off against British... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
The battle took place on June 17, 1775, when American patriots faced off against British... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Beacon Hill Historic Houses Tour
Boston’s historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill is quite a charm! One can spend hours here, admiring the elegant uniformity and restraint of the architecture; at times, perhaps, imagining people from the past in their horse-drawn carriages. Federal-style and Victorian row houses, narrow streets lit by antique gas lanterns, brick sidewalks and lavender-hued windows adorn the area, which is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Boston Shopping Areas
One of the top shopping destinations in the US northeast, Boston has a strong network of interesting stores, galleries and boutiques to visit along with its many high-class shops, some of which are nestled inside historical buildings. Shopping here in more than one way mirrors the city itself: an amalgamation of classic and vanguard, the handmade and the high-end, and both local and international... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Historical Churches Walking Tour
Boston's great churches are among the most precious of the city's numerous architectural jewels. What makes them special are their unique styles, elegant facades and long history.
Starting with the Old North Church, which towers in the city’s North End, this journey surely feels like taking a step back in time. Legend was made there, in the very place that Paul Revere waited for... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Starting with the Old North Church, which towers in the city’s North End, this journey surely feels like taking a step back in time. Legend was made there, in the very place that Paul Revere waited for... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Harvard University Walking Tour
The United States’ oldest institution of higher education (and, of course, among the most prestigious), Harvard was established in 1636. Reverend John Harvard, who bequeathed his entire library and half of his estate, is the University’s namesake. Presidents, billionaires and Rhodes Scholars are only some of the illustrious graduates; in fact, Harvard has more Nobel Prize-winning alumni,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Boston's Marblehead Eateries
With such a diverse variety of dining cuisines and styles, the little town of Marblehead has something to satisfy every budget and culinary palate. You won't find any neon here, none is allowed in town and there are no fast food or drive-thrus establishments either. Most are quaint and...