Local

Massachusetts is home to one of the ‘10 best free attractions’ in the United States

BOSTON — Massachusetts is home to one of the “10 best free attractions” in the United States, according to a new ranking.

USA Today recently published its 2023 Readers’ Choice list of must-experience attractions that are free of charge.

“When you visit one of these 10 attractions – chosen by a panel of travel experts and voted as the best in the United States – you can save big travel budget bucks for other things,” USA Today wrote in the report. “They’re all free and, in each case, you get way, way more than you pay for.”

The Freedom Trail in Boston was named the fifth-best free attraction in the country.

“Originally conceptualized in the 1950s, the Freedom Trail is an iconic symbol of Boston. Its red brick line snakes through some of the oldest parts of the City, navigating visitors to some of the most significant historic sites in the Downtown, North End, and Charlestown neighborhoods of Boston,” the National Park Service said on its website. “The trail itself does not necessarily tell a narrative. Rather, it aids tourists with a starting point—an opening sampler of Boston’s storied, complicated, and multi-faceted history. While many sites are primarily recognized for their role in the American Revolution, all the sites on the Freedom Trail remained significant because of the role they played in subsequent social, political, and religious movements, controversies, and challenges.”

The National Parks of Boston has developed a free Freedom Trail audio tour for visitors to follow along with.

The other attractions that cracked USA Today’s list were ranked as follows:

  1. The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas
  2. TECO Manatee Viewing Center - Apollo Beach, Florida
  3. Loggerhead Marinelife Center - Juno Beach, Florida
  4. Venice Beach - Venice, Florida
  5. Freedom Trail - Boston, Massachusetts
  6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina and Tennessee
  7. Independence National Historical Park - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  8. Redwood National and State Parks - California
  9. Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco, California
  10. Central Park - New York City, New York

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW