Free Fun in Boston & Beyond

While training at North Bennet Street School, students can enjoy a wide range of activities in Boston and beyond. Taking a break to interact with fellow students and the city and surrounding area helps them engage in meaningful connections. But they don’t have to break the bank to experience the rich variety of outdoor, cultural, musical, and educational activities our city offers: all sorts of fun activities are going on regularly, and many are free of charge.

The Great Outdoors

There are a number of beautiful parks and walkways to explore without having to leave the city, with space for walking, running, skating, skateboarding, and bicycling. There are a variety of delightful settings for getting outside.

The Boston HarborWalk hugs coastal neighborhoods for 47 miles of pathways with views of Boston and the ocean. Prefer fresh water sites? The Charles River Walk offers 20 miles of pathways including the world-famous Esplanade. Alternatively, the Emerald Necklace, a series of parks, winds for 7 miles of lovely wooded scenery graced with fresh ponds. Want a short stroll? The Rose Kennedy Greenway starts right next to the School in the North End and has great views of the city. The Boston Common and the Public Garden are nice for shorter walks and are filled with trees and decorative plantings. 

In warm weather, many hope to swim or go to a beach. Free saltwater locations, run by the state of Massachusetts, include Castle Island and Pleasure Bay (both handy by public transit). The Harbor Islands National and State Park is free to visitors (ferries charge a fee). The State has outdoor swimming pools, run by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. These parks, beaches, and walkways can be accessed free of charge—check their websites before you go, since restrictions can apply. There are even more parks and beaches in the city and state beyond these, and all have additional free seasonal events. 

Visual Arts

Most museums in the area have free public days–check their websites to see which days or times apply. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for example, has free admission on certain holidays and local community days. There is also a discounted $5 rate after 5 pm, useful for the evenings when it is open until 10 pm. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum hosts free First Thursdays, which features live music, art activities, gallery exploration, and more. 

Another great lesser-known resource is that a Boston Public Library card, available to Massachusetts residents, qualifies you for the Museum Pass Program. Depending on the museum policies, each pass allows free or reduced fare admission for one or two adults, and often children as well.

Cultural Events

While in Boston, the public can appreciate world-class live music performances. The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Boston Pops have free community days and discounted student rates. Free concert tickets also can be found at Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and the Music Departments in local universities and colleges. The City of Boston has free seasonal music events in parks and at the Public Library.

Learning All Around

The Boston area has an astounding 36 universities and colleges. All present lectures, events, and exhibitions, often free to the public. For example, in April, art festivals, like the one held by Boston College, display faculty and student work. Lectures covering a multitude of disciplines occur frequently with space for all to attend. Our universities showcase their unique assets, such as Boston University’s Coit Observatory, which holds free Open Nights for anyone to use their telescopes to scan the night sky.

With these incredible resources, students can get out with their peers and make use of the bounteous resources found in Boston, forming a lasting community while honing skills at NBSS.