What is the Seaport in Boston?

Boston's newest neighborhood, built on former shipping wharves along the south side of the harbor. The district has transformed over the past decade into a waterfront mix of restaurants, hotels, the ICA, and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The older western section, Fort Point, has converted brick warehouses and artist studios.

How do you get to the Seaport from downtown Boston?

Take the Silver Line (SL1 or SL2) from South Station, which is free outbound and takes about 5 minutes to the Courthouse stop. Or walk across the Fort Point Channel bridges from South Station, about 10 minutes on foot.

Is the ICA Boston free?

Free for anyone 18 and under, always. Free for everyone on Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 PM. General admission is $20 at other times. The harbor terrace outside is free to access without a ticket.

Is the Seaport family-friendly?

Very. The Boston Children's Museum (ages 1-10), Martin's Park playground, and the Tea Party Ships (ages 5 and up) are all within a few blocks. The HarborWalk is flat and stroller-accessible. Friday evenings at the Children's Museum are $1 admission.

Is there parking in the Seaport?

Yes, but it is expensive. Garages near the convention center and along Seaport Boulevard run $28-45 per day. Street parking is metered and limited. The Silver Line from South Station is free outbound and takes 5 minutes.

What are the best restaurants in the Seaport?

Row 34 (oyster bar in a Fort Point warehouse), Yankee Lobster (no-frills fish market since 1950), and Legal Harborside (three-floor waterfront seafood) are the standouts. For Mediterranean shared plates, Committee on Seaport Boulevard is popular.

What is Fort Point in Boston?

The older, western section of the Seaport district, between Fort Point Channel and the newer glass towers. Brick warehouses from the late 1800s have been converted into artist studios, galleries, and restaurants. First Fridays bring monthly open-studio events.

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Things to Do in Seaport Boston

Q: Is the Seaport worth visiting?

Yes, especially for the ICA, the Tea Party Ships, and the waterfront. The neighborhood is newer and more polished than the rest of Boston, which some visitors find characterless, but the harbor views and restaurant scene make it worth at least a half day.

Boston's newest neighborhood, built on the old shipping wharves: the ICA, the Boston Tea Party Ships, miles of HarborWalk, and the densest cluster of new restaurants in the city. Here's what's actually worth your time, ranked and judged.

Seaport in brief

What should you not miss in the Seaport?

The Institute of Contemporary Art (the building alone is worth the trip, cantilevered over the harbor), the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum (an interactive reenactment, not a static exhibit), and a walk along the HarborWalk from Fan Pier to the Children's Museum.

How long should you spend in the Seaport?

A half day covers the ICA and a HarborWalk stroll with lunch. A full day adds the Tea Party Ships, the Children's Museum (if traveling with kids), and dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants.

Is the Seaport worth visiting?

Yes, especially for the ICA and the waterfront. The neighborhood is newer and more corporate than the rest of Boston, but the harbor views, the restaurant scene, and the HarborWalk make it a worthwhile half-day addition to any Boston trip.

Get oriented

How the Seaport fits together

The Seaport stretches along the south side of Boston Harbor, from Fort Point Channel east to the convention center.

Seaport Boulevard is the main east-west road. The western end, near the Fort Point Channel, is the older section: converted brick warehouses, the Boston Children's Museum, and the Tea Party Ships. The eastern end is the newer development: glass towers, the convention center, hotels, and the ICA at the tip of Fan Pier. The HarborWalk runs along the water's edge through the entire district, connecting everything. The Silver Line (SL1 and SL2) runs underground from South Station through the Seaport, with stops at Courthouse and World Trade Center. South Station, a 10-minute walk across the Fort Point Channel bridge, connects you to the Red Line, the Orange Line, commuter rail, and Amtrak.

A half-day walk from South Station, heading east along the waterfront:

See & do, ranked

The best things to do in the Seaport

Our honest ranking of what is worth your time in Boston's waterfront district, from world-class contemporary art to a floating tea party reenactment.

Must-see

The essentials, ranked.

1
Fan Pier Worth it
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)
Boston's best contemporary art museum, in a building cantilevered over the harbor with floor-to-ceiling water views.
The ICA moved to its current Diller Scofidio + Renfro building on Fan Pier in 2006. The building itself is the first statement: a glass-and-steel box that extends out over the harbor, with a Mediatheque on the lower level where you can sit in theater-style seats and watch the water through a wall of glass. The galleries upstairs rotate exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and video. The permanent collection includes work by Nan Goldin, Cornelia Parker, and Huma Bhabha. The harbor terrace is free to access even without a ticket. General admission is $20; free for anyone 18 and under, and free for everyone on Thursdays from 5 to 9 PM. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM, with extended hours Thursday and Friday until 9 PM.
$201.5 hron Google
Good for couples, solo
Sourcesicaboston.org boston-discovery-guide.com
2
Fort Point Channel Worth it
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
A fully interactive reenactment of the 1773 Tea Party, not a static museum, on replica ships moored in Fort Point Channel.
This is not a walk-through-at-your-own-pace museum. You are assigned a character from the actual 1773 protest, seated in a replica meeting house, and guided through a 60-minute experience that includes a reenacted town meeting, boarding two full-size replica ships, throwing tea crates into the harbor (they are on ropes), and watching a multimedia film about the aftermath. Actors in period costume lead each group. The experience is timed-entry and groups are capped, so it feels personal rather than crowded. Book in advance; summer weekends sell out days ahead. Adults $35-39, children $25-29. Located on the Congress Street Bridge over Fort Point Channel, a 5-minute walk from South Station.
$351.5 hron Google
Good for families, solo, couples
Sourcesbostonteapartyship.com seaportboston.com
3
Seaport waterfront Worth it
HarborWalk
A continuous waterfront path connecting the entire Seaport, with harbor views, public art, and places to sit.
The HarborWalk is a public path running along the water's edge from Fort Point Channel through the Seaport to the convention center and beyond. The Seaport stretch is the newest and best-maintained section: wide granite paths, benches facing the harbor, public art installations, and views across to the North End and Logan Airport. Fan Pier Park, near the ICA, has a large lawn and Adirondack chairs. Martin's Park, near the Children's Museum, has a wooden playground designed for adventure play. You can walk the full Seaport section in about 30 minutes, or take an hour if you stop at the parks. Free, open, and accessible at all hours.
Free30-60 minon Google
Open 24 hours
Good for families, couples, solo
Sourcesbostonseaport.xyz

Worth it with more time

Good additions once you've done the icons.

4
Congress Street Worth it
Boston Children's Museum
One of the best children's museums in the country, with three floors of hands-on exhibits and a giant milk bottle out front.
The Children's Museum has been on Congress Street at Fort Point Channel since 1979, marked by the 40-foot Hood Milk Bottle outside. Inside, three floors of hands-on exhibits cover construction, science, art, Japanese culture (a full-size two-story silk merchant's house from Kyoto), and a toddler play area. The Climb structure, a three-story wooden-and-net climbing maze, is the signature attraction. Best for ages 1 through 10. General admission is $24 per person, free for infants under 1. EBT/WIC holders get in for $3 (up to 4 people). Open daily 9 AM to 5 PM, Fridays until 9 PM.
$242 hron Google
Good for families
Sourcesbostonchildrensmuseum.org
5
Fort Point Worth it
Fort Point Channel
The older, grittier side of the Seaport, where converted brick warehouses house artist studios, galleries, and some of the best food in the district.
Fort Point is the western edge of the Seaport, between the channel and the newer glass towers. The brick warehouse buildings date to the late 1800s, and many still house working artist studios. First Fridays, a monthly open-studio event, brings crowds. The Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) runs public art installations along the channel. The neighborhood's best restaurants cluster here: Row 34 and Yankee Lobster are both on this side. The Congress Street and Northern Avenue bridges offer some of the best skyline photos in Boston, looking back across the channel toward the Financial District. Free to walk; budget depends on how much you eat.
Free30 minon Google
Open 24 hours
Good for solo, couples
Sourcesbostonseaport.xyz
6
D Street Worth it
Lawn on D
A pop-up park with swinging light-up seats, food trucks, and live music next to the convention center.
The Lawn on D is a seasonal outdoor park and event space on D Street, next to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. In warm months, the lawn fills with oversized swinging seats that glow different colors at night, food trucks, cornhole, and a rotating schedule of live music, movie nights, and fitness classes. It is more of a gathering spot than a destination, but on a summer evening it is one of the most fun free things in the Seaport. The light-up swings are the signature draw and the reason for the Instagram photos. Open seasonally, roughly May through October. Free admission; food and drinks are extra.
Free
Seasonal, May-Oct, hours vary
Good for couples, solo, families
Sourcesbostonseaport.xyz

Verdicts and rankings are our own; ratings open each place on Google. Prices, where shown, are an approximate per-person guide in USD.

Eat & drink

Where to eat in the Seaport

The Seaport has more new restaurants per block than anywhere else in Boston. These four are the ones worth crossing the channel for.

Row 34
Congress Street (Fort Point)
A 200-seat oyster bar and craft brewery in a converted Fort Point warehouse. The raw bar is the draw: a dozen oyster varieties daily, plus littleneck clams and shrimp cocktail. The fried clams and fish and chips are solid. Strong beer list, including house-brewed options. Dinner runs $35-55 per person.
on Google
Yankee Lobster
Northern Avenue
A family-run fish market and restaurant that has been on the waterfront since 1950. The lobster roll is simple and generous: chunks of fresh lobster on a toasted split-top bun. The clam chowder is thick in the New England style. Counter-service, no frills, paper plates. $20-30 per person. Cash and cards.
on Google
Legal Harborside
Liberty Wharf
Three restaurants in one building on the water. The first floor is casual seafood (Legal's classic clam chowder and lobster rolls, $25-40). The second floor is a sit-down restaurant with a raw bar and harbor views ($40-70). The rooftop is a seasonal cocktail bar. The waterfront location is the selling point.
on Google
Committee
Seaport Boulevard
A Mediterranean restaurant and bar in a large Seaport space with an outdoor patio. Shared plates (hummus, grilled octopus, lamb chops) and cocktails. The patio on warm evenings is one of the liveliest spots in the Seaport. $30-50 per person for shared plates and drinks.
on Google

Getting around

Getting around the Seaport

Silver Line (SL1/SL2)
$2.40 per ride from South Station. Courthouse and World Trade Center stops put you in the heart of the Seaport. Runs underground, roughly every 10-15 minutes.
South Station
Red Line, Orange Line, commuter rail, and Amtrak. A 10-minute walk across the Fort Point Channel bridges to the Seaport.
Flat and walkable
The Seaport is level and grid-like. Everything in this guide is within a 15-minute walk of the Courthouse Silver Line stop. The HarborWalk connects all the waterfront sites.
Parking is expensive
Garage rates run $28-45 per day. Street parking is metered and limited. Take the Silver Line from South Station or walk from the Financial District.

Where to stay

Where to stay in the Seaport

Seaport proper

Modern and waterfront. The Yotel, Envoy Hotel, and Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport are all within steps of the HarborWalk, restaurants, and the ICA.

Fort Point

Converted-warehouse character. The Residence Inn and Homewood Suites sit in the older section near the Children's Museum and Row 34. Quieter at night, more neighborhood feel.

South Station area

Transit-connected and slightly cheaper. Hotels near South Station put you a 10-minute walk from the Seaport with direct Red Line and Orange Line access to the rest of the city.

Boston skyline and harbor from the waterfront.

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Who it's for

Seaport for families, couples, and solo

The Seaport for families: The Children's Museum and Martin's Park playground are built for kids. The Tea Party Ships let older kids throw tea in the harbor. The HarborWalk is stroller-friendly and flat. Friday evenings at the Children's Museum are $1.
The Seaport for couples: The ICA on a Thursday evening (free admission, open until 9), dinner at Row 34 or Legal Harborside with harbor views, and a sunset walk along Fan Pier. The Seaport is quieter and more scenic than downtown after dark.
The Seaport for solo travelers: The ICA is one of the best solo-friendly museums in Boston. Sit at the raw bar at Row 34, walk the HarborWalk at your own pace, and catch a First Friday opening in Fort Point. The neighborhood is safe and well-lit at night.

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