Boston Tourist Trap Tips by Paul2001

The Faneuil Hall Marketplace opened in 1976 and is now the most popular tourist site in Boston. Essentially it is a mall incorporated into several historic buildings in Downtown Boston. Many of the buildings were once the main marketplace in Boston hence the name. However today it hosts the usual array of restaurant and shopping franchises that you might find anywhere else in the United States or even the World. What is special is the architecture and its early American colonial feel. However that is spoiled by the replica of the "Cheers" bar that flanks the marketplace.
I thought that the whole place seemed way too crowded to be enjoyable. Do any of the masses of tourists really notice the fascinating architecture or are they more interested in wandering around the shops like Victoria's Secret.
If you still want to go, the Faneuil Hall Marketplace is located at Between North, Congress, and State street,. and I-93. It is open from 10am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday and from noon to 6pm on Sunday.

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At Least Do This: The actual Faneuil Hall is well worth taking in, especially since it is free. This building dates from 1740 when it was built by a merchant, Peter Faneuill. Faneuil Hall was orginally intended to be a meeting place and market place. It served as a gathering spot for the Sons of Liberty in the years before the American Revolution. It still serves as a meeting hall however because Faneuil was a life-long bachelor, you cannot get married here. The meeting hall is on the second floor and you can visit it by way of National Park Service tour which was very well conducted during my time here. There are numerous reproductions of paintings that many Americans will recognize and a fascinating old clock made of wood.
I also did enjoy my lunch at Zumas Tex Mex Cafe. There are also some good street performers around the perimeter of the market that the kids might enjoy.
Alternative: Go to any of Boston's amazing collection of museums and galleries. Get some culture!

Good grief that dreaded scaffolding again. I thought I left it all behind in Europe. Well not exactly for because Boston is such an old city many of the architectural monuments need to be restored here too. The Park Street Church was being restored during my visit. This is not exactly why I was left feeling rather ambivalent about the church. I just did not feel that it was all that interesting architecturally speaking or in historically terms.
The church was founded in 1809 and designed to resemble a church in London built by Christopher Wren. The highlight of you visit is actually on the outside of the structure, that being the lovely 217 foot steeple. The church today is still active and the home of a conservative congregational group.
The church was suppose to be closed on Sundays but I wandered right in without being questioned. I found the interior to be rather ordinary especially when compared to some of the other churches in Boston.

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As you continue along the Freedom Trail from Faneul Hall, you come to Union Street. This street consists of some of the oldest buildings in Boston. It seems that each and everyone of them has been turned into an Irish pub. This brings in hordes of tourists but there is little reason to go out of your way to visit. To be honest once you have seen one, you have seen them all. I ate in one and I found that the food is the usual bland pub fare.

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At Least Do This: The Union Old Oyster House makes the claim of being the oldest restaurant in America.
Alternative: The area between Union and Blackstone Street is known as the Blackstone Block. It is full of buildings dating from the 18th century and is worth wandering through as you proceed along the Freedom Trail but just remember that the shops here are tourist traps selling overpriced goods.