Boston’s also has rebellions.”
Boston’s waterfront looks calm today, but these docks once hosted secret meetings, risky cargo, and the spark that pushed the colonies toward revolution. Walk the Harborwalk with a self-guided audio tour and the shoreline becomes a storyline, tracing the Boston Tea Party, the Sons of Liberty, and the merchants and radicals who helped set history in motion.
As you follow the water between South Station and Long Wharf, the audio connects modern piers and towers with their colonial past. Places like Russia Wharf and Atlantic Wharf highlight Boston’s trading links and how global commerce fed local tensions. Near the Boston Tea Party site, the story dives into what really happened when Bostonians decided they had reached their limit with British rule.
Further along the Harborwalk, you hear about smugglers, blockades, and the way Boston Harbor shifted from busy working port to badly polluted water, then to the cleaned-up, scenic waterfront you see today. Rowes Wharf, Harbor Towers, and neighboring landmarks show how the city rebuilt its edge while still carrying traces of its revolutionary roots.
In other news
You may leave with a much richer version of the Tea Party story, a new respect for clever colonial merchants, and the feeling that this harbor has seen far more drama than its calm surface lets on.
With our Boston self-guided audio tour bundle, you unlock Freedom Trail, Harborwalk, Bunker Hill, ghost stories, and more in one easy package.
Want all of our tours? Upgrade to Action+:
- An annual $99.99/year subscription offers access to over 230+ tours.
- Unlimited use throughout the year.
- Includes free access to new tours as they are released.
Boston Harborwalk Map
Starting Point
You can begin the tour at any one of the suggested starting locations provided below.
South Station, 700 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Begin from South Station, 700 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA
You can also begin the tour from Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA.
How Does It Work?
- Access your tour: Download the Action Tour Guide app and sign in with the same email used for your website purchase. Your tour will appear under My Tours.
- Download your tour: Download it before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
- Start your tour: Open My Tours, select your tour, and tap Start Touring when you reach a starting point.
- Listen your way: Use your phone’s speaker or headphones, or connect to your car’s audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not currently supported, compatibility is in development.
- GPS-triggered audio: Stories play automatically as you reach each location along the route.
- Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day. Tours are valid forever (one year for Action+).
Boston Harborwalk Audio Tour
Things to do on the Tour Include:
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South Station
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Federal Reserve
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Russia Wharf
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The Boston Tea Party
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Rowe's Wharf
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Marina at Rowe's Wharf
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John Joseph Moakley Courthouse
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The Harbor Towers
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New England Aquarium
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Long Wharf
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
The Boston Harborwalk Audio Tour is a self-guided walking tour that combines GPS-guided navigation with stories about Boston’s waterfront, maritime history, and Revolutionary-era events.
Yes. You can start at either South Station or Long Wharf, allowing you to choose the direction that works best with your Boston itinerary.
Highlights include South Station, the Federal Reserve, Russia Wharf, the Boston Tea Party site, Rowes Wharf, the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, Harbor Towers, the New England Aquarium, and Long Wharf.
Source: Boston
The narration covers Boston’s colonial trading history, the Sons of Liberty, the Boston Tea Party, smugglers, blockades, and the transformation of Boston Harbor from a heavily polluted waterfront into a revitalized public space.
Yes. The relatively short route and flexible format make it a convenient option for families interested in Boston’s waterfront and history. Children can also enjoy seeing boats, piers, and waterfront attractions along the way.
The Harborwalk is a public waterfront walkway with numerous outdoor areas and amenities, but pet rules can vary by individual properties and attractions along the route. Check posted regulations before entering specific sites with a dog.
No. The audio tour provides narration, navigation, and route guidance. Admission fees, reservations, transportation, parking, food, and drinks are separate.
Yes. The tour connects Boston’s modern waterfront with its colonial past, focusing on trade, maritime activity, the Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary-era resistance, and the city’s changing relationship with its harbor.
Yes. The Boston Audio Tour Bundle includes the Boston Freedom Trail, Bunker Hill, Boston Harborwalk, and Boston Ghost Tour.

