Area guide

Charlestown

Charlestown, across the harbor's inner channel, closes the Freedom Trail with its two most physical experiences: boarding the USS Constitution - Old Ironsides, launched 1797 and still a commissioned US Navy vessel - in the historic Navy Yard, and climbing the 294 steps of the Bunker Hill Monument for a wraparound city view (free; stair access subject to conditions - verify). The adjacent USS Constitution Museum adds hands-on exhibits children genuinely enjoy. Around the sights, Charlestown itself is a quiet quarter of gas lamps and clapboard houses on Monument Square, pleasant for a wander but thin on dining, so time your visit between meals or picnic in the Navy Yard. The best arrival is by water: the MBTA ferry from Long Wharf to the Navy Yard takes about ten minutes and doubles as a budget harbor cruise. Allow three to four hours total.