Top Things To Do And See In South End Boston

The South End has long been one of Boston’s less-traveled districts, but in recent times has garnered a lot of tourism due to economic revitalization of the area. With its beautiful row houses, boutique shops and great restaurants and bars, the neighborhood should be the discerning traveler’s first stop when visiting the city.

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Attend an event at the Cyclorama

Inside the Boston Center for the Arts rests the historic Cyclorama, a breath taking space perfect for a theater performance, speaking event or trade show. The building dates all the way back to 1884, and its copper skylight dome represents a triumph of the industrial style of the time. Come here to start an excursion into the South End and get a taste for its history.

The SoWa Open Market takes place on Sundays between May and October

Running every May through October, the South End Open Market @ SoWa is also a great place to check out for food trucks and hand-made goods straight from local sellers. With about 20 different food trucks, a farmer’s market and an arts market in the same vicinity, this market offers the best products in the city, and is quite popular and lively on Saturday mornings.

Buy something from The Butcher Shop

Come to The Butcher Shop to satisfy your meat cravings. This shop is exceptional in the fact that it is a full-service wine bar, as well as a meat clearing house for the discerning carnivore. Their in-house sausage, hot dogs, foie gras and marbled cuts of local beef are enough to tantalize the taste buds of any meat eater. Stop by for a butchery lesson on a variety of topics; to learn the ancient art of cutting meat.

Take a stroll around the neighborhood

After first arriving at the South End, it should become apparent that the neighborhood is one of the most beautiful in the city. With its characteristic connected brick row town houses and tree-lined brick sidewalks, this neighborhood is one of the most pedestrian-friendly areas in Boston. Tremont Street and Washington Street are great places to begin a journey around the neighborhood on food, although its side streets and alleyways could be just as intriguing.

Check out the specialty shops

The South End is a great place to find boutique shops. The district is home to some of the most eclectic shopping options in the city, like Diseño, a shop specializing in South American furniture. With the neighborhood’s easily accessible layout, all the South End’s shopping is within reach for the walker too.

Visit the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts

The Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts presents contemporary art and media by both up-and-coming and established artists and curators. With six exhibitions per season, it is a great place to see and reflect on painting, sculpture, mixed media and performance art in the South End, and a neighbor to all the other fun activities found inside the Boston Center for the Arts.

Eat brunch at The Beehive

Located inside the Boston Center for the Arts, The Beehive is the must visit eatery and music venue on the South End. The brunch at this place is often overlooked, due to its hopping scene at night. Specializing in regional comfort food, and with its bohemian cabaret seating, The Beehive offers the most optimal brunch in town. With its steady flow of live jazz, Bloody Marys and maple syrup, few restaurants in the South End can compare.

Visit the Griffin Museum

For an intimate museum experience with no lines, few tourists and above all else, no stress, visit the Griffin Museum on Clarendon Street. This gallery has only one exhibition at a time, so don’t plan on dragging any heels here. And with a very reasonable admission fee, entrance is about as casual as picking up a coffee down the block.

Order a pint at J.J. Foley’s Cafe

J.J. Foley’s is a place you want to drink! This family owned bar has been operating since 1909 at its Berkeley Street location, a commendable feat for any service establishment. Offering classic Irish-American fare, and with a full service bar until 2am daily, this bar is a living and breathing piece of Boston history, and a fun one at that. The authenticity here is hard to find elsewhere, so be sure to stop in for a pint before leaving the neighborhood.

Stay at The Inn at St. Botolph

The Inn at St. Botolph makes its home amidst the South End’s characteristic brick row house district. Inside, luxury and comfort are immediate upon entering, while the peace and quiet are indeniable. This hotel has garnered quite a following with corporate travelers and couples on weekend getaways, being loaded with the finest of 21st century amenities.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.