Things to Do in Boston in April

Line up along the 42.2 km course from Hopkinton to Copley Square on Patriots' Day. The most electric spectator spots are Wellesley College's Scream Tunnel at the halfway mark, the Heartbreak Hill climb in Newton around km 32, and the final stretch down Boylston Street. Arrive early to secure a viewing spot near the finish line, where crowds pack in 3-4 rows deep by 10 AM.

Booking tipNo ticket needed for spectating. The MBTA runs extended Green Line service on Marathon Monday, and the Copley and Kenmore stations are the closest to the finish area.

Fenway Park, built in 1912 and the oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball, holds about 37,755 seats. The April schedule typically includes 12-14 home games. The Green Monster in left field rises 11.3 meters, and seats on top of it are among the most coveted in baseball. Lansdowne Street behind the Monster fills with pregame crowds at the bars and restaurants.

Booking tipWeeknight games against non-rival teams offer the best availability. Tickets go on sale well in advance through the team's official site.

The 4 km red-brick-lined path connects 16 historic sites between Boston Common and the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. April's cooler temperatures and thinner crowds make the full walk more comfortable than summer. Key stops include the Old North Church (1723), Paul Revere's House in the North End (the oldest remaining residential structure in Boston, built around 1680), and the Granary Burying Ground where Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere are interred.

The museum at 25 Evans Way in the Fenway neighborhood houses over 7,500 works in a Venetian-style palazzo built in 1903. The interior courtyard fills with seasonal flowers, and the April plantings typically feature nasturtiums and orchids. The museum still displays empty frames from the 1990 art theft, the largest unsolved property crime in history, when 13 works valued at a combined estimate in the hundreds of millions were stolen.

The 5 km paved path along the south bank of the Charles River between the Museum of Science and Boston University Bridge is one of the city's best running and cycling routes. In April, the path is clear of ice, the rowing crews from MIT and Boston University are back on the water, and the trees begin to bud by mid-month. The Hatch Shell amphitheater sits at the midpoint.

The MFA on Huntington Avenue holds over 500,000 works, making it one of the largest art museums in the Americas. The Japanese garden courtyard, the Impressionist galleries (one of the largest Monet collections outside France), and the Art of the Americas wing are standout sections. April foot traffic tends to run about 30-40% below the July peak.

The Public Garden, established in 1837 as the first public botanical garden in the United States, sits adjacent to Boston Common (1634, the oldest public park in the country). By mid-to-late April, the tulip beds begin to show color, and the famous Swan Boats typically resume operation around the third week of the month. The weeping willows along the lagoon start to green up.

Cross the Charles River to Cambridge and walk through Harvard Yard, the oldest part of the Harvard University campus (founded 1636). The Widener Library steps and the John Harvard statue are the visual anchors. April brings admitted-students weekends, which fill Harvard Square's bookshops and cafes with a particular energy. The Harvard Art Museums on Quincy Street house over 250,000 works across three collections.

The South End's SoWa Open Market at 460 Harrison Avenue opens for the season in early-to-mid May, but the SoWa Artists Guild indoor galleries and vintage market space operate year-round on Sundays. Over 70 artist studios in the converted warehouse buildings open their doors. The surrounding South End neighborhood has one of the densest concentrations of restaurants in Boston.