The 15 Best Things to Do in Boston's Seaport Neighborhood

Three of Boston's best spots for drinks with a view are located in the Seaport: Legal Harborside, the Envoy Hotel’s Lookout Rooftop & Bar and YOTEL Boston's Sky Lounge. Legal Harborside's third floor is an open bar overlooking Boston Harbor and both the Lookout Rooftop & Bar and Sky Lounge have great views of the city skyline and waterfront. 

The Blue Hills Bank Pavilion is one of the best places to see live music in Boston. The outdoor, circular amphitheater is located right on Boston Harbor, looking out on Rowes Wharf, and seats 5,000 for concerts that take place from May to September. Top musicians perform at this venue each year, from Sting and the Goo Goo Dolls, to the Backstreet Boys and John Legend. 

You can't come to Boston without enjoying fresh, local seafood. The Seaport is where lots of that seafood comes in on fishing boats, so you're in the right place.

Legal Sea Foods' Legal Harborside in the Seaport has three floors of different seafood dining experiences, and across the street is also the Legal Test Kitchen, where you'll find a rotating, more unique and innovative menu.

For a no-frills, old school Boston seafood experience, head to No Name, which has been around for over 100 years since 1917, for affordable broiled and fried seafood. It's located right on the Fish Pier just past the pier with the Seaport World Trade Center if you're walking down Seaport Boulevard with the ocean on your left.

The Barking Crab is another popular seafood restaurant, especially when the weather is warm, as the sides are open and it's on the water looking out on the city. They do have heaters and pull the plastic sides down in the winter, so don't let cold weather keep you from visiting. Order fresh lobster and other seafood combo plates.

From late-May to mid-October, the Seaport puts on free outdoor workout series called Seaport Sweat. On Monday through Friday 9 classes each week, with another 15 on Saturday mornings while the series is running. Saturday classes are offered from popular Boston fitness instructors from Booty By Brabants, Equinox, Gronk Fitness, and Lululemon. The classes take place on the Seaport Common. Register in advance or on-site, but keep in mind that classes could fill up so it's best to plan ahead.

There are local craft breweries popping up all over Boston and the surrounding towns. You can try many of these at the city's bars, but it's more of an experience to visit one of the actual breweries, such as Harpoon Brewery and Trillium Brewing Company. Harpoon is in the Seaport at 306 Northern Avenue and Trillium is close by but technically in Boston's Fort Point neighborhood at 50 Thompson Place. There is also a seasonal Trillium Garden, with the 2019 location to be announced.

You can head out onto the ocean year-round with the Spirit of Boston, which leaves right from the Seaport by the World Trade Center. There are lots of options to choose from, including those that serve lunch or dinner and also holiday and other themed cruises, all of which typically last between two and three hours. No matter which cruise option you go with, you'll get food, dancing and great views of the Boston skyline and landmarks along the city's waterfront.

The Boston Harborwalk is a 43-mile public walkway that goes through Boston's waterfront neighborhoods, including the Seaport, Fort Point, South Boston, Charlestown, the North End and more. It was developed by the Boston Redevelpoment Authority, Harborpark Advisory Committee and the Boston Harbor Association to protect public access to the waterfront as the city began a three-decade long period of redevelopment.

The Harborwalk is now almost complete and includes the Seaport. Along the walk, visitors can take in key attractions, restaurants, beaches and more. Check out the interactive Harborwalk map if you plan on using it to explore several of the city's neighborhoods.

The Seaport wasn't much of a shopping destination until 2018, with the opening of many of the stores within One Seaport, a two-block destination for retail, dining, fitness and entertainment. Here you'll find stores ranging from Away luggage, Bonobos and L.L.Bean, to lululemon, Outdoor Voices and Warby Parker. Given that this is a new area, it's best to type 60 Seaport Boulevard into your GPS.

One Seaport is also home to lots of entertaining, including Kings and the Showplace Icon Theatre. At Kings, take your pick from bowling and games like shuffleboard while enjoying delicious bar food at this retro-inspired entertainment spot. The Showplace cinema complex doesn't just have 10 movie theaters — it also has a restaurant and lounge with city skyline views.

The Institute of Contemporary Art is another one of Boston's top museums and is located on the water along the Harborwalk. Here you'll find a wide variety of contemporary art, from visual arts and music, to film, video and performances. Check out current performances and events, such as First Friday with drinks and music, before you go. Thursday evenings are the best time to attend given that admission is free; kids under 17 can attend for free any day.

If you walk into the Fort Point neighborhood, which is just a couple of streets over from the Seaport is where you'll find two of the city's most popular museums, the Boston Children's Museum and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. They're both located along the Fort Point Channel, which connects Fort Point and the Seaport to the rest of the city.

Started as somewhat of a popup during recent development of the Seaport, The Lawn on D has become a popular outdoor destination for food, drinks, lawn games and hanging out in the city. Games include everything from bocce and ping pong, to cornhole and giant Jenga. And if you've ever seen a photo of The Lawn on D on your Instagram feed, you'll recognize Swing Time, a set of swings with solar-powered LED lights that change color when you swing.

Unless an event is going on, The Lawn on D is seasonal and open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and stays open an hour later on weekends. Keep in mind that dogs are unfortunately not allowed.

If nightclubs and dancing are your thing, the Seaport is home to Boston's newest and most popular club, The Grand, located in One Seaport. This is where you'll want to be if you're into bottle service and listening to music from top DJs.

As the Seaport has grown, so has the amount of restaurants. Aside from the seafood restaurants and bars listed earlier, try Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca, bartaco, Bastille Kitchen, Committee, Strega Waterfront, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, Del Frisco's or Gather. For a more casual lunch, there's Flour Bakery, Bon Me, by Chloe or The Smoke Shop BBQ. This is just a sampling of the area's restaurants, as there are plenty of others to choose from and new options being opened as the area continues to grow.

You can take a taxi, Uber or Lyft anywhere, but while you're visiting Boston, you may enjoy taking advantage of the city's year-round Boston Harbor Cruises and Rowes Wharf Water Transport water taxi lines. Pick up your water taxi at the World Trade Center and avoid city traffic as you travel by boat from the Seaport to neighborhoods like Charlestown, East Boston, Logan Airport and more.

For the most part, the water taxi services are on-demand, so you'll want to call to schedule yours (Rowes Wharf: 617-406-8584; Boston Harbor Cruises: 617-227-4320).