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Boston's Best Places To Take Your Holiday Photos

By Mark McLaughlin

Boston is a beautiful city, and one steeped in history.  Many of its buildings and locations thus add a back story to what would otherwise be merely a pretty backdrop for a holiday photo.  Whether taken in the late Fall with the autumn leaves to brighten up the scene, or in early winter where the snow helps holiday decorations and family portraits pop out, there are many beautiful and historic places in Boston that are perfect for taking holiday photos.  Here are just five of the Best Places to Take Your Holiday Photos in Boston.

Tree lighting
Faneuil Hall Christmas Tree (WBZ-TV)

Fanueil Hall/Quincy Marketplace
Fanueil Hall Marketplace
4 South Market Building
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 523-1300
www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/

Fanueil Hall and its Quincy Market are always decked out brilliantly for the holidays.  The bright, sparkling lights on the buildings and the trees provide a beautiful and well-lit setting, especially after a light snowfall.  The combination of its Colonial heritage and modern shopping venues make Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market a solid choice for anyone or any family that wants to show off their Boston roots while also providing their family and friends with a photo that can be enjoyed year-round.

Frog-Pond
(credit: bostoncommonfrogpond.org)

Boston Common and Public Garden Park
4 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02111
www.boston.gov

Boston Common and the adjacent Public Garden Park offer many wonderful settings for a family holiday photo. If taken in early Fall, the brilliant autumn leaves provide plenty of bright colors for daylight photos, and if taken in early winter, the snow on those trees and the lawn offer a perfect backdrop for a family decked out in their holiday garments. There are many great spots to choose from, including

Old North Church
(Photo Credit: Old North Church)

Old North Church
193 Salem St.
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-6676
www.oldnorth.com

Not only is the Old North Church a beautiful example of Georgian architecture, it is of course also the site of the famous "one if by land, two if by sea" lantern display that played such a prominent part in the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. (His equestrian statue is nearby, and a clever photographer can get both it and the church in the background).  Steeped in Boston history, it is also simply just a lovely building - inside and out - and one which is always decorated for the holiday, and decorated in the true and original sense of the holiday marking the birth of Christ.  As such it meets so many of the  requirements for a holiday family photo locale, and gives friends and relatives a picture they will want to frame or at least stick up on the fridge year-round.

Related: Best Historic Sites On The North Shore

The USS Constitution
Charlestown Navy Yard
Dry Dock 1
Charlestown, MA 02129
(617) 242-2543
www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org

America's oldest continually operating naval vessel is undergoing a massive refit, and while she does not of course look her best, the valiant frigate USS Constitution still inspires pride and offers hope to all who visit and she her. Visitors can come by to see and honor the historic warship while she is being worked on at the great dry dock in Charlestown Navy Yard - itself an historic location. Having the USS Constitution in the background of a holiday photo sends a message of hope and renewal, both of which are in keeping with the true meaning of the season.

Bunker Hill Monument
Bunker Hill Monument (credit: Bernice Corpuz)

Bunker Hill Monument
Monument Square
Charlestown, MA 02129
(617) 242-5641
www.thefreedomtrail.org

The great obelisk commemorating the desperate and heroic stand of the Minute Men against the might of the British Empire makes for an iconic backdrop to a family holiday photo, especially if taken from the angle that incorporates Boston Harbor.  The cornerstone of the monument was laid by the noted Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette himself 50 years after the bloody battle.  The view from the hill is remarkable, and not only shows why it was of such military import at the time, but also how Boston has grown up in the two centuries plus change since the colonial soldiers were told to hold fire until they "see the whites of their eyes."

Related: Things To Do In Boston On Christmas Day

Post Author: Mark McLaughlin, Speakeasy
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