New to or visiting Boston? You won’t want to miss Boston’s North End; a.k.a., Boston’s “Little Italy”. Rounding up 8 family-friendly things to do in Boston’s North End, including our picks for best pizza, cannolis, and more.
Visiting Boston’s North End
The North End is one of those quintessentially Boston areas, full of narrow streets, historic buildings, and so much old world charm. Not to mention the centuries-old historic sites and absolutely incredible Italian food in Boston’s own Little Italy. In so many ways, the North End is one of those enduring areas that looks practically preserved in time in the best way possible.
Whether you live in Boston or are just visiting, the North End neighborhood is one of those areas you definitely won’t want to miss.
See Also → More Than 30 of the Very Best Things to Do in Boston
+ How to Spend a Long Weekend in Boston
The North End is easily one of my favorite spots in Boston, and because it’s close to Mike’s work, we find ourselves picking up dinner or hanging out in the area relatively often.
Boston’s North End also holds so many special memories for me. Long before Mike and I wound up in Boston, we used to visit Boston and the North End specifically when I was a kid on our family road trips. My parents loved taking us to the Italian bakeries and delis and grabbing pizza and cannolis as we wandered Hanover Street.
8 Family-Friendly Things To Do in Boston’s North End
We’ve lived in Boston for coming up on five years (!!!), and I realized I’d never shared a few of our favorite things to do, see, and eat in Boston’s North End, so here goes!
[1] Walk and Shop Hanover Street in the North End.
Most of Boston’s North End is on and surrounding Hanover Street. Hanover Street feels so quintessentially like the famed North End, and you’ll get such a taste for Little Italy wandering Hanover street and all of its connecting side streets.
Hanover Street is chock full of great Italian food, stores, and sites, including some of the very best Italian festivals, including the Fisherman’s Feast and Saint Anthony’s Feast, both held in August.
[2] Grab a pizza at Regina’s Pizzeria.
Our girls have declared Regina’s Pizzeria one of the best pizza spots in Boston, and that’s high praise coming from such pizza aficionados.
Located on Thacher Street, Regina’s is Boston’s original pizza shop, and the pizza is still just as delicious.
[3] Shop at the famed Italian Markets.
If you’re looking for an authentic Italian sub or handmade pasta, both Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop and Salumeria Italiana are fantastic Italian markets in the North End, where you can pick up plenty of provisions. (My family swears by the freshly-made Italian subs from Bricco.)
[4] Don’t forget the cannolis! (And Italian Cookies and Cheesecake …)
Our favorite cannolis are from Mike’s Pastry. The line may be long but it moves quickly and they really are worth the wait. I’m incredibly picky when it comes to desserts and I don’t think I’ve had another cannoli quite as incredible as the cannolis from Mike’s. (For the record, we’ve tried the cannolis at Bova’s and Modern Pastry as well, and while I do think they’re good, nothing comes close to Mike’s cannolis, in my book.)
If cannolis aren’t your thing, or you’re looking to try all of the best Italian desserts in Boston’s North End, we love the Italian cheesecake and classic Italian cookies from Modern Pastry.
Also, do not sleep on the cinnamon bread from Bova’s Bakery. It’s incredible and we grab a loaf every single time we visit the North End.
(Both Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry are on Hanover Street and Bova’s Bakery is just around the corner on Salem Street.)
[5] Picnic on the Greenway.
Take all of your Italian goodies and head to the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a picturesque and wide open green space, which runs alongside the North End neighborhood. It’s the perfect picnic and photo spot in the North End.
[6] Take the kids to play at Christopher Columbus Park.
Christopher Columbus Park in Boston’s North End is such a sweet playground area that our kids absolutely love.
The park is right on the waterfront in Boston and even has a sprinkler area for cooling off in the summer. The Greenway Carousel is also just across the street.
Bonus: the park hosts so many special events throughout the year and particularly in the summer, like movie nights and live music (all of which are great for families with kids.)
[7] Walk the Freedom Trail.
Wander the Freedom Trail, which runs right through the heart of the North End, and visit the Paul Revere Statue in the Paul Revere Mall, the Paul Revere House, and the Old North Church, where the “One if by land, two if by sea,” lantern lighting took place.
If you’re looking for the perfect dose of Boston history, go on the Freedom Trail Walking or Trolley Tour.
[8] Have dinner on the water.
End your day with gorgeous views while having dinner on the water at either Joe’s American Bar & Grill and Legal Sea Foods, both great kid-friendly restaurants.
So there you have it: 8 of our favorite family-friendly things to do with kids in Boston’s North End.
SHOP WHAT WE WORE FOR OUR FAVORITE FAMILY-FRIENDLY THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON’S NORTH END | CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
Next Up → More Than 30 of the Very Best Things to Do in Boston + How to Spend a Long Weekend in Boston
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Photos by Sam Brooks Photos for Glitter, Inc.
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