Seaport District

Discover the beating heart of Boston on the edge of Massachusetts Bay. Beaches, breweries, and plenty of Irish charm await.

Away from the red-brick institutions, South Boston, or Southie as it’s affectionately known, feels like the real Boston. Officially it stretches from the Interstate 93 east into Massachusetts Bay.

South Boston played a key part in the American Revolution. This is where George Washington forced the British out of Boston on March 17, 1776. The victory was commemorated here with a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1901, showing South Boston’s proud Irish community. Fast-forward to today and the whole of Boston hosts the legendary St. Patrick’s Day celebrations each spring. It’s a big deal; in the past presidents have been involved, and even the river has been made to run green.

Once a poor area, South Boston has changed remarkably in the last few decades to become home to a diverse mix of professionals, young families, and small businesses. There is now everything here from ice skating to microbreweries. If the weather is good, head to Castle Island where, aside from an abandoned fort, there are waterfront trails to run or cycle, picnic spots, and even the odd sandy beach.

Spend some time at the redeveloped harbor. It’s home to the ICA Boston, a contemporary art museum, the Boston Children’s Museum, and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. The latter is housed in replica wooden ships where you’ll see lively reenactments of the spark that ignited the Revolution. Rest up and fill up in one of the crab shacks nearby or in one of South Boston’s many brewpubs – Bostonians love their beer.

While South Boston has smartened up its act, you’ll still find old-school Irish taverns where you can pull up a stool, sink a few beers, and watch the game. Order up lobster rolls, tacos, and burgers that need both hands to eat. No one’s going to judge your table manners here.