Scavenger Hunts on The Freedom Trail

  • public
  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

The Secrets of Old Boston Scavenger Hunt

Uncover bygone Boston along the Freedom Trail

On this entertaining team-building adventures, your group will visit and discover the secrets of numerous historic locations where America was born—Faneuil Hall, the site of the Boston Massacre, Old City Hall, the Old South Meeting House (where a particularly large tea party had its beginnings), and the Old State House, to name a few of the highlights. Starring: Ben Franklin, Larry Bird, Mother Goose, Gulliver’s teakettle, and an Irishman’s “bowl of tears.”

But not everything on this hunt is old. It’s also packed with present-day hotspots. You’ll check out the delicious and bustling food stands of Quincy Market, see a tribute to local sports heroes, discover the birthplace of Boston’s culinary delights, and more.

Boston team building activities on the Freedom Trail
Players on the Secrets of Old Boston Scavenger Hunt pose for a photo challenge with a statue near Faneuil Hall.

No knowledge of these places or Boston history is necessary. Sharp eyes and teamwork are the only things you need to answer our fun and funny questions. Participants use their own smartphones to play, and comfy shoes are also a good idea for trekking the trail.

A top-rated Boston scavenger hunt since 2002

This scavenger hunt has been far and away our most popular team-building game with corporate groups since our first Boston hunt in 2002. Check out Watson Adventures on Google to see hundreds of 5-star reviews from delighted clients!

A 5-star review on Google: “We’ve hosted multiple company scavenger hunts across multiple offices and all feedback from attendees was great! Watson Adventures was super accommodating to our groups and super friendly—not only are you learning new things about the city that you would have never known otherwise, you are having fun while doing so! We will definitely be using them again in the future!”

“The hunt was a ton of fun! Well organized, good distance, tough but not impossible, great for team building because it requires different perspectives and ways of thinking. Overall, the team thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend to other companies for team building!” —Melissa Magerer, Head of US Marketing, iAdvize

“It went by quickly! Well constructed, tons of fun, educational, challenging. Loved it!” —a participant on a corporate team-building hunt

“This was a GREAT team building exercise. We had so much fun coming up with team names and getting together for some competition. It was such a fun time while also being educational.” —the leader of a group from a multi-national retailer

We had SO MUCH FUN—it went by so quickly! When I got back to the office on Monday, people couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had! It was great to work with you!” —an executive assistant about a team-building outing for a hospital staff

“Our agency had a great day yesterday doing the Old Boston hunt. The ‘water cooler’ talk is that the staff thought doing the hunt was fun, the questions were tricky so it made it interesting, and made us look at Boston in a whole new way although it’s streets we walk on every day.” —the human resources manager of a charitable organization

Purchase tickets to a weekend scavenger hunt for the general public, or contact us to learn more about a private scavenger hunts for your group—and find more fun in Boston!


  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

The Murder in Old Boston Scavenger Hunt

Can you answer this question: Whodunit?

Find yourself in the middle of a murder mystery on this unusual, fun scavenger hunt set in historic Boston. A Watson Adventures staffer has been murdered, and it’s up to you to catch his killer. Here’s your first clue: when he died, he drew a star on the ground with his own blood. What does that mean? And what will you learn about the victim’s dangerous secret life? Solve the clues he left behind in order to solve the mystery—and prevent an international disaster.    

Along the way, you’ll also uncover the secrets of the Freedom Trail, between Boston Common and Faneuil Hall, where unexpected details turn out to be part of the puzzle. You’ll need to make sense of cryptic clues, crack a code, and send a text message to the dead man. The fate of the free world may depend on your ability to work together as a team.


  • private
  • kids
  • outdoor

The Secrets of Old Boston Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Set the time machine for 1776

Kids and adults work together to explore the Freedom Trail on a fun, funny, informative scavenger hunt along the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston. On teams, you’ll search for a “strong man” in Faneuil Hall, enormous fruit in Quincy Hall, a giant’s teakettle, Mother Goose’s flock in a historic cemetery, a woman who inspired The Scarlet Letter, a place where Ben Franklin got dunked, enemy animals at the site of the Boston Massacre, and more.

You don’t need to know anything about the Freedom Trail or Boston to play and to win… but you and your group will know a whole lot about them by the time you’re done.

The perfect combo: Old Boston and young hunters

This is a great activity for bringing together adults and kids—and for getting them to work together, have a blast, and learn a little something along the way. It’s perfect for school field trips in Boston, birthday parties, scout-troop or summer-camp outings, tourist groups, you name it.

Recommended for ages 7 and up. Each team must include at least one adult.

What delighted teachers are saying

“I have taken students from my high school to four Watson Adventures hunts. Each time, the students have had a wonderful experience. The enthusiasm I have seen, and the teamwork that has been displayed, has been thrilling for me as an educator. My job is to keep students engaged, and Watson Adventures does that with ease. Not only are the students doing something fun—they don’t even realize how much they are learning in the process.”  


  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

The Revolutionary Boston Scavenger Hunt

The spirit of 1776 is alive and well…

…on this scavenger hunt that shows you where the Founding Fathers battled the British—and one another. You’ll go inside the Old State House Museum in search of such items as actual tea from the Boston Tea Party, an original Liberty Flag, John Hancock’s coat and vest, and Paul Revere’s print depicting the Boston Massacre, to name just a few of the amazing pieces in the collection. Outside the museum, you’ll uncover the secrets of the Old North Church (where the lantern code was “One if by land…”), Faneuil Hall, the Granary Burying Ground (where Revere and other famed patriots rest), the site of the Boston Massacre, and much more.

No knowledge of the Revolutionary War or Boston is required—you just need a sharp mind, comfy shoes, and great teamwork.


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