Boston Walking Tour: Women's Suffrage History

Explore Boston’s Back Bay on a small group tour, uncovering the city’s pivotal role in women’s suffrage. Walk historic streets with a local guide.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Boston Public Garden - Established in 1837 as first public botanical garden in the United States.
  • Make Way for Ducklings Statues - Sculpture by Nancy Schön based on Robert McCloskey’s classic picture book.
  • George Washington Statue - Equestrian statue of George Washington by Thomas Ball commissioned in 1859.
  • **Boston Women’s Heritage…
What's Included
  • Small Groups (16 guests max)
  • Women’s Rights Landmarks
  • Back Bay Neighborhood
What's Not Included
  • Gratuity for Guide (optional)
  • Admission inside Museums
  • Guides in Period Costume
Additional Information

Boston’s leading role in the American fight for women’s suffrage is found on the tree-lined streets of its elegant Back Bay neighborhood. This masterpiece of Victorian-era architecture is best experienced on foot, in a small group, with a local guide! Your 2.5-hour tour travels from Boston Common into historic Back Bay, visiting must-see landmarks such…

Location
Make Way for Ducklings
Charles Street
The tour gathers inside the Boston Public Garden—opposite 67 Beacon Street (02108)—beside the Make Way for Ducklings statues, which are located in the northeast corner of the park.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(49 Ratings)
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Z8525ejchristinew
Oct 17, 2025
A MUST for history lovers - Sarah was so knowledgeable and made everything incredibly interesting. Our whole group had an amazing time and learned some lesser known history of the area. Loved it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
787katien
Oct 17, 2025
Masterfully crafted tour! - What a masterfully crafted tour. Not only do you get to see so much of Back Bay (and learn about it was built), but you weave a fascinating story of women’s suffrage as you go! Fantastic historic photos bring the story to life too. The suffrage movement was such a fascinatingly complex historical moment. This tour not only does it justice, but makes it compelling! Our guide Sarah was fantastic—deeply knowledgeable, but never boring or stuffy—energetic, fun! Five stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I6258mcsarahb
Oct 6, 2025
Worth every footstep! - This was the second walking tour I experienced in a day & Sarah included enough stops with benches/steps that I didn't even notice how much my feet ached a few hours after it ended. As an urban planner, I especially loved the depth & development pictures of the Back Bay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jewelisms
Oct 1, 2025
Don't miss this tour! - When the stories of history are told by those who are passionate about the subject matter, the stories come alive. That's why I generally prefer guided walking tours over self-guided tours. I find the interactions much richer and HUB Town Tours really know their subject matter! Maura told the stories of Boston suffragists not just skillfully, but inspiringly. I learned so much and by the time we were done with the tour, my "further reading" list had grown considerably. I'm looking forward to digging in. I think a lot of people, when they come to Boston, think of the Freedom Trail, which is phenomenal and important and HUB Town Tours has a fantastic tour for that (which I took the day before this one and loved), but Boston's role in women's suffrage is less known, or at least it was to me, with NY suffragists like Susan B Anthony generally taking center stage. Do yourself a favor and take this tour. You won't regret it. I can't wait to return to Boston and I highly recommend the Votes for Women tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jewel_c
Sep 29, 2025
When I decided to tag... - When I decided to tag along to Boston with my husband when he had to come here on a business trip, I decided I would take the opportunity to learn some local history, which as it turns out is also national history. When the stories of history are told by those who are passionate about the subject matter, the stories come alive. That's why I generally prefer guided walking tours over self-guided tours. I find the interactions much richer and HUB Town Tours really know their subject matter! Maura told the stories of Boston suffragists not just skillfully, but inspiringly. I learned so much and by the time we were done with the tour, my "further reading" list had grown considerably. I'm looking forward to digging in. I think a lot of people, when they come to Boston, think of the Freedom Trail, which is phenomenal and important and HUB Town Tours has a fantastic tour for that (which I took yesterday and loved), but Boston's role in women's suffrage is less known, or at least it was to me, with NY suffragists like Susan B Anthony generally taking center stage. Do yourself a favor and take this tour. You won't regret it. I can't wait to return to Boston and I highly recommend the Votes for Women tour.
Review provided by Viator
Blazingburgundy1
Sep 9, 2025
The best tour about women's suffrage movement - This was the best history lesson I've ever received on what really took place between 1840 and 1920. So many amazing women organized conventions, petitioned, lectured publicly, and published periodicals to gain momentum. They, their daughters and granddaughters devoted their lives to changing history that I didn't even hear about until now. Fun fact: I found out that I am a "Lucy Stoner". (Be sure to ask what that means.) Our tour guide came equipped with old maps and pictures to bring the past to life. She was so knowledgeable and answered every question. I could tell that our guide has a reverence for these suffragist heroines. I do, too. Even my husband enjoyed this tour immensely. This is one of my fondest memories in Boston and I come to Boston every year. Book this tour. You will learn so much and you will be reminded of how fortunate we are today to be able to vote, to own property, to keep our maiden names in marriage and to have custody of our children in divorce thanks to these exceptional women. Caution: wear sneakers or comfortable walking shoes. For those who aren't familiar with Boston...the older streets have cobblestone and the terrain is hilly. Do not wear pumps or heels!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sfbyrnes
Aug 23, 2025
Learn about the fight for women’s vote in Boston - Our guide was so knowledgeable and loved questions. Maura told us and showed us about Boston’s women’s suffragist movement. Loved seeing buildings we have walked by numerous times in a different light as important to the fight for the vote. This is a must do for young people as well.
Review provided by Viator
Liz
Aug 5, 2025
Our guide brought history to life - This is a must for anyone who wants to learn the history of the revolutions started in Boston. Town tours are my favorite way to absorb an immense amount of history. This tour exceeded our hopes. We heard spectacular stories of women's suffrage, walked past their houses, social clubs, and Women's Journal helping them to spread the word internationally. Over 50 years, these women continued to march for democracy for themselves, their daughters, and the daughters of women they didn't know. Our incredibly fun and knowledgeable guide shared their struggles as they each brought a unique perspective to the fight. One of my favorite elements is the reality that these women lived directly across from and next to the optician. Sure, it could get heated, but they also voiced their differences in a manner that allowed them to still socialize amongst each other. Of course, Susan B Anthony was talked about, but so were Lucy Stone, so many others. The combination of overlapping revolutions with the American, Suffrage, and Abolition in Boston played a significant role in the change for Americans. The tour ends with an encouraging message to keep up the fight for all people's equality. 😍 🇺🇲
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O2026wlkathym
Jul 29, 2025
Fabulous BackBay Tour! - Being we enjoyed the Freedom Trail tour so much, we decided to journey with HubTown once again and dip our toes into BackBay. The tour was well-paced, and we had a wonderful explanation by our tour guide Cal, who weaved the amazing story of Women and their fight for Suffrage. The stops along the way gave us just enough history to appreciate the timeline of how events were unfolding, and we had a chance to gawk at the beautiful homes and gardens too. If you’re a history lover, or just curious, I would recommend this tour with Cal whose passion and knowledge were impressive! We left Boston feeling a little more connected to this beautiful city. We will definitely be back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristen
Jul 7, 2025
Great tour! - Great tour!! Our guide, Cal was very knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the complex and sometimes turbulent past of Boston’s suffrage movement.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $35
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).