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The best things to do in Boston in November are the museums, which are uncrowded and in full swing; a Freedom Trail walk on a crisp day; the Snowport winter market in the Seaport, which opens in early November; skating on the Boston Common Frog Pond once it opens in the second half of the month; and Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker, which begins the day after Thanksgiving. Expect cool, mostly dry weather, with average highs of about 52°F falling to the mid-40s by month's end.
This guide lists what happens in Boston every November, with 2026 dates as the worked example where they have been announced, plus the Thanksgiving closures that catch visitors out.
Boston's November calendar
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| All month | Celtics and Bruins home games (both seasons are under way) | TD Garden, above North Station |
| Early November (opens Nov. 6, 2026) | Snowport winter market, with 130-plus vendors and an outdoor skating rink | Seaport District |
| Saturday before Veterans Day (Nov. 7, 2026, noon) | City of Boston Veterans Day parade | Boston Public Library on Boylston Street to City Hall Plaza |
| Nov. 11, Veterans Day | Museum of Science free for veterans; Boston Public Library closed | Science Park; Copley Square |
| Sundays to Nov. 15, 2026 | Last weeks of SoWa Open Market | South End |
| Mid-November | Last weeks to see the Arnold Arboretum bonsai before they move indoors | Jamaica Plain |
| Nov. 20, 2026 | SoWa Christmas Market opens indoors | SoWa Power Station, South End |
| Second half of the month | Frog Pond ice skating season usually begins, running into March | Boston Common |
| Nov. 26, 2026, Thanksgiving | Most museums and the library closed | Citywide |
| Nov. 27 to Dec. 31, 2026 | Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker | Citizens Opera House, Washington Street |
The Boston Common tree lighting, with a tree given each year by Nova Scotia, is in early December rather than November; it was on Thursday, December 4, in 2025. Our guide to things to do in Boston in December picks up from there.
What is the weather like in Boston in November?
Expect crisp days and cold nights. Logan Airport's 1991 to 2020 normals give an average high of 52°F and an average low of 38°F, with highs dropping from the mid-50s at the start of the month to the mid-40s at the end. Most years bring no snow in November. Pack layers, a warm jacket and shoes that can handle rain; the brick sidewalks of Beacon Hill and the North End get slick when wet. Sunset comes early, so plan outdoor sightseeing for the morning and early afternoon.
Outdoor things to do while it is still mild
Early November is good walking weather. The Freedom Trail is free to follow along its 2.5-mile red line from the Boston Common visitor center to Charlestown, past 16 historic sites, and the Freedom Trail Foundation's 90-minute guided tours run year-round. Indoor stops along the way, such as the Paul Revere House and Old North Church in the North End, make good warm-ups; the Paul Revere House switches to winter hours, 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., from November 1.
In Jamaica Plain, the Arnold Arboretum is free, open sunrise to sunset and reached from the Orange Line at Forest Hills; its bonsai collection stays on view until mid-November before moving indoors for winter. The Public Garden is lovely in late fall, but its Swan Boats finished their season in early September and return in April.
Harbor attractions wind down too: the Boston Harbor Islands ferries end their season in mid-October (October 12 in 2026), so November harbor views come from the waterfront or from above at View Boston, the observation deck at the top of the Prudential Tower, open daily until 10 p.m. An afternoon visit can catch the city at dusk.
Indoor things to do in Boston in November
Museums are the backbone of a November trip. The Museum of Fine Arts holds nearly 500,000 works, from ancient Egypt to contemporary art, and after 5 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month admission is pay what you wish. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, whose courtyard garden flowers year-round, and the Institute of Contemporary Art both hold Free Thursday Nights from 5 to 9 p.m., with tickets still required.
Families usually head for the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science; the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum runs its hour-long tours daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Fenway Park runs ballpark tours every day of the year, so the off-season is a good time to see it without a crowd. The Boston Public Library in Copley Square is free to walk through and is a warm, quiet stop on a raw afternoon.
Where to eat in Boston in November
Cold weather suits Boston's seafood houses and chowder. Union Oyster House, open since 1826, is a few steps from Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where Quincy Market's food counters make an easy lunch out of the wind. Neptune Oyster in the North End takes no reservations and is small enough that a weeknight visit is easier than a weekend one. For a warming dessert, Boston cream pie is still served where it was created, at Parker's Restaurant in the Omni Parker House. More ideas are in our guide to what to eat in Boston.
Thanksgiving in Boston: what is closed
Thanksgiving falls on November 26 in 2026. The Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Science, the Gardner, the ICA, the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, the Paul Revere House and the Boston Public Library are all closed that day, and the Museum of Science closes at 2 p.m. the day before. Parks and the Freedom Trail stay open, and the Friday after brings the opening of The Nutcracker and the full start of holiday shopping. For a longer plan, see things to do in Boston over Thanksgiving weekend; if your trip is earlier in the fall, see things to do in Boston in October.