We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no cost to you. Disclosure
Columbus Day weekend 2026 runs from Saturday, October 10, to Monday, October 12, and in Boston the Monday is officially Indigenous Peoples' Day. The best plans for those three days are the last Boston Harbor Islands ferries of the season, which end on October 12; free museum entry on the Monday at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (free for everyone) and the Museum of Fine Arts (free for Massachusetts residents); the Freedom Trail at its October hours; and a train to Salem for Haunted Happenings. Viator also lists a private half-day Salem tour from Boston.
Two cautions: the Massachusetts State House is closed on weekends and holidays, so it is shut all three days, and the Head of the Charles Regatta falls the following weekend, October 16 to 18, which matters if you are flexible on dates and booking a hotel.
Long weekend in Boston: top-rated tours on Viator
Boston: Freedom Trail History Small Group Walking Tour★ 4.9 (8,190 reviews) · Free cancellationFrom $39 per personCheck dates on Viator
Boston to New Hampshire Fall Foliage White Mountains Day Trip★ 4.8 (276 reviews) · Free cancellationFrom $150 per personCheck dates on Viator
Boston Duck Boat Sightseeing City Tour with Cruise★ 4.6 (10,104 reviews) · Free cancellationFrom $61.85 per personCheck dates on ViatorPrices, ratings and review counts are from Viator as of Oct 11, 2026 and can change.
Columbus Day weekend 2026 at a glance
| Day | Plan | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | Boston Harbor Islands by ferry from Long Wharf | Final weekend of the 2026 ferry season |
| Sunday, Oct. 11 | Freedom Trail and the North End, or a day in Salem | Old State House and Old South Meeting House open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in October |
| Monday, Oct. 12 | Gardner Museum or MFA free day | Gardner free for all visitors; MFA free for Massachusetts residents |
| All weekend | Fall walks in the Arnold Arboretum or the Public Garden | Both free; the arboretum is open sunrise to sunset |
Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day in Boston?
In Boston it is Indigenous Peoples' Day. Acting Mayor Kim Janey signed an executive order in October 2021 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in the city, starting that year. You will still see both names on calendars and in ads, and museums use the new name for their free-day schedules.
Free museums on Monday, October 12
The Gardner Museum is free for all visitors on Indigenous Peoples' Day, but entry is still by timed ticket, released two weeks ahead, so reserve rather than turning up. The MFA is free that day for Massachusetts residents and sells no advance tickets for its open houses. Both museums are in the Fenway, a few blocks apart. Note that the Gardner closes on Tuesdays, so Monday is your last chance until Wednesday.
The last Harbor Islands ferries of 2026
The Boston Harbor Islands ferry season ends on Monday, October 12. Boats leave from Long Wharf North, next to Christopher Columbus Park; the crossing is about 30 minutes to Spectacle Island and about 45 minutes to Georges Island, home of Fort Warren. The park also lists a $5 ferry fare for the weekend of October 10 to 12 to Spectacle or Peddocks Island; check the details on its site before you go. Ferries run rain or shine, and there is no park entrance fee. After the 12th, the islands have no public ferry service until next spring.
The Freedom Trail and the North End
October is a good month for the Freedom Trail: the 2.5-mile red line is free to follow, and the sites along it keep long hours. The Old State House and Old South Meeting House are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October, with one joint ticket. The Paul Revere House is open daily 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. until October 31, and Old North Church opens to visitors at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, after its 11 a.m. service. Skip the State House this weekend; it reopens on Tuesday.
Prefer a guide for the Freedom Trail? Small-group history tours walk the route.
Fall colors without leaving the city
The Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain is the city's best place for autumn trees: 281 acres of labeled collections, free, open daily from sunrise to sunset, at the end of the Orange Line at Forest Hills. Closer in, Boston Common and the Public Garden make an easy afternoon walk. The Swan Boats have finished for the year; they return in April.
A day trip to Salem for Haunted Happenings
Salem's October season draws more than a million visitors, and a holiday weekend is among its busiest days. On October weekends the MBTA runs extra Newburyport/Rockport Line trains between North Station and Beverly, stopping at Salem, and bikes are not allowed on weekend trains. Go by train rather than car, and see things to do in Salem and the Salem tour guide before you set off.
Not driving to Salem? Guided day trips leave from Boston.
Sports on Columbus Day weekend
The Red Sox regular season is over by this weekend, so a game at Fenway depends on a postseason run. Fenway Park tours run every day of the year regardless. The Head of the Charles Regatta, the city's big rowing weekend, is October 16 to 18, 2026, one weekend later.
For the rest of the month, see things to do in Boston in October and spooky things to do in Boston.
Sources: WBUR on the 2021 executive order; Gardner Museum; MFA free days; Harbor Islands ferry schedule; Revolutionary Spaces hours; Paul Revere House; Old North Church; State House visits; Arnold Arboretum; MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line; Head of the Charles Regatta. Checked October 1, 2026.