Famous Movie an TV Show Places to Visit in Boston: Walk in the Footsteps of Hollywood
Boston is not only a city rich in history and charm — it's also a favorite backdrop for Hollywood filmmakers. From gritty crime dramas to heartwarming comedies, Boston's distinctive neighborhoods, historic sites, and cobblestone streets have served as the setting for countless films. Whether you're a cinephile or just someone who loves a good walk through the city, here are some must-see filming locations you can visit in Boston.
1. Boston Public Garden
Featured in: Good Will Hunting (1997)
The bench where Robin Williams and Matt Damon have their unforgettable heart-to-heart talk is one of the most iconic movie moments filmed in Boston. The bench is still there, and fans often leave quotes or flowers in honor of Williams. Take a stroll through the Public Garden and relive that classic scene.
The Public Garden also appears in the comedy Ted (2012) as a favored spot of the foul-mouthed teddy bear.
Address: Near 13 Arlington Street, Boston
2. Boston Common
Adjacent to the Public Garden is Boston Common, America's oldest city park. This sprawling green space has appeared in numerous films. It's where Captain Robert Gould Shaw's monument stands, prominently featured in the Civil War drama Glory (1989) about the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. This can be found opposite of 24 Beacon Street, Boston. The Common also served as a meeting ground in Martin Scorsese's crime thriller The Departed (2006), and Matt Damon's character Colin Sullivan gazes at the State House dome from a bench here.
Address: 139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111
3. Fenway Park
Featured in: The Town (2010), Fever Pitch (2005), Spotlight, Moneyball, Good Will Hunting, Ted, Money Ball, Field of Dreams, R.I.P.D
Fenway isn't just home to the Red Sox—it's also been the dramatic backdrop for a major heist in Ben Affleck's crime thriller The Town and a romantic baseball love story in Fever Pitch starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore, with many scenes filmed inside the park. Whether you catch a game or just tour the stadium, it's a cinematic experience.
Address: 4 Jersey Street, Boston, MA 02215
4. South Boston ("Southie")
Featured in: The Departed (2006), Gone Baby Gone (2007), Good Will Hunting, Mystic River, Black Mass, The Verdict, The Game Plan
Many gritty crime thrillers use Southie as a stand-in for the raw, working-class side of Boston. Martin Scorsese's The Departed and Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone capture the neighborhood's atmosphere, and fans can still recognize local bars, streets, and triple-decker homes from the films.
Good Will Hunting features South Boston prominently, notably the L Street Tavern (658 E 8th St), Will and Chuckie's local hangout. While renovated since the film, it remains a neighborhood staple and embraces its movie fame.
Black Mass (2015) - the story of gangster Whitey Bulger - all heavily feature South Boston locations.
5. Massachusetts State House
Featured in: The Verdict (1982), The Departed (2006) This stunning gold-domed building has made appearances in numerous films. It's most prominently featured in The Departed, with Jack Nicholson's character watching over the city from an office nearby.
Address: 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133
6. Harvard University (Cambridge)
Featured in: Love Story (1970), The Social Network (2010), Legally Blonde (2001), Good Will Hunting
Although some scenes were filmed on sets or other campuses, Harvard Square and surrounding areas were used in The Social Network and Love Story. It's a great place to grab coffee, people-watch, and imagine you're walking in Zuckerberg's (or Elle Woods') shoes.
Address; Around Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
7. Bunker Hill Monument & Charlestown
Featured in: The Town (2010), Mystic River, Good Will Hunting, Knight and Day, Blown Away
Charlestown plays a central role in The Town, and the Bunker Hill Monument is a recognizable landmark. The neighborhood's narrow streets and red-brick row houses are perfect for fans wanting to follow in the footsteps of Affleck's character. The imposing Tobin Bridge, connecting Charlestown to Chelsea and the north, features prominently in poignant shots in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River, based on the novel by Boston's own Dennis Lehane. Good Will Hunting also utilized Charlestown's Bunker Hill Community College for scenes between Will and Sean.
Address: 43 Monument Square, Charlestown, MA 02129
8. Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall
Featured in: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), Blown Away (1994), The Holdovers (2023)
This busy tourist hub has popped up in multiple thrillers and action films. While shopping and dining at Quincy Market, imagine you're in the middle of a high-stakes art heist or a bomb-defusing scene.
City Hall Plaza / Faneuil Hall was Featured in the recent, critically acclaimed film The Holdovers (2023) during a Boston visit scene.
Address: 206 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109
9. MIT (Cambridge)
Featured in: Good Will Hunting (1997), 21 (2008)
MIT's campus was used in Good Will Hunting, including the hallway where the math problem is written on the chalkboard. It's also central to the story of 21, based on the real-life MIT blackjack team.
Address: 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
10. Beacon Hill
Featured in: Little Women (2019), The Departed, Cheers, The Thomas Crown Affair, Blown Away, Boondock Saints, Amistad, Ally McBeal
With its cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and historic brick rowhouses, Beacon Hill provides quintessential Boston charm. The iconic Bull & Finch Pub (84 Beacon St), whose exterior famously featured as the neighborhood bar in the long-running sitcom Cheers, is a must-visit. While the interior looks different, the outside is instantly recognizable.
The stately Massachusetts State House (24 Beacon St), with its gleaming gold dome, looms large in The Departed, symbolizing power and ambition as seen from Colin Sullivan's apartment window (the interior shots for the apartment were actually filmed in the Suffolk University Law Library - 120 Tremont St., Boston). The State House also appeared in Amistad (1997) and the TV show Ally McBeal.
The postcard-perfect cobblestone street, Acorn Street, often dubbed one of the most photographed in the U.S., appears in Little Women (2019), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968 & 1999) and Boondock Saints (1999). The historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill, with its gas lamps and Federal-style row houses, is like stepping into a period drama.
11. Long Wharf & Boston Harbor
Featured in: The Equalizer (2014), Spotlight (2015)
These waterfront scenes add dramatic flair to thrillers and true stories alike. Long Wharf's blend of modern and historic architecture makes it a versatile filming location.
Address: 66 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
12. Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor
This island provided the setting for the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane in Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island (2010), another Dennis Lehane adaptation. You can visit via ferry in the summer.
13. Back Bay
Featured in: Boston Legal
Even though the The TV show Boston Legal, was primarily filmed in California, they used footage from the exterior of 500 Boylston Street in Boston for the law firm Crane, Poole and Schmidt.
14. Copley Square
Featured in: The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005-2008, exterior only) While the show was filmed on a set, the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel served as the exterior model for the "Tipton Hotel", where Zack, Cody, London, and Mr. Moseby roamed. Swing by to snap a photo and relive your favorite Disney Channel moments.
Address: 138 St James Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Ready for Your Own Movie Tour?
Whether you're re-enacting scenes from Good Will Hunting, walking the heist path from The Town, or exploring academic history at Harvard and MIT, Boston offers an immersive movie experience for fans of all genres. Grab your camera, cue your favorite soundtrack, and explore the real-life set of some of Hollywood's best films.