MIT & Harvard Walking Tour in Cambridge
Walk MIT and Harvard with a guide, plus subway ride between campuses
Duration
3 hours 30 min
Ideal For
1-30 people
Includes
Subway ticket, guided tour
Highlights
Explore MIT and Harvard on a guided group walk that focuses on campus history, architecture, and legends. Ride the subway two stops between campuses, then continue on foot through Harvard Yard and nearby sights.
- Explore MIT history, inventions, and student "hacks"
- See campus architecture and views of Boston from across the river
- Ride the subway from MIT to Harvard with fare included
- Walk through Harvard Yard and learn Harvard traditions and stories
- See the "Statue of the Three Lies" and other nearby landmarks
What's Included
- Subway ticket from MIT to Harvard
Things to know
You do not go inside buildings on either campus. Expect significant, mostly flat walking. Harvard Yard sometimes closes to non-students; routes may change and tours may be canceled.
Cancellation Policy
Full refund if you cancel at least 7 days before your tour. 50% refund if you cancel at least 3 days before your tour. No refunds within 3 days.
FAQs
No. You stay outdoors and do not go inside any buildings on either campus.
Expect significant, mostly flat walking.
Harvard Yard occasionally closes to all non-students. If that happens, your guide may take alternate routes and/or cancel the tour.
Meeting details
Ripple Cafe, 314 Main St. Cambridge MA
More about Harvard Yard
Harvard Yard sits at the historic heart of America's oldest university, a leafy, gated quadrangle in Cambridge where more than four centuries of academic tradition come alive under the canopy of towering elms. On the MIT and Harvard Walking Tour, Harvard Yard is the storied counterpart to MIT's modernist campus, offering a striking contrast between Ivy League heritage and cutting-edge innovation. Walking through the wrought-iron gates of Harvard Yard, you step onto the same brick paths trodden by eight U.S. presidents, dozens of Nobel laureates, and generations of students whose ideas have shaped the world.
Led by a current student guide, your time in Harvard Yard brings the campus to life through personal stories, campus legends, and behind-the-scenes insights you simply cannot get from a guidebook. You will see the iconic John Harvard Statue, hear the truth behind its famous "three lies," and learn why students rub its shoe for luck. Your guide will point out Massachusetts Hall, the oldest surviving building on campus, and the soaring Memorial Church, while sharing what daily life is really like inside the dorms and lecture halls that ring Harvard Yard. The crunch of gravel underfoot, the chime of bells from Memorial Hall, and the chatter of students passing between classes give Harvard Yard an atmosphere that feels both timeless and very much alive.
This walking tour is perfect for prospective students, families visiting Boston, history buffs, and anyone curious about how two of the world's most influential universities sit just a subway ride apart. Travelers who love authentic, story-driven experiences will appreciate hearing Harvard Yard's traditions told by someone who actually studies there. Whether you are dreaming of an Ivy League future, retracing the steps of literary heroes, or simply soaking up the charm of Cambridge on foot, exploring Harvard Yard alongside MIT's inventive corridors makes for an unforgettable half day in greater Boston.
