On a budget, skip Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market — the spend outweighs the payoff.
Free entry; food à la carte
The architecture and the 'Cradle of Liberty' history are real, and the buskers and food hall energy can be fun for a first-timer. The honest catch: it's been thoroughly turned into a touristy food court with chain stalls and mediocre clam chowder, and locals largely avoid it.