With the month of May finally here and the weather getting warmer in Boston, parks are about to become busier. Parks are great places to spend some quality with your family, go for walks, play sports, or do a wide variety of other activities. However, with dozens of parks throughout Boston, which ones do you go to? Here’s our 5 favorites.
1. Boston Common
Not only is the Boston Common among the most popular parks in the city (and the country as a whole), it also has the distinction of being the oldest park in the entire country as it dates back to 1634. The park used to be used as a cow pasture, and then as a camp before the Revolutionary war, but now, is simply a park. The 50-acre Boston Common is a park that connects four different neighborhoods in Boston together. On top of being an attractive place full of greenery, the Boston Common also offers a ton of activities to do. This includes sports fields, playgrounds for children, a bandstand for performances, walking paths, a pool, just to name a few. After you are finished with the park you have plenty of things to do in the area, as it is in the heart of Boston. Whether you feel like shopping at Macy’s, grabbing a bit at The Paramount, or seeing a show at
2. Charles River Esplanade
Along the banks of the Charles River sits this grassy and gorgeous park that is known as the Charles River Esplanade. It hosts some of the best waterfront views in the city and also some of the most popular running paths in all of Boston. However, if running isn’t your thing, there are still a ton of things to do here. The park features ball fields, comfy grass for picnics and sunbathing, boating, playgrounds, and the famous Hatch Shell, which is an outdoor concert venue. After enjoying the great views and activities that this oasis on the water offers, there is plenty of other things you can do in the area to. Just to the west of the Esplanade is the Harvard Bridge, which offers a quick walk or run to the beautiful MIT campus. However, if you are hungry or itching for some shopping, heading a few blocks south into Back Bay gets you access to dozens of restaurants and shops.
3. Boston Public Garden
Situated right to the west of the famous Boston Common, sits the manicured and clean Boston Public Garden. Think of this park as the younger sibling of the Boston Common. It is around half the size, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great place to go. There is arguably no better place in Boston to go for a nice walk than the Public Garden. There are tons of flowers and trees in this park and everything is very well taken care of and there are many cool statues to check out. However, the star of the show here is the duck pond which features the famous Swan Boat rides. While there may not be as many different activities to do here as there are in other parks, it is a charming and fun place to spend a beautiful day outside. Once you’re done with the Public Garden, why not head north and go catch some nostalgia and have a delicious meal and a pint at Cheers!
4. Arnold Arboretum
If you are a nature lover in Boston, this is a place you must see. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard is a 250+ acre park and living museum in the Jamaica Plains neighborhood of Boston. The grounds are full of nearly 15,000 plants and the area is managed and maintained by more than a dozen gardeners, technicians, and horticulturists. Plants, trees, and other foliage from all over the world are present in this park. Whether you want to go for a nice and relaxing walk, or learn a little bit about nature, this is a great park to visit. Despite not being in a similarly busy area as the last few parks looked at in this article, there are still lots of cool things to do around the Arnold Arboretum. If you fancy a beer after the game, you can head north to the famous Samuel Adams brewery, or if you prefer to see something cultural, you can head a few minutes further north and visit the Museum of Fine Arts.
5. Castle Island
Situated around Pleasure Bay and on the shore of the Boston Harbor, sits Castle Island. This is a 20+ acre recreation site and is also home to the famous Fort Independence. Castle Island features some of the best views in Boston and is full of green space to have picnics, relax, or catch some rays. You can even bring your fishing rod and head to the fishing pier to do some fishing. This is a great weekend retreat for your family and is open to the public all year long. Due to the fact this park is about as far east as you can get in Boston (and it is located on an island), there are not too many things to do and see around Castle Island. One great thing to do after you are done with the park on Castle Island is to check out Sullivan’s, the restaurant on Castle Island. If you do go inland a bit, you will be right in the heart of South Boston, where there is lots to do and check out.
