Ah pictures are on the digi cam and I haven't pulled them yet…read more Houghton's pond is a nice local spot to us. It's got plenty of free parking, small park for the kiddos, a viewing area for the marsh, beach side is small but nice for picnic and swim. Plenty of geese and ducks that leave their natural presents all over the beach haha but that's nature. It's def a chill spot, i normally only ever went there as a meeting point when we are riding our motorbikes and meeting up with other friends. There are porta-potty bathrooms available between the beach and the kids park. Looks to be area for food vendors but don't know if it's going to open for the summer or not haha.

I've been going to Houghton's Pond for years! It's one of…read morethe many ponds in town and is always a great place to go for chill vibes. Popular for tanning in the summer & taking kids to play. They have a playground that's perfect to bring the kids. I love having picnic days here & going for after dinner walks here! Parking: lots of free parking available & is right off the highway Exit 3 Houghton's Pond or Exit 2B.

It is a very beautiful, well-maintained park I only walked a mile so far, on a pleasant summer…read moreday, but will go back.

Noanet Woodlands is another favorite woodsy area to add to my list (another recent favorite is…read moreanother Trustees property in Andover, the Ward Reservation). The two are somewhat similar with different color coded trails and a trail to reach a summit for the skyline of Boston (I didn't check that out here at Noanet Woodlands for this trip). I enjoyed coming here on the weekend: it was moderately trafficked (which I like so it's not *too* isolated), and easy/moderate trails (I prefer long, ambling hikes). The only thing is that the orange trail I took was a bit confusing/not super clear. The overall system does a good job, but I would be sure to download a map/have AllTrails active to ensure you don't end up in the wrong spot. I fortunately ran into some folks who helped me get back on track, but a heads up that it could get confusing as it did for me. Otherwise, a wonderful shady (important to know on hotter days) set of trails that I would recommend!

The address on Yelp will lead you to the parking lot for a skating rink and a community pool. It is…read morea convenient place to park, but I am not sure if is the best place to access longer trails. This location is not near the lake. The area is beautifully wooded, providing plenty of shade on a sunny day. The trails here were relatively short. I ventured off the main trail and discovered areas with overgrown greenery, lots of graffiti and decayed benches. Without anybody else around, it looked like a post apocalyptic world, and it felt eerie! Not sure who is supposed to fund or do the maintenance for this beautiful nature spot, so close to Boston, but it really needs some love! Without signage in the area and no phone connection, I almost got lost! I Ma aged to walk/run the trails for an hour but would love to explore different areas of Stony Brook if in the area again.

I used to come here often while walking my two Jack Russell Terriers. One day we were near the…read moreGeorge Wright golf course when (at least) two coyotes snuck up behind me and almost got one of my dogs. The coyotes were wicked bold and only my loud yelling got them to back off but they still followed. I'm bummed that I can't go any more because it is nice and quiet and the dogs love being off leash. Not trying to discourage anyone from going but if you have small dogs off leash, be careful.

Been wanting to check out these trails for a while now and today was the day. There was no clear…read moreaddress on yelp directions but it got me there correctly. There's a tiny little spot you can park right before the head of the trail but only enough for a few cars. I guess if you came and it was full you could park down the street. There is a pretty big lot there that usually has quite a few spots open. You'd have to walk a bit to the trail though. Great trail around Ponkapoag pond. My Fit bit says it was a little over 11,000 steps. Most trails are marked good. There are maps posted every so often and most have an arrow that point "you are here". I would suggest to bring a map although at the place where I started from the box holding the Maps was empty so I just took a picture of the one posted. Definitely bring bug spray! This place is loaded with bugs. I was pretty bitten up at the end of my walk. I stayed on the main trail but there were lots of small trails to go off on. I was pretty disappointed to see signage that said no bikes allowed on a lot of them though. That's a real bummer for me and my beloved mountain bike. Saw lots of beautiful birds and butterflies. Luckily I didn't run into any coyotes but just be aware that they are around. 3.5 stars.

4.5 mile loop around Ponkapoag Pond in Canton. Parking can be a little challenging in the entryway…read moreto the park, or you can park at nearby Houghton's Pond and walk over. I love the "boardwalk" - a long series of linked planks leading through the bog to the pond. So scenic and a unique off-trail walk. The trail is rocky and rolling in parts and flat in others, with a brief paved portion along the golf course. The trail also passes the YMCA camping sites and outdoors center, and is fairly well traveled in all seasons. Great place for running, dog walking and hiking.

Not sure if I picked the wrong day or the wrong trail but my "hiking" experience in the Blue Hills…read morefell short. In general, there's not great hiking around Boston unless you keep doing the same trails in Milddlesex but I had heard a lot of good things about Blue Hills so off I went. 1. The Skyline trail, for being the most popular one, was extremely poorly marked. I'm glad I downloaded the AllTrails map ahead of time for the route because even with the map, I got turned around several times and had to scurry forward and back to try to find the markings. At one point, the markings disappeared completely, i.e., I was definitely off-trail, and I couldn't find my way back without committing to another rock scramble back down, so I just consulted the map, did another trail, and cut back to the same route a few minutes later. 2. So very, very buggy. Most of the time that I was walking, I was swatting a bug, trying not to eat a bug, or actually eating a bug. Not the most pleasant of hiking conditions but something avoidable by just coming later in the season when all the bugs are dead. Passed by some lakes that looked very scenic from a distance but then, when you get close, you see it's all pretty much stagnant water/pond scum and millions of mating bugs. 3. This may be relatively minor but if you're coming from Boston, the traffic to get over here is dreadful and, again depending on which starting point you use, there aren't bathrooms available. Plan accordingly. 4. Parking was free and easy - I went with the Shea Memorial Rink in Quincy and hopped right onto the trailhead from there. 5. Hiking shoes are fine but I think this hike is doable in sneakers. Aside from a scramble here or there, the elevation was pretty gradual. Do be careful of the various roots and whatnot. I guess the lesson is: bug spray and download the trail map. Unless you're fine making a day of it and trying different trails, but even so, download the map.

Very well maintained trails, great views, good woods scenery for all seasons. Highly recommended;…read moremap boards at trailheads are clear, and most trails are clearly marked.

Great dog park .. great energy ! Fun!! Warm welcoming!! Friendly for dog owners and lovely…read moreenvironment for dogs to play of all sizes!!

You need a membership to use the park. Outside is a nice green area I use to play with my dogread more

I stayed at a Ponkapoag tent site last summer and had a wonderful time. The lake is calm and…read morebeautiful, and there are extensive trails for hiking. I can't speak to the cabin experience, but the camp as a whole is easy to access yet also allows you to feel like you've escaped the city. The tent sites are clean, spacious and have a fire pit and a picnic table. The one we were at (and I think all of them...) have private lake access, meaning you can step out of your tent and walk straight into the water for a cool morning swim or even to fish (if you have a permit!). There is also a sanctioned swim area for children and families where there are safety ropes and water toys for everyone's use. The whole experience was restful and easy to execute. I would absolutely go again.

This is my absolute favorite place on earth. I've been going here since I was a little girl and I…read morehave the best memories here. I'm even getting the coordinates tattooed. It's an escape from reality and you feel like at peace. If I could live here I would. Plus it's also really cheap. This place holds a very important place in my heart. They allow dogs and they have many trials. My family has been going here for over 60 years. Their no electricity or running water but I think that adds to the experience of being in nature and excluded to the outside world. Truly an amazing place!

We had a few groupons to get our kayak on, and with the beautiful weather we had this weekend, it…read morewas the perfect time. Nothing better than being on the open ocean with a paddle. Four of us arrived, filled out a simple waiver, and got our life vests and paddles. After not so gracefully plopping into the kayaks, we were on our way. Once we got the hang of it, we were on our way to the closest island. We were hoping to get to Spectacle, (insert snicker here) but I think we would have passed out first, so we made it to land (I think it was Thompson, which may or may not have had No Tresspassing signs on it. Eh, We weren't exploring, just resting up with a nice picnic lunch. I can't wait to go back, after my aching arm muscles stop killing me!~ Next time I might wrapy my thumbs with tape to see if it will prevent the blisters I got.... Highly recommend for a fun day out!

UMass Boston is right on the ocean, so it's cold of the…read moreYear.... but beautiful. They offer many boating activitIes, and water sports equipment rentals, as well as a running trail along the ocean. The deal: Umass Boston students, with ID's, hey free boat rIdes, kayak lessons and more!