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    Charles River Esplanade

    4.6 (56 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Kim V.

    This is a beautiful area for people to enjoy nature, in the city. We walked on a pedestrian bridge over the highway to get to the river. The bike path is 23 miles long. The path was paved and enjoyable to walk on with views of the river. This place was packed with joggers, bikers, and walkers. It was a chilly Saturday afternoon but was still busy. We even saw someone slack lining by the trees. There were mini sailboats on the river with a great view of the city. There were benches along the way if you get tired. So many recreational options for people who use this river and path. Overall, a cool place to get some exercise and be one with nature.

    Taken from the Longfellow Bridge in Summer
    Joseph L.

    I love to ride my bike around the Charles River and my usual route would be riding through the Esplanade, cross over the Harvard Bridge, ride through Memorial Drive, then back to the Esplanade through the Longfellow bridge. The whole ride takes about 30 minutes and is great for exercising and taking in fresh air with a beautiful view. I took the first picture during my morning ride and stopped to watch the sunrise over a part of Boston. There are benches along the memorial drive, so it is a great place to rest and take some beautiful pictures of the city.

    Sunset at Charles River Esplanade
    Bichen Z.

    I saw other reviewers mentioned the iconic view of sunrise. Here I wanted to add the sunset at Charles River is breathtaking too. The trail is a well maintained for walking, cycling, and jogging. Compared to other trains near pond and lakes, the pest control is awesome. Although the free parking is a little bit competitive, the plenty meters and parking garage near Boston common may release the pain of parking.

    Joe B.

    Gorgeous walk, safe path for bikers, joggers, strollers, even patrolled by Boston police so you're safe. Grab a nice sunrise! Iconic views.

    Kayaking on the Charles
    Ellen K.

    An expansive river that spans 80 miles. I wouldn't recommend swimming in it, but there are plenty of boating activities available for those who are interested. It's great to jog/run along the river as there are walking and biking paths all around it. The river is also a great place to see the Boston skyline and even catch the stunning sunrise.

    Ernest G.

    I was fortunate to take a break from work with a dinner cruise on the Charles river. Nothing like exploring a town on the river with fresh air and beautiful views! The ride was nice and smooth. There were many kids on their boats practicing and racing each other. The night brought on many cool night views with reflections off the water. Perfect place to relax!

    Crossing the bridge to the Charles river
    Tien V.

    The Charles river so I've heard, is a man made long river that stretches across the city. I've heard many scary things from a Boston native friend about people finding dead bodies here and killers roaming around the river at night finding men in particular. I was afraid to visit here at night but ended up here with friends somehow despite being so afraid. Hehe After all, I wouldn't know for sure any way if it was true ;( I'm glad I decided to go because it is so beautiful at night. We walked through the park across to the river and ended up chilling on a wooden deck above the water. People were sitting and chilling with their friends while looking at stars and the moon. It was beautiful indeed! The tall buildings reflected against the water and it was truly a romantic sight! We probably laid on the deck for hours just looking at the stars. Pictures are not enough, you have to be there to actually get a sense of how peaceful it is.

    Donna M.

    I walked from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park across Memorial Drive to the Charles River. Canoes & Kayaks were gliding silently & effortlessly over the water on a beautiful 75-degree afternoon. Enjoyed a long walk on the riverside path, admiring the old Cambridge buildings & lovely old trees. I tried to imagine the beauty of the Autumn & Winter scenery . . .

    Carmen Y.

    What a beautiful scenic route. I went running here the day before the Boston marathon. It has a nice running and biking path along the river. It's very accessible as there are several connecting bridges to the path. It is clean and also has some exercise stops. Great place to enjoy a nice walk or run. Close to MIT, BU, etc. You can also see BU sail team practicing while sitting on the grass.

    Winter @ Charles river
    Steph L.

    The perfect spot to catch the sunset, have a picnic, read a book, ride a bike, etc.. It can get busy during the summer months, especially if there are any concerts. If you have some spare time and would like to enjoy a beautiful view of the city, this is the place to go!

    Charles River, across highway from Micro Center and Trader Joe's, Cambridge, MA, September 2, 2014.

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    12 years ago

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    15 years ago

    Beautiful place for a picnic or to just relax. The sailboats are so wonderful to sit and watch quietly sail by. just fabulous!

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    12 years ago

    Pedal boats, kayaks, and sails! This is such an awesome river! I always make it a point to visit Charles River when I visit Boston.

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    13 years ago

    Safe, beautiful and incredibly relaxing during the spring and fall. Definitely a nice place to spend an afternoon.

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    10 years ago

    If your looking for extra baby diapers, and getting a fungal infection, then the Charles river is the place to go kayaking in....

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    Review Highlights - Charles River Esplanade

    For out of towners, Memorial drive skirts the Cambridge side of the river, and Storrow is on the Boston side.

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    The Esplanade

    The Esplanade

    4.8
    (100 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    The Esplanade is always beautiful, it doesn't matter the season. This is the perfect time of year -…read morewell now thru Fall to visit. Winter is nice too but they lock up the bathrooms which can be annoying if you're taking a super long walk and trying to stay hydrated! If you're looking for something to do on the weekend, look no further. The park is so big - you can listen to music or maybe even see a movie at the Hatch Shell, have a picnic, hangout on the dock, or even have a beer at Night Shift. Oh and if you have kids, there are a few different playgrounds. Let's not forget, it's super dog friendly. Oh and get your cameras ready for various birds and sometimes turtles in the lagoon.

    The Esplanade was a revelation, one of the highlights of my trip to Boston!…read more We took the T-red, got off Charles/MGH and it was a short walk to the Esplanade, a few miles alongside Charles Rivers with beautiful views of the river, wild life, the bridge and the city! We went on a Saturday morning, locals were walking, jogging, sitting on a bench drinking their coffee. Teams were out in the water roving, a nice visual Boston cliche that you see in movies, but I got to see for real. You can walk for miles here, till you get to the BU Bridge in parallel with the beautiful houses of Beacon Hill. Nice nature, cute bridges, birds, peaceful spots to stop by and look at the water, enjoy a book or a coffee. Nice locals offered to take our photos and we enjoyed chatted with. Beautiful sculptures, clean restrooms, lots of greenery. Great spot for a picnic also. I am sure it's pretty here at sunset. I am sure they have events here as well. My husband regrets not knowing about it. He went to Boston University and walked the BU Beach and the Bridge, but wasn't aware of this part. He would have loved to come here for peaceful walks and some reading. We didn't want to leave. A must see place in Boston!

    Photos
    The Esplanade
    The Esplanade
    7/23/2024

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    7/23/2024
    Boston Common

    Boston Common

    4.4
    (556 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    I love well planned green spaces in the central areas of big cities, some of the most famous of…read morewhich are Central Park in NYC and of course, Boston Commons. Tonight after our dinner we enjoyed walking through here and Boston Public Gardens for a good 1.5 hrs catching up with our daughter. There was a growing crowd of happy people (families and children too) cheering the Iraq World Cup team who will play their first match tomorrow against Norway here in Boston. About a dozen Boston police were watching from the sidelines on their motorbikes and I prayed all would stay peaceful. Meanwhile, pedestrians, dog walkers, families were enjoying the fresh cool evening amidst the grandiose trees, lawns, ducks, fountains, and historic statues. If you're in the area, definitely stop by, and also check out the Boston Public Gardens, which are even more landscaped and welcoming!

    This review is separate from the Boston Public Gardens which is just across the street and pretty…read moremuch connected. Boston Commons is a normal urban park in some ways with a playground for kids, a pond, park benches, a carousel, baseball stadium, and food vendors. It's also part historic park with monuments including one of the 54th Civil War all black regiment, a plaque saying this is the oldest park in America and others. It's also a part of the Freedom Trail. There's also a small cemetery in the park. The park is both busy and relaxing. It's smaller than I expected but that may just be because it felt like I went through it quickly. Time flies when you are having fun so maybe distance does too. Boston Commons is a must stop on any trip to Boston.

    Photos
    We need Love
    We need Love
    7.4.2024
    7.4.2024
    Boston Common

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    The Lawn On D

    The Lawn On D

    4.0
    (172 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    While in Boston a family friend took us here. Two kids altogether had real fun, a pleasant place to…read morehangout with or without kids. Huge space with the swings (the ultimate thing in this park), ping pongs, corn holes, big screen... It was free admission when we were here and a lot of people were there on the swing, we had to wait for sometime for our turns, but it was fun. If your around this park, just stop by for a while and enjoy the swing. Parking was on street!

    Went to Lawn on D for the World Cup watch party, it was an unspectacular experience. It was very…read morecrowded which made watching the game great, there was a security checkpoint at the front. We attempted to book a table/cabana when we arrived through open table, it was a $50 deposit and $250 minimum for drinks, so great if you have a group that needs a communal place to sit. There are a few bars all serve different items, so depending on what you typically order you'll be going to different areas, which isn't that big of a problem because walking through lawn on D is absolutely beautiful. I would have liked a bigger beer for the price, but when going out you expect to pay more, I additionally saw other customers with Sun cruiser bucket mixed drinks. The seating here is minimal if you're coming on a crowded night, there's plenty if you arrive early or go at a calmer time, but during the World Cup seating was sparse. Food options are similar to a food truck/fast food vibe. If you are not kid friendly this is not the place for you.

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    Hanging out on the swings
    Hanging out on the swings
    The Lawn On D
    The Lawn On D

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    Arnold Arboretum

    Arnold Arboretum

    4.8
    (418 reviews)
    4.1 mi

    My daughter recommended us to visit this fantastic arboretum. It was super worthwhile! Just to get…read moreout of the city first a bit into a well-preserved and landscaped beautiful lush green space with evergreens and oaks and gardens. It's free every day! There's a visitor center, where they have clippings of flowers that are labeled for easy identification and appreciation. Also throughout the arboretum are little plaques identifying flora. We went up to see the view of Boston from Peter's Hill and walked alongside the blooming mountain laurel bushes. Walkable paths are asphalt or wood chips. We saw a wild turkey, several robins, and occasional people. Super glad we explored this wondrous place!

    It's been quite some time since i stopped by the arboretum. As a kid my grandma and mother used to…read moretake us there and take photos in the summer. I have some very good child memories here. They used to have hedge? Carvings of animals and stuff which was super cool. Didn't see that today but not sure, we didn't have time to check the whole arboretum. I think this place is so cool, there's families walking, roller blading, skating, biking etc dog walking you name it. It's clean in there so please keep it that way if visiting. There are ample signs of the types of trees, plants, and different zones. Porta potty available on the paths, resting chairs, benches and even spreads for a picnic. Friend had his wedding there not long ago. Easy commute from Forrest Hills train station on the orange line and walk up the street. Multiple gates to go in from, but main gate closed to cars at 4pm i think. The arboretum is closed at dusk. Beautiful walk on a beautiful day.

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    Fall time
    Fall time
    Arnold Arboretum
    Arnold Arboretum

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    Charles River Esplanade - parks - Updated June 2026

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