Upping my review to 3 stars…read more They rebuilt the dock area so it is a nice place to sit, drink a coffee, eat lunch, etc. in the spring and fall, many of the assisted living facilities bring van loads of residents to visit. I try to visit on those days with my dogs - it helps bring joy to the residents.

This is the second time I've been to Cochituate State Park and I came in around noon and I didn't…read morego to the conventional way to the beach, but this was a side trail, which was much nicer and was able to just swim. It was so pretty. It was really nice with bathwater temperature considering it's been 88° out. I really enjoyed myself. This is a very popular beach for the local people and visitors alike. There are lots of children and lifeguards at the small beach, but it is a huge state park where you can do a lot of running around and picnicking. If you are not an advanced swimmer, I do not recommend coming here with children to be safe . But if you can tread water and you know how to swim well and basically live in the water, it's fine.

It was as if it was a picture taken from the enchanted garden as you walk directly into the garden…read moreas it was hidden in the woods surrounded by trees and a very nice bog with charming Lilly pads. The price was right and my mom and I really enjoyed it. Nothing but peaceful all around.

Excellent little jaunt through the flowery woods on crushed gravel trails lined with many varieties…read moreof plants and blossoming flora. Possibly the best prize for labeling as many species as possible. So many gardens do not provide good and legible labels on their plants, trees, bushes, ferns, and flowers. This was joyfully, thoroughly well-labeled. As was the path itself on the loop trail. There is an additional outer trail you could take if you're channeling your inner Thoreau but we stuck with the anti-Frost and took the road more traveled. Stay on the path. Recommendations say you can walk the loop in 30mins. You probably could. But we found plenty to keep us oohing and aahing for 90 mins! Turtles, frogs, dragonflies, butterflies, and some fab funghi in the lily pond. Unique and colorful small flowers every which way. The trail has mostly small inclines here and there, but the hike at the end to return to the visitor center is a bit huffy puffy. While there were beautifully carved benches throughout other parts of the loop, there were no benches on this steepest part and there really should be at least one halfway up the hill. Take your time. Wear proper shoes, bring a water bottle. Small parking lot. Bonus gift shop, plant shop, and proper rest rooms.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! 5 STARS! How would you like to picnic on the grounds of a Castle for FREE!…read moreThis is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never heard of or been to before. It's Time to jump into The TimeMobile & scour the Earth & take you to places from a different time that you won't believe still exist. We have set the dial to 1880's in the town of Wellesley MA. We have landed at this beautiful Castle that is in the middle of the center of Wellesley's business district. Well it looks like a castle but it's really Wellesley City Hall. I don't know about you but my city hall looks nothing like a Castle. LOL! Wellesley is a very affluent town & their city hall is a Castle. You can visit the park here for FREE & THE Parking is FREE as well. If they run out of spots there's metered parking on the perimeter & adjacent streets too. Near the front entrance there is a War Memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Armed Services. The grounds of Hunnewell Park are filled with green grass, trees, a stream, a bridge & a pond. There's wildlife that resides here including white swans & geese. There are benches & picnic tables scattered throughout the property. What a picturesque & relaxing setting to Picnic or kick back & read. It feels like you are at a nature retreat rather than a park. It's great to take a photo here with the Castle & send it to your family & friends & say " Sorry I can't talk to you peasants now, I'm picnicking at a Castle". LOL! They will hate you forever until you tell them it's Free & you'll take them with you next time. The stone government building is a prime example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture along with a bit of French Chateau. It was built between 1881 & 1886 & designed by Shaw & Hunnewell. It was funded by & built on donated land by H. H. Hunnewell. The building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There's also something special here for the medical community that they will really like. There are 2 Doctor memorial plaques placed on large stones. The first one is for DR W*T G MORTON who lived here. He gave the world Ether for Surgery. The second plaque is for DR. JOSEPH E. MURRAY who in 1954 performed the first successful Human Organ Transplant. He was also a 1990 Nobel Prize Winner & resided in the town. Since you are in the area be sure to check out the Babson Globe another Freebie. It's the 2nd largest rotating globe in the world. And you can get something great to eat right across the street @ Tutto Italiano. They serve great Meatball Subs & get a side of their Delicious Homemade red roasted peppers too. They also have authentic Italian red sauce to go. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

I spend a lot of time at Hunnewell Park. It is close to my home and although it used to offer a…read morelot more natural settings it has unfortunately become one giant athletic complex. Lights and sounds can be experienced almost every night now. We used to see and hear many more wild animals and experience it as a natural corridor. Alas, now it is only filled up with athletic equipment, stray plastic water bottles and other human trash.

Of all the state parks in the area, Ashland has always been my favorite. It's not human-made and…read morehas great nooks and crannies that are fun to explore from a kayak or canoe on the water or along the perimeter on trails. We've been coming here since we moved to the area 25 years ago and because the entire reservoir is within the park property, it looks much the same as it did a quarter century ago. This morning I met a friend and we took our dogs for a walk. We were shocked that on a summer morning, we only passed two people along the trail- one with a dog (on leash as required) and one friendly solo human. The trails are very rooted and while I've done mountain biking here in the past, it's definitely easier to maneuver this one on foot. The trails are *sort of* marked with yellow spray paint on trees. As other people have mentioned, despite many times walking here I still always question if I'm going the right way. Even in the trail area, it's easy to wander off a bit. But also as someone mentioned, the beauty of this trail is that as long as you keep the reservoir on the same side and within view, you'll be fine! I like to park at the Boat Launch side of the park because you can access the trail right there without walking through a giant parking lot- so it feels more natural. I also like to head to the right (facing the water at the boat launch), therefore keeping the reservoir on my left the whole time. The public beach area (no lifeguards) is about halfway from the boat launch which is a great water/snack/bathroom break. The ranger station was open and the bathrooms were, as well. This section of the park has tons of shaded picnic areas and plenty of sandy and grassy space to spread out. This area used to get very busy on weekends with large gatherings - I'm not sure if that's still the case. But today there was one family group having a quiet picnic but the beach was empty. The trail around the reservoir is almost completely shaded except for the elevated causeway across the dam which is about .3miles of exposed trail- also of note are the annoying bugs that zip around this tall grass but seem to not bother humans. Ashland State Park is a great place to visit! Definitely recommend checking out this gem!

The lake is like a mirror. It blends into the blue sky and reflects the surrounding beauty. Walking…read morein the sun by the lake makes people feel relaxed and happy.

I love this park. I am not from the area but if I lived around here, I'd take my morning walks here…read moredaily. Not my foot traffic, which I also liked.

I really enjoyed this place. I didn't know what to expect. We started to walk from the Eddie's park…read moreand took the internal route. Reached the Pegan Cove Park after around 15 minutes. Then we were just exploring the trail, not much to do. Walked in there for around 30-40 minutes, clicked some nice pictures, saw geese, robin, butterflies, insects etc. If you go on a rainy day, expect your shoes to get dirty with the mud. We saw few boats parked while walking by the loop. Make sure you have your bug repellent with you.

I stopped by to see what this air was all about and it looks like it's a very beautiful trail walk…read morewe could see a lot of wildlife and I ended up seeing a lot of turtles. There is a membership in general admission. Since we were just being nosy, we took a brief walk on the boardwalk to see what it was all about. It is very family oriented and if you love the outdoors, you will love this place.

One of Mass Audubon's best for kids, in my humble opinion. (we are members)…read more The staff present in the building were very helpful, kind, and informed (in that kind of nature nerd, yet cool kind of way) There are clean bathrooms (they are porter potty toilets, yes. But still clean on the exterior). The pathways have a significant amount of boardwalk all across the sanctuary, which helps with keeping my hyper child away from poison ivy and ticks to some degree. There is a seated area for picnicking. (though no recycle bins. odd..) And best of all.. Lots of crawly, jumpy, flappy, slimy things to distract and de plug your pandemic technology-plugged child for a few hours. To enjoy fresh air. Take in nature's beauty. To learn to sit in the discomfort of possibly being bored when not overstimulated every second. My inattentive child's highlights were: - learning about the semi-toxic slime of a slug - listening to the bullfrogs in rhythm - chasing his buddy down the boardwalk in the last stretch - drinking sweet lemonade and picnicking as reward for all that walking

The Garden at Elm Bank is awesome -- especially this time of year!…read more Between the lights, to the model train city, to the Food Trucks, to the S'more "kits" and fire pits, this place is AWESOME this time of year.

We went here for the Christmas festival of trees event. My family had a blast and it was the…read moreperfect Christmas activity! We especially loved the model Christmas villages room and the room of unique Christmas trees. The mini Christmas villages were so intricate and detailed and it was a massive collection. The artistic Christmas trees were creative and unique - I especially loved the national parks Christmas tree! Next to the last activity which is the Christmas trees collection, there is a fire pit in which you are given sticks and a s'mores kit. A perfect way to end the day! Highly recommend coming here for the Christmas event and will be sure to come back and see the gardens when it's back in season (no snow). My only critique is that for the last day it closed at 4pm which didn't give us time to see the lights at night decorations.

I'm reluctant to review because it might bring attention to this diamond in the rough…read more One of the major reasons I moved to Wellesley was Lake Waban; I'd drive from the city every weekend to walk the lake with my dog. As luck would have it, and I didn't know until moving into my home, Morse's Pond is a 7 minute walk and changes the entire dynamic of the community I live it - it's as if I live in Maine. My family spends almost every weekend here and enjoy biking on the vast trails and swimming in the gorgeous pond. A true gem!

I'm almost afraid to post this review because I want this place to stay a hidden gem, but…read moreanyway...if you are looking for a clean place to sun and swim, look no further. There's a decent beach and the water isn't too cold. It's mostly families, so I won't say it's peaceful, but it hits the mark on a hot day. $10 for non-Wellesley residents. $70 for a season pass.