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    The Esplanade

    4.8 (100 reviews)

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    Molly B.

    Somehow even after living in the Boston area for 4 years this was my first time EVER walking the Esplanade. It was such a beautiful way to break up my week. The breeze coming off the water and the lack of suburban noise made it feel like a little getaway. The little parks along the walk make it great for kids. S tier people watching as well!

    Brooke C.

    The esplanade is always a lovely scenic walk. Great place to walk your dog or pack a blanket for a picnic. Plenty of shady spots and benches to rest on a hot day.

    Kristin M.

    My daugher and like to go down here in the evening after the temperature goes does and watch the Sunset over the harbor.

    Sunny C.

    What a beautiful part of Boston. I go there for a regular dose of serenity, fresh air, and to find myself again in nature and wildlife. Lovely course along the river for the most refreshing views one could get in a decent sized city.

    Osula L.

    This place is beautiful. If it's your first time in Boston, this walk is a must on a nice day. I was really close to not evening checking this place out but I'm so glad I did. I asked some locals for recommendations and they said you have to check this place out. I came in the early evening while the sun was going down (around 5PM in late September) and it was picturesque. I really enjoyed people watching along the walk with all the people with their dogs, doing water sports, all the gorgeous apartments along the river. Just perfect. I came by myself and didn't have a picnic or anything and still had a great time walking along the Charles River. It was also nice walking around the neighborhoods in this area. I felt super safe with lots of lovely homes to admire. The only thing was I didn't see any restrooms nor parking. I took public transportation to get here so I didn't have to worry about it. I was visiting from out of town so I'm not too familiar with the parking situation in this area.

    Jeremy J.

    This is a great place that my family and I visited while we were in Boston. It is about a 3 mile little track going around the harbor paved and it's got spots we can play with the kids and parks and just all kinds of fun stuff for sure we took full of vantage of it took a lot of good pictures and had a really good walk in a lot of family fun

    Katherine W.

    Always beautiful year-round! I lived in Cambridge for half a year and would always jog down Mass Ave. and through the Esplanade. This area is so beautiful, especially at sunset in the summer and fall. You also have your choice of bridges if you want to continue your run--I prefer the Longfellow Bridge but the Harvard Bridge is nice too. Sometimes in the summer you'll spot beer gardens popping up! This is a great area to have a picnic, kayak/sail, or simply take a walk after eating or shopping around Newbury. The 1 bus stops right on Mass Ave. and you have easy access to the green line as well. The Esplanade is one of my top recommendations for things to visit around Boston.

    Tiffany D.

    Strolling through, I was reminiscing...don't cry over spilt milk. It doesn't do anyone any good to be unhappy about something already that has happened or that can't be helped. Choices in life while seeing this green scene. It's a great path to walk and run! Fall forward and keep moving.

    Such pretty views!
    Priscilla T.

    I am so jealous of Boston residents who can come here frequently! While my friend and I were visiting, several people told us to check out this trail and both my friend and I were so happy we were able to! It's about a three mile trail and it's paved! A very wide path as well so lots of space to accommodate the abundance of people (and cute dogs!) on the trail. The views are amazingggg!!! There are docks that you can walk on and just sit and relax and soak up the serene atmosphere. It's so nice that after lots of shopping/eating in the city, there's the Esplanade to wind down nearby. I highly recommend everyone to check out the Esplanade! Definitely one of my favorite spots while I was visiting Boston!

    Erin D.

    This is a great place to enjoy the view and get some exercise. I came here for an early morning run and there were tons of runners and walkers out doing the same thing as me. There is a nice breeze from the water, the trail is large and paved, and you feel safe in this well lit and high traffic area. Would also be a great place to have a picnic or bring kids to see the water!

    Beautiful views can be found along the Esplanade. Great for working out and sightseeing!

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    12 years ago

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    13 years ago

    I love the esplanade! It's a great place to meditate during the day and walk at night. It has a great view of the Charles, as well.

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    10 years ago

    Visiting Boston? Don't forget to take a stroll on the Esplanade for great views of Boston, the Charles river, and MIT.

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    10 years ago

    What's not to love. Beautiful scenery, great place to go for a walk alone or with friends, run, sail, etc.

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    14 years ago

    great place to walk or just hang out

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    Then, finally one year, we decided to camp out here all day near the Hatch shell for the 4th of July fireworks.

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    Boston Common - At Boston Commons

    Boston Common

    4.4(555 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Boston common is a gorgeous green space that I have had the pleasure of visiting multiple times…read morenow. That's a good thing too because there is so much space and so much to see here that it can definitely take more than one visit to appreciate its beauty and all that it has to offer. It's known as the oldest public park in the United States and I personally love the way that it's laid out. I wish they still made parks like this. There are wide open lawns with winding paths, people sitting on benches or enjoying picnics on the grass with their dogs. I have seen large events here and even performers as well as family barbecues and groups of people just gathering to spend time together outside. It's nice to just be in this beautiful green space surrounded by the city skyline and historic buildings. I can really sit here and appreciate that I'm in an important City but also feel like I have this little bubble of an oasis surrounding me and keeping everything calm. It's just a nice place to exist and enjoy nature for a bit and it also connects to the Boston public garden which is another gorgeous space for just enjoying nature. It's unfortunate that I have never been able to stop here when I have had my dog with me on a trip through the city because I know she would love visiting this park. Who wouldn't?

    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.

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    Boston Public Garden - 7.4.2025

    Boston Public Garden

    4.8(472 reviews)
    0.3 miBack Bay

    We entered the Boston Public Garden from the Beacon Hill area. You can tell immediately this garden…read moreis well loved. There were people strolling, sitting on benches and lying in the sun. There were also plenty of children run around playing. We passed one you woman taking pictures in a beautiful dress for her quinceañera. They were also setting up for an event, although I don't know which one. We strolled for a little while and enjoyed the green space. This garden is a nice respite in the middle of a busy city.

    Maybe it was the springtime weather, but this is the prettiest free park that I have ever been to…read more It's directly across the street from Boston Commons so it feels like 1 park but since they had separate signs and had a public street between them, I will treat it as 2. This place is landscaped amazingly with perfectly manicured shrubs, tons of beautiful flowers, interesting statues/monuments and fields for frolicking. Do people still frolic? There were tons of high school and college student taking graduation pics here which makes a ton of sense. There were duck boats to ride around the pond, but it looked like 10-15 people were on the boats and you can't exactly go far. This place doesn't need words. It needs pictures or better yet the human eye. So, grab a picnic basket, enjoy a nice lunch, take a walk around the park but be aware of the thieving squirrels. I had one run up my leg on a park bench to steal my cookie.

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    Boston Public Garden
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    Make Way for Ducklings

    James P Kelleher Rose Garden

    James P Kelleher Rose Garden

    4.9(21 reviews)
    1.5 miFenway

    AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO MUST DO! 4 & 1/2 STARS! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING if you come here on…read moreSundays & Park at the meters at the Museum. 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 1930 in the town of Boston MA @ The James P Kelleher Rose Garden. This is one of Boston's Secret Hidden Gems that is right in the heart of the city but off the beaten path. It is completely Hidden from view that passerby's on foot & by car don't see. This place is part of what's called the Emerald Necklace. It is a great spot to relax, check out the flowers & have a picnic on green grass & trees which are right next door. The Kelleher Rose Garden is located just a few minutes walking distance behind Boston's Museum of Fine Arts in the Back Bay Fens section. You can park at the meters all around the museum for Free there on Sunday. Park & walk across the street behind the museum, across the Bridge & the River & in a few minutes you are there. This is a beautiful medium size Formal English Flower Garden with more than 1500 Roses that was established in 1930. It was designed by Arthur Shurcliff, a Boston landscape architect who had worked for Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed the Fens as well as New York's Famous Central Park. Be sure to check out the wide variety of roses, the greenery, the Arches, the Fountain, & the view of the Museum. There's also a reproduction of the famous Desconsol Statue - a gift from Boston's sister city Barcelona in Spain. It was designed by Catalan sculptor Josep Llimona. Also scope out the Julia Child Flower the famous chef who lived in Boston. She's got her own flower as well as The Home Run flower dedicated to Baseball. You can walk all around the perimeter & see pretty much everything even when the gate is closed. This is a great place to bring a picnic basket or cooler & blanket & have a Spring, Summer or Fall Picnic. There's also a great view of The Prudential Building & The John Hancock Tower 2 of the tallest buildings in Boston. There's green grass & trees you can sit under too - what a picturesque natural setting. You can also walk to the George Robert White Veterans Memorial Park that is a tribute to our fallen soldiers which is right next door which is also a Freebie. And if you want to walk a bit farther down there's the Fenway Victory Gardens which is also another place to check out that's also another Freebie in the Fenway area. Also check out the Agassiz Bridge a beautiful old arched bridge. And yes that's Free too! Check out my individual reviews of each of those places as well. You'll experience Hours of Relaxing, Picnicking, Looking at Beautiful Flowers & Nature Walking for Zero Dollars for the whole day. 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 had a lovely visit here! The blooms were great today (June 15). I love that it's totally free and…read moreeven has little benches where you can sit and hang out. It's very picturesque, I'm a little sad it's not friendly but I understand.

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    James P Kelleher Rose Garden
    James P Kelleher Rose Garden - Fountain

    Fountain

    James P Kelleher Rose Garden

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    The Esplanade - parks - Updated June 2026

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