Attraction of the Week: Boston Common and Public Garden

Boston is one of my favorite cities. I had the opportunity to live in the metro for many years. I loved the history, the gorgeous parks, the amazing leaf peeping, and yes – even the snowy winter season. Anyone who has ever vacationed here knows that you are in for a lot of walking if you plan on exploring all the historic sites. Mike and I recently flew in from Tucson to visit my sister and decided to explore the beautiful parks in the summer season. This is something we didn’t do much while living here (we were trying to avoid the crowds so we opted mainly for off season exploration).

Walking The Freedom Trail & exploring the North End, Beacon Hill, and Newbury Street are all must-dos. However, doing everything on a single trip can be very exhausting. After hours on your feet, it’s nice to soak in nature for a bit. Fortunately, the city is home to several gorgeous parks which you can enjoy all year-round. The 2 with the most historic significance are: Boston Common (1st park in the US) and the Public Garden (1st public botanical garden in the US).

With the city’s stunning architecture providing the backdrop, lots of leafy trees, changing views along with the seasons, and ongoing events throughout the year, both parks would make my must-see list, especially if you are seeking free things to do. If you live close enough, I recommend visiting during each season to see how the vibe and scenery change.

America’s first public park

In 1634, Boston Common was established as the first public park in the US. Located centrally in the heart of downtown, this is a wonderful place to escape the commotion. We didn’t visit this park much in summer/early fall while living here as this is prime tourist season. Most of the time we came here during the winter to skate at the beautiful Frog Pond rink and stroll in peace. We enjoyed the opportunity on this most recent visit to take a lot of pics and enjoy the greenery. During the summer, a carousel, spray pool, and cafe replace the rink. They also offer free yoga sessions on Thursdays if you want to meditate in a gorgeous setting.

The great thing about New England parks is that the scenery changes dramatically throughout the year, from leafy green trees and flowers in the spring and summer, to colorful foliage in autumn, to snow covered trees and ice covered ponds in winter. So no matter when you visit, you are treated to a wonderful viewpoint.

I love seeing how the entire ambiance of the area changes throughout the course of the year. This is why I love 4 season climates. During the summer months, the park is alive with tourists, vendors, tours, and lush green trees. As winter nears, it takes on a whole new look with barren snow covered trees, a festive ice rink & a giant Christmas tree for the perfect urban holiday winter wonderland ambiance. This time of year, the summer tourist crowds have long disappeared. This is my favorite time of the year as you can enjoy the beautiful quiet grounds and picture-perfect winter wonderland setting all to yourself.

The Common throughout the Seasons

Most notably, this park is the starting point for The Freedom Trail. From here, you can embark on a 2.5 mile journey through 16 of the country’s most prominent historical sites. This brick lined path will take you past the most historic buildings and cemeteries in the city. If you only have time for one major activity, let it be a walk along this historic landmark.

America’s first public garden

Boston Public Garden is conveniently located adjacent to the Common, so you can stroll right over via the connected pathway. Established way back in 1837, it became the first public botanical garden in the US. It really is a gorgeous place to stroll around, particularly in spring when pink tulips are in bloom. The iconic pedal powered swan boat rides, which have been in operation since 1877, are a great way to take in the city’s beautiful scenery (and cheap too at just under 5 bucks!).

You will find many different varieties of trees here, several notable statues including a large George Washington monument, and of course, the beautiful lagoon as the centerpiece. I like taking in the scenery via the suspension bridge. It’s just a gorgeous place to appreciate nature for an hour or so.

This park also takes on a completely different vibe with each passing season. If you are looking for a peaceful experience, wintertime offers a picture-perfect snow setting minus the intense spring/summer tourist traffic. Most of the time the park will be completely dead outside of a few hockey players. What a great time of the year for a peaceful stroll! Winter is such a magical time of the year that is often overlooked by tourists. For anyone seeking a low-key getaway, this is the time to plan your visit.

Movie filming nostalgia

I am a big fan of nostalgic 80’s and 90’s movies so I specifically seek out filming sites when I travel. The Public Garden has been used in the filming of various movies scenes. The most well known is the famous Robin Williams & Matt Damon bench scene in Good Will Hunting. If you are a movie buff, you will definitely be familiar with this scene. Numerous other movies have filmed around the downtown area including Fever Pitch, Gone Baby Gone, The Departed, and The Social Network. I recommend taking a movie tour if you have extra time available. I would love to take one of these, but I haven’t got around to it yet.

Fans of the 80’s classic sitcom Cheers will also want to head over to 84 Beacon Street, which is just a 10 minute walk from the Garden. Formerly known as the Bull & Finch Pub, this bar was used for the exterior shots in the famous series. The pub’s interior does not resemble the show’s bar, but it still a fun stop. Surprisingly, I thought the food was pretty decent despite the touristy reputation.

There are a lot of fun photo opps and a great gift shop. I admit this wasn’t one of my favorite shows back in the day, but I always stopped to listen to the awesome theme song. It definitely earns its’ place on the top 20 list in this Rolling Stones article on the top 100 TV theme songs (although personally, I think it should probably crack the top 10).

The best cup of joe in the city

Before or after exploring the parks, I recommend stopping for a cup of delicious coffee at The Thinking Cup. Their macaroons are pretty tasty too and they offer some delicious pastries. They serve the best coffee in the city and the Tremont St. cafe is conveniently located just across the street. I really love the patio here; it’s perfect for summer people watching.

Where to park

Here’s some info on parking garages in the area. Also, sometimes you can find street parking (more so early in the morning on the weekends). I haven’t had much luck finding street parking during the busy summer months.