Boston parks are a haven from the bustling streets and markets on a sunny day. After visiting historical attractions or taking a trolley tour, a park in Boston is a great place to relax for a couple hours with a picnic, or to let the kids burn off some energy while you relax with a book or admire the gardening. There are options for the naturalists as well while visiting Boston. If you have a real interest in plants, plan to spend some time in the Arnold Arboretum, one of the largest links in the string of famous parks in Boston often called the Emerald Necklace. If you have a love of outdoor space, Boston parks won’t disappoint you.

The Arnold Arboretum is part of Harvard University, and the grounds are open every day from sunrise to sunset. As the oldest public arboretum in North America, the Arnold Arboretum is a very popular tourist attraction. Considered one of the leaders of the world for studying plants, there is a great deal of research and preservation taking place at the site. This park in Boston is more than 130 years old and is a visitor favorite along the seven-mile Emerald Necklace. It is possible to plan your trip to the Arboretum for the blossoming of certain plants, including the spectacular lilac bloom, guaranteed to be an incredible sight.

The Emerald Necklace is made up of several parks that combine to upwards of 1,000 acres of parkland. Boston Common, Riverway, Jamaica Pond Park, Olmsted Park, Arnold Arboretum, Commonwealth Avenue Mall, The Public Garden, The Back Bay Fens, and Franklin Park make up the Emerald Necklace, and these Boston parks were designed by famous historical figure Frederick Law Olmsted. As a landscape architect, it was important to Olmsted for people in the city to have a place to gather and relax, and with the popularity of the sites today, Olmsted would surely be pleased to see the great number of locals and tourists alike who take the time to enjoy his parks.

Boston Map

The largest park in the Emerald Necklace chain is Franklin Park Boston, at 527 acres. This park in Boston is named after Benjamin Franklin, and the Franklin Park Zoo, basketball courts, playgrounds, and tennis courts are all attractions of this park. Another popular park is the Rose Kennedy Greenway. On the day you arrive at this Boston park you never know what will be happening—festivals and performances often make the promenades of this park an exciting place to spend an afternoon.

There are plenty of opportunities to stroll along the water in Boston, from parks to the Boston Harbor. Climb aboard a boat for a harbor cruise at sunset or a tour along the Charles River, or make a reservation at one of the hottest restaurants in town to complete your magical day in Boston. Don’t think the only time to visit Boston parks is during the summer either. Certain plants and flowers are at their most beautiful and fragrant during the spring and autumn as well, and if you’re visiting in winter, a snowfall turns the parks into magical wonderlands of white cascades that are certainly worth a look.