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Arnold Arboretum

4.8 (414 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Susan R.

Grew up north of Boston and had never been here before. Was house-sitting in JP, so figured I'd check it out. There's varied elevations if you're a hiker and plenty of paved trails for walkers and cyclers. Some guy was even on some electric uni-cycle thingy! If you do hike, wear shoes that won't slip on the pine needle blankets, especially on a descent. It's mid November and roughly 55° in full sun. I parked at the Bussey Street gate and had a delightful hour long walk. There's no picnicking (I'm sure given the slobby nature of humans) but it'd be a great setting for one!

John H.

If you are a Bostonian, you owe it to yourself to visit this park at least once if not more times each year. I easily spent hour here meandering the paths with no set destination. I covered half the park closest to the last stop on the orange line. An urban paradise at the price of T ticket. And you can visit Harvard without going to Cambridge because the grounds are immaculately maintained by the university. Not quite hiking because the multiple off-road paths are short. The wood chip paths are so easy on the feet! If you take this place for what it is (it's all about the trees), you will leave better than you came. I look forward to visiting again in the fall to see a different shades of the park. At the time of my visit, the roses were clinging on and the maples had a hint of transitioning into fall.

Brooke C.

Arnold arboretum blew me away! I love flowering trees and I was sooo impressed by the variety they had here! The trees are all labeled too so you can learn about the different types. They are so dog friendly it's amazing! Street parking can pose a bit of a challenge but it's worth the patience! I want to go back for the next season of blooms already.

Lilacs and redbud
Holly C.

This is an amazing huge wonderful place to explore. I like to go for Lilac Sunday on Mother's Day. I climb Peter's Hill to get a panoramic view or wind up Bussey Hill to just rest up among the pines. I love the rose garden which extends back to flowering quince and plum trees in the spring. There are so many paths and so much history, we are very fortunate to have this treasure in Boston.

Joseph L.

Beautiful place to experience the fall colors in Boston. Great for all ages where the paths are not too strenuous and you can take your tike exploring all the trees at a leisurely pace. With only a small hike you get to see a stunningly beautiful Boston skyline. You can also ride your bike along the wide and spacious paths. Definitely a great place to bring a date and just take in the beautiful nature within the city.

Audrey S.

Absolutely delightful. Paths meander through fabulous foliage. The bonsai garden is magnificent. Strolled with 2 year okd old grand-daughter and it was beautiful.

Hannah S.

This 260+ acre park is actually a Harvard museum - their "tree museum"!! They even have a small stand of Franklin Trees that have gone extinct in the wild and were native to Georgia! I went early January so the trees were bare but it was still lovely - I can only imagine how magnificent it must be in spring and fall! It's a fantastic oasis offering an escape from the city without having to go too far. The paths are very well marked with plenty of maps all around, even online, and easy to follow. There are numerous info signs, many with QR codes, providing details information about the various trees and plants - it truly is a museum! Most of the paths are paved and well maintained so I'd say this park is very handicap accessible - but some of the paths have quite a bit of incline - especially the climb up Bussey Hill. But it's very much worth the effort - with views of the hills surrounding the greater Boston area. Entrance is free and it's open every day. There are many benches and seating areas, several ponds, and a nice visitor center at the main entrance. I took an Uber here from the city and it was quick, easy, and reasonable. The parking looks to mostly be street parking and crowded.

Gabrielle V.

If you want to run, bike, enjoy a beautiful stroll with your family and dogs- this is the place to be! What a lovely arboretum! It's free and they have many bathrooms and exhibits to check out all year long! The staff at the exhibits are very kind and friendly. You can also take classes here with Harvard- or just enjoy the beauty of nature while seeing the Boston skyline. Can't wait to see the seasons change here with my growing family. Love this beautiful place!

Witch Hazel in bloom
Cristina R.

The Arboretum is such a wonderful place for both locals and visitors. Always free, and you can also take tours with a guide - also free! I took a tour with my parents who were visiting, and we learned so much and noticed many more things than we would have normally. It really felt like a museum visit. At other times, I've just casually strolled around, and then it feels more like a nature walk or botanical garden visit. However you decide to experience the Arboretum that day, it's going to be incredible. One thing I love about this place is that, regardless of what time of year you come, there's always something to see. We've come for Lilacs in May as well as Witch Hazel in January. And the bonsai - don't even get me started on how OLD and COOL those are! If you're a first-time visitor, definitely try to time it so that the bonsai gazebo is open when you come... you won't regret it.

One thing blooming in Oct.
Aprille C.

It's really more of a park than an arboretum. So nice that it is free to enter and that many plants had plant ID tags. But if you're a plant geek from California like I am you might expect some flowers! It's October. We found one tree in fall color. I was told at the visitors center where on the map to find the beautiful Franklinia tree with red foliage and white flowers. "You can't miss it" she said. Well, we trekked around for about 3 miles hunting for that tree. I asked 3 people where to find it. We finally left without finding it. I'm so disappointed!

Storing nuts at the Arboretum
Danielle - A Pseudonym B.

Do you like city parks, but hate the litterbugs and the noise? Do you love nature but hate crowds? Well do I have an option for you!! Come on down to the Harvard Arnold Arboretum, where you might actually think you're on a private estate that is maintained by the fanciest landscapers and gardeners in the land! It also doubles as a poor man's zoo because it's free here, and there are a lot of cute animals, including birds, bullfrogs, and maybe some bugs you haven't seen before. Come on down to the Arnold Arboretum: it's a city park but it's run by Harvard so you know they spend the dough to make it nice than your pitiful tax dollar your local city or state-owned park. Also great for running, dog-walking, roller-blading, or that one guy ski-wheeling!

A beautiful tree at Arnold Arboretum
Maria M.

It was a rainy 4th of July when we went to the Arboretum...which literally means a nature museum. The visitor center was not open due to the holiday, but there were clean/stocked porta potties around the park. The trees are spectacular...many unusual and rare varieties, many planted in the later 1700s and early 1800s...so now they are enormous. Many varieties of Japanese maples, and so many bushes and shrubs, many of which are the largest I've ever seen. I had know idea Mountain Laurel, Rhododendrons and some Azaleas could get so big. There are many areas where the trees are so big, the canopy so high, it feels like you're in a Jurassic Park. We love walking, so the 280 acres we knew would be a challenge, but honestly we had know idea how big that is. The place is huge. So many paths to takes, so many places to explore. We walked for about 4-5 hours, and maybe we saw half of it. One of the highlights is the shrub and vine garden, which also has the bonsai collection which was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend seeing the bonsai. They are housed in there own little pavilion with lots of camera and alarms if you lean in to look too close. Some date back to the late 1700s. I've never seen a collection like this anywhere. We ran out of time so we had to skip a few areas...like the Chinese garden path, and some of the roses gardens. Beware there are lots of hills, but the views from the top are worth the climb. Also, there is no place to get water/drinks once your past the visitor center, and it is a long walk back. Bring drinks with you, and enjoy the walking. Also, lots and lots of dog walkers, and bicycles on the paved paths.

Savannah H.

Absolutely beautiful and huge! It's a peaceful getaway from the city and my favorite place to jog, take the furbaby for a walk, or just sit and think!! Plenty of water stations too which is lovely.

Looks like a tree out of Harry Potter! :)

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Beautiful park to walk around in. It's not too large, but there's beautiful greenery and a paved walkway.

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5 years ago

Great place to go for a walk. Really pretty and peaceful. Lots of different walkways and trails

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

Beautiful and full of nature and peace! I recommend going on long walks with your significant other.

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

Such a beautiful, peaceful place. Worth the drive if your from out of town. Parking can be a bit of a pain in the afternoon.

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4 years ago

Nice Positive space, I would Recommend to anybody that wants some quiet time for a walk or just to park to think

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4 years ago

The Arboretum is beautiful, peaceful, well-maintained, and perfect for a walk in every season.

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7 years ago

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Arnold Arboretum Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Arnold Arboretum

Can you bring dogs?

Yes, on a leash

Can we walk around the grounds at 7 AM even though the visitor center opens later?

Yes, you can. The gates throughout the Arboretum are open to pedestrians at all times. There are porta-potties in a few locations throughout the grounds. The closest one to the visitor center is in the vicinity of the bonsai house.

Can u have a picnic there?

No. It's not allowed to protect the wildlife.

What's the best month to visit?

October

Just got back from the arboretum and it is beautiful and a great place to walk around. Finding a place to park was a nightmare though. Are there any good parking options?

Parking on Arborough Road is a great option. It's a cul-de-sac just next to the Roslindale commuter rail station. Not many people use it. There are always spaces at the end near an entrance here in Roslindale.

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Review Highlights - Arnold Arboretum

The Chinese path which is about 3/4 of the way to the top of Bussey Hill is an especially cool area.

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