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The Esplanade

4.8 (100 reviews)

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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!
Tina C.

A MUST visit if you're in Boston for vacation and enjoy nature. It was a beautiful day when we visited (not too sunny nor too windy), and we had a leisurely stroll from the Boston University bridge to the Massachusetts General Hospital. After walking across the bridge, we stopped by the Outdoor Gym near the Esplanade for a quick workout consisting of sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups. As a plus, there are a couple of water fountains nearby! The Esplanade consists of walking/running/biking trails that span about 3 miles along the Charles River on the Boston side. I could tell that this was a frequent spot for locals as many people were working out and walking their dogs along the path. Additionally, some visitors were just lounging in the sun and enjoying the water views. During our walk, we passed by multiple statues, the Hatch Shell amphitheater, and a modern playground for kids. Overall, our walk took about 2 hours with stops at the amphitheater, various statues, and pictures near the water. The only downside is that we didn't notice any public restrooms along the path. Would come back again if I'm in town!

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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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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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17 years ago

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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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10 years ago

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14 years ago

great place to walk or just hang out

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Review Highlights - The Esplanade

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

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4.8(471 reviews)
0.3 miBack Bay

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.

If you've looked up things to see in Boston the Public Garden will most likely be on every list and…read morewith good reason. This is a beautiful garden, nice walkway throughout the area and the garden is right between the Commonwealth Ave Mall & Boston Commons. It's in a great location to do a lot of walking and sightseeing in the city, easy was to spend an hour or so.

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The Esplanade - parks - Updated May 2026

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