Great place to relax or run or just have a walk around…read more The total round trip of this park is 1.3 miles. One can bring their dogs too, it's a great place for socializing with other pet owners. I found that this place is hardly ever crowded and hence a lot of parking is naturally available. Recommend for runners!

Really great park! Went here to enjoy a bagel sandwich and take a walk in the sun on a beautiful…read moreday! It is well maintained, so pretty clean and peaceful. The tree memorial for the 9/11 victims from the area was beautiful and a nice way to honor those folks in the community. There is alot of open grassy area to sit or play - a few benches along the trail, and a handful of picnic tables. If you want to sit out though, you probably want to bring your own chair. The walk was nice - very flat area without really any hills and the trail is paved, well defined, has mile markers, and is wide. It's a little over a mile, so if you're short on time you can get a quick walk in otherwise you can do a few laps to get in extra mileage! I did see there was a little playground area as well and a gazebo! There was actually a small ceremony happening when I was there. Another sweet thing to note, there is a senior living home on the trail, so it was lovely to see some elderly people out getting sunshine and enjoying the park too! Definitely recommend checking it out if you want to get outside and have a nice place to go!

We were on our way to a picnic dinner at Sweat Beach in Wrentham, MA but they decided to close two…read morehours early and shuffled everyone off. So we googled picnic areas nearby and put our GPS to Medway, MA. The rood trip was winding picturesque road through towns with beautiful houses and finally came to Choate Park. Free and plenty of parking. It's a trash free park, what you bring in, take out. There is an event pavilion and beautiful lake for catch & release fishing ....or turtles ( see pics) lol. There is a fantastic playground for the little & big ones. The trail around the lake has exercise spots and open fields with a huge wall mural. This will definitely be a go to spot for picnics, walking and being in nature.

I took my 5yo and 7yo to the playground and splash area. Very nice park. The splash area is simple…read more(just some fountains that shoot up from the ground) but is great to cool off on a hot day. The water stops at 5pm. I don't think the water area is particularly slippery but i would suggest water shoes. My son and a couple of other children who were barefoot did slip. The playground structures are really unique and fun. They have a smaller one for young kids and larger structure for older kids. There was also a trail and lake but we didn't follow. Highlights: -fenced in with only two doors -bathrooms (clean and open until 5pm) -clean - picnic area with tables and benches. Covered and large with plenty of seating. -electric car charging station (not free) -plenty of parking Cons -no trash cans. Small inconvenience. Overall would def recommend as a summertime activity.

Nice park. Note there is a lot of pets in the area so watch where you walk. Plenty of parking…read moreavailable. There is a small activity area for smaller kids.

I stopped by to see what this air was all about and it looks like it's a very beautiful trail walk…read morewe could see a lot of wildlife and I ended up seeing a lot of turtles. There is a membership in general admission. Since we were just being nosy, we took a brief walk on the boardwalk to see what it was all about. It is very family oriented and if you love the outdoors, you will love this place.

One of Mass Audubon's best for kids, in my humble opinion. (we are members)…read more The staff present in the building were very helpful, kind, and informed (in that kind of nature nerd, yet cool kind of way) There are clean bathrooms (they are porter potty toilets, yes. But still clean on the exterior). The pathways have a significant amount of boardwalk all across the sanctuary, which helps with keeping my hyper child away from poison ivy and ticks to some degree. There is a seated area for picnicking. (though no recycle bins. odd..) And best of all.. Lots of crawly, jumpy, flappy, slimy things to distract and de plug your pandemic technology-plugged child for a few hours. To enjoy fresh air. Take in nature's beauty. To learn to sit in the discomfort of possibly being bored when not overstimulated every second. My inattentive child's highlights were: - learning about the semi-toxic slime of a slug - listening to the bullfrogs in rhythm - chasing his buddy down the boardwalk in the last stretch - drinking sweet lemonade and picnicking as reward for all that walking

There are 2 parts to Rocky Narrows. While I have hiked both back in the day, I have only recently…read morewalked the Rt. 27 part, so this review is for that. The walking path is off of a small parking lot set off of busy Rt. 27 (which makes for a scary left hand turn out of it). There are residents all along the side of the reservation, so as you walk down the trail, several signs mark the boundary between the private and public land. The trail map is clear and shows the junction numbers that are clearly marked along the path as well. The first stretch is full of roots, but once you get to the Y intersection, the path evens out and is not as treacherous. However, there are parts of the trails that are less maintained than others. I'm not really a fan of the numerous rules posted - only 4 cars can park (there is definitely room for more than this in the parking lot), you can only walk 2 dogs, you can't cross the railroad tracks to meet up with the other section of the trail. After having walked both sections of the trail, I did less than 2 miles, so it's not a strenuous or long walk. If you want more of a view and more hiking, check out the other half of the trail - parking lot off of Snow st.

This park is great for smaller kids. It is a fenced in park, there is a shaded sand box that is not…read morefenced in, and a large open grass field. It does get rather hot at the peak of the day. There are bathrooms, and the floor of the playground is the rubberized mat, not woodchips or cement.

Such a fun park and love that it's enclosed and has soft ground! Not many parks have decent sized…read moreplayground equipment for younger toddlers, and the one here is great!

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! 5 STARS! How would you like to picnic on the grounds of a Castle for FREE!…read moreThis is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never heard of or been to before. 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 1880's in the town of Wellesley MA. We have landed at this beautiful Castle that is in the middle of the center of Wellesley's business district. Well it looks like a castle but it's really Wellesley City Hall. I don't know about you but my city hall looks nothing like a Castle. LOL! Wellesley is a very affluent town & their city hall is a Castle. You can visit the park here for FREE & THE Parking is FREE as well. If they run out of spots there's metered parking on the perimeter & adjacent streets too. Near the front entrance there is a War Memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Armed Services. The grounds of Hunnewell Park are filled with green grass, trees, a stream, a bridge & a pond. There's wildlife that resides here including white swans & geese. There are benches & picnic tables scattered throughout the property. What a picturesque & relaxing setting to Picnic or kick back & read. It feels like you are at a nature retreat rather than a park. It's great to take a photo here with the Castle & send it to your family & friends & say " Sorry I can't talk to you peasants now, I'm picnicking at a Castle". LOL! They will hate you forever until you tell them it's Free & you'll take them with you next time. The stone government building is a prime example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture along with a bit of French Chateau. It was built between 1881 & 1886 & designed by Shaw & Hunnewell. It was funded by & built on donated land by H. H. Hunnewell. The building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There's also something special here for the medical community that they will really like. There are 2 Doctor memorial plaques placed on large stones. The first one is for DR W*T G MORTON who lived here. He gave the world Ether for Surgery. The second plaque is for DR. JOSEPH E. MURRAY who in 1954 performed the first successful Human Organ Transplant. He was also a 1990 Nobel Prize Winner & resided in the town. Since you are in the area be sure to check out the Babson Globe another Freebie. It's the 2nd largest rotating globe in the world. And you can get something great to eat right across the street @ Tutto Italiano. They serve great Meatball Subs & get a side of their Delicious Homemade red roasted peppers too. They also have authentic Italian red sauce to go. 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 spend a lot of time at Hunnewell Park. It is close to my home and although it used to offer a…read morelot more natural settings it has unfortunately become one giant athletic complex. Lights and sounds can be experienced almost every night now. We used to see and hear many more wild animals and experience it as a natural corridor. Alas, now it is only filled up with athletic equipment, stray plastic water bottles and other human trash.

As an outsider from the DC area, I'm not sure this place is as good as it gets...perhaps for this…read morearea, but regardless it's a great place to take the kids. My son, sharing the same name, especially loved the place. There is room for improvement though. He kept me on my toes because there are several places that seemed a little dangerous including trip and fall hazards all around the perimeter of the park. The other kids and parents there seemed pretty nice. One thing that I love about the park playgrounds we visited was the fact that it seems like some people leave their toys behind for other kids to play with. Sure they might be missing a wheel or other piece, but to a kid, it's good as new! I love Bostonians!

This park is great- there's something to do for kids of all ages. There's a tot lot for the little…read moreguys, a bigger play structure for bigger kids, plus a sandbox, swings, and a climbing gym. My 3 year old loves to run from play area to play area. She never gets bored while we're here. There's plenty of shade and plenty of room to run.

It is a very beautiful, well-maintained park I only walked a mile so far, on a pleasant summer…read moreday, but will go back.

Noanet Woodlands is another favorite woodsy area to add to my list (another recent favorite is…read moreanother Trustees property in Andover, the Ward Reservation). The two are somewhat similar with different color coded trails and a trail to reach a summit for the skyline of Boston (I didn't check that out here at Noanet Woodlands for this trip). I enjoyed coming here on the weekend: it was moderately trafficked (which I like so it's not *too* isolated), and easy/moderate trails (I prefer long, ambling hikes). The only thing is that the orange trail I took was a bit confusing/not super clear. The overall system does a good job, but I would be sure to download a map/have AllTrails active to ensure you don't end up in the wrong spot. I fortunately ran into some folks who helped me get back on track, but a heads up that it could get confusing as it did for me. Otherwise, a wonderful shady (important to know on hotter days) set of trails that I would recommend!

This was a rather interesting find for me. I was in the area for donuts, but I stayed for the…read moreRosary Beads. I had done a search on Yelp for obscure things in the state of Massachusetts, and this came up. With only one Yelp review at the time, I was impressed that it even showed up on my search. Nonetheless, I was already in the area, so I figured I had to stop. The beads themselves are giant boulders chained together. If you go up the little hill by the prayer cave, you can see the "Rosary Beads" a little better from the vantage point (with the exception of some overgrown trees.) There is plenty of parking on-site, and the grounds appear to be taken care of. There is even a donation-based section where you can light a candle for someone. Even if you're not necessarily religious, it's worth the stop to walk the grounds and see what it's all about.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! 5 STARS! The Largest Rosary Beads in the World…read moreare located in Holliston.MA about an hour or so drive from Boston. These are part of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never heard of & have never been to before. This place is so unique; there are some 23 beautiful peaceful acres to explore here in a nature setting . This place combines a bunch of different things together including religious artifacts, a President, the US Military, an Outdoor Walking Trail, a Church, a Pond & Gardens. Now If that's not the most unusual flavor profile you've ever heard of - I don't know what else is? If you drive by Our Lady of Fatima Church you would probably just think it's just another church & wouldn't pay it too much attention at all. That would be a Big Mistake. You can't see what's hidden behind the trees just driving by. First pull your vehicle into the Free Parking Lot. You can't bring food in here. There is a separate place right out in front next to the Free Parking area with Free Picnic Tables so you can eat there. There is a modern church with lots of 60'sish architectural detail including a unique shaped building with skinny stained glass windows. There is also a gift store that you should check out as well. Then you will start your walking journey on the road with The Blessings of Peace to You sign. Travel past The Way of the Cross, the lighted candle stations, Mary & the Children of Fatima scene etc. Then you will see The Largest Rosary Beads in the World measuring a whopping 950 feet long. That's not a typo - 950 feet long. They are made out of giant boulder rocks that were taken from building the I-495 highway. The granite boulders are joined together by giant thick steel chain links that are painted sky blue. It was commissioned by missionary Reverend Oddo Galeazzi in the 1950's. Walk all around the Rosary Beads along the path & you will see different sizes & shapes of the round rocks. There are prayers & dedication plaques on the rocks too. Then follow the rocks all around the road you will see a large green grass field. In the center of the field is yet another Mary & the Children of Fatima statue scene. Then proceed back around to the beginning & follow the chain that goes up the hill. On the side of the hill you will see a staircase; ascend the stairs. You will see several statues as well as a Giant cross of Jesus. Turn & you will see the blue chain link that is attached to a Large blue anchor. A sign is posted saying this is Dedicated to the 35th President of the United States - John F. Kennedy by the US Navy. Most religious statues or artifacts produce a solemn & introspective feeling in people. These Rosary Beads produce quite a different feeling. When people see these Giant Rosary beads & walk along the trail their eyes lights up & a big Smile appears on their faces. It's pretty Cool! Imagine- they made Giant Rosary Beads out of Giant Boulders with Chains. From the hill, you can view the Rosary Beads from a whole different perspective & get a panoramic view of the whole property. There's a lot of exploring to do here so be sure to check out the whole place inside & outside. This is a place of worship & reflection & meditating so be respectful. There is no Fee but it costs a fortune to maintain this place. Please make a donation in the offering box in the front. People who like religious places will love it here. Also people who aren't necessarily religious but just like offbeat, quirky, unique & unusual spots will also find this place quite Amazing. WHAT A GREAT PLACE & IT'S ALL FREE! 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!