Franklin Park, at 500-plus acres and part of the Emerald Necklace, is an underutilized resource – partly because it borders a sketchy neighborhood, and partly because it is so huge. Still, on weekend afternoons the park is full of families from the nearby neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, Dorchester and Roxbury.
The Franklin Park Zoo is contained within the park. Take the orange line to Stony Brook, Green St or Forest Hills and head east until you reach the park’s western edge.
2.63 MILES
Home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912, Fenway Park is the oldest operating baseball park in the country. As such, the park has many quirks that make for a…
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America's oldest college, Harvard University is one of the country's most prestigious universities. It was originally founded in Harvard Yard in 1636 by…
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The educational playground that is the Museum of Science has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt…
Minute Man National Historic Park
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The route that British troops followed to Concord has been designated the Minute Man National Historic Park. The visitor center at the eastern end of the…
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If you walk south on Lafayette from Derby St, you'll find yourself on the other side of the tracks (or river, in this case). Welcome to El Punto, or ‘The…
4.62 MILES
Harvard University was originally founded here in 1636, and Harvard Yard remains the historic and geographic heart of the university campus. Flanked by…
DeCordova Sculpture Park & Museum
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The magical DeCordova Sculpture Park encompasses 35 acres of green hills, providing a spectacular natural environment for a constantly changing exhibit of…
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Boston has become a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century, with the Institute of Contemporary Art leading the way. The building is a work…
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Tucked into Franklin Park, the zoo features a half-dozen different habitats, as well as special exhibits devoted to birds and butterflies. The highlight…
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Dating from 1848, Forest Hills is a gorgeous, green cemetery that is filled with art and whimsy. It is still an active burial ground, but it also plays…
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Part of the Emerald Necklace, Olmsted Park features a paved path that hugs the banks of Leverett Pond and Ward's Pond in Jamaica Plain.
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Under a public-private partnership with Harvard University, the 265-acre Arnold Arboretum is planted with over 15,000 exotic trees and flowering shrubs…
5. MassArt Bakalar & Paine Galleries
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MassArt is the country’s first and only four-year independent public art college. There's always some thought-provoking or sense-stimulating exhibits to…
6. Larz Anderson Auto Museum & Park
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Larz and Isabel Anderson, a high-society couple, bought their first automobile in 1899: a Winton Runabout. It was the first of 32 autos that they would…
7. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
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Widely considered the father of landscape design, Frederick Law Olmsted ran his operation from his home 'Fairsted,' which is now a National Historic Site…
8. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Once home to Isabella Stewart Gardner, this splendid palazzo now houses her exquisite collection of art. The museum includes thousands of artistic objects…