Boston is a big hitter when it comes to scenic walks. Whether you are looking for a relaxing stroll or a hardcore hike, there is a walking route perfectly suited to your abilities. From ambling along the shoreline, tracking through the countryside and rambling along the river, you’ll find tracks and trails perfectly suited to your mood. Are you ready? Lace up those boots and embrace the great outdoors. Here are some of the best walks in Boston, Massachusetts.
7 Scenic Walks in Boston
1. The Charles River Reservation
The Charles River Reservation is a linear park that stretches 20 miles upriver from Boston Harbor. Green strips with walking and cycling paths flank each side of the river. You can make these paths looped walks by crossing over the well-spaced bridges. You can enjoy the Esplanade on the Boston shore, and the best views of the Boston skyline are from the MIT shore.
2. Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail
This three-mile trail through the forests of the Blue Hills Reservation is tough, but walkers are rewarded with incredible views. Those views really start to unfold as you head up Hancock Hill and wind your way over the ridge to Eliot Observation Tower. Here, you get a superb panoramic view of the Boston skyline. It’s a challenging, well-marked trail that takes about two hours to complete, but the effort is worth it.
3. National Historical Park – Freedom Trail
The Boston National Historical Park isn’t actually a park but a collection of sites of historical importance. These sites tell the stories of Boston’s role in the American Revolution. To walk between each of these sites, you can follow the Freedom Trail walking route. There are sites in Downtown Boston, Charlestown, and South Boston. In South Boston, the park site is Dorchester Heights. In Charlestown, the park sites include the Bunker Hill Monument and the Charlestown Navy Yard, where you can visit the USS Cassin Young, USS Constitution, and the USS Constitution Museum. Downtown Boston sites include Old North Church, Paul Revere House, Old South Meeting House, and Faneuil Hall.
4. World’s End Trail
The World’s End Trail is 3.8 miles long and takes around 1 hour and 25 minutes. The route takes you on a journey across the Boston Harbor Islands Recreation Area, where there are lots of birds and wildlife to spot. Gorgeous views provide the stunning backdrop, and you’ll cross many different types of habitats, including woodlands.
5. Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
The 680-mile (1,090km) Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route follows in the footsteps of the Continental Army. The French and American troops took this route in 1781 when they marched for 14 weeks from Newport in Rhode Island, to Yorktown in Virginia. In the state of Massachusetts, there are more than ten historic sites, museums, encampments, and National Park Service locations along this National Historic Trail. In Boston, along this route, you can visit the Old State House – the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798.
6. Emerald Necklace
The Emerald Necklace is a chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways. America’s first landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed this gorgeous recreation area which takes its name from the way the planned chain appears to hang from the “neck” of the Boston peninsula. Boston Common, The Public Garden, Commonwealth Avenue Mall, The Back Bay Fens, Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond Park, Arnold Arboretum, and Franklin Park make up the Emerald Necklace. These parks extend from the Charles River to Dorchester.
7. Boston Harbour Islands
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area is an urban oasis just minutes from the city centre of Boston. The area comprises 34 islands and peninsulas in Boston Harbor, including Georges, Spectacle, Peddocks, Lovells, and Little Brewster islands. You can access the islands by public ferry, or you can access them by car or on foot. Once on the islands, there is a wide range of recreation and relaxation activities to enjoy, but the best way to explore the islands is to lace up your walking shoes and get out there on foot.
