With my time in Boston coming to a close, I decided to really get out and explore the city. It’s been ages since I did, but isn’t that how it is? You never really see the city you live in all your life because it’s always there. Well, not anymore!
Boston is a small and compact city. It’s easily walkable, so I broke up my city tour into various walks. My first walk took me around the city parks, the statehouse, and the famous Beacon Hill, the residence of Boston’s elite.
In the middle of the city are Boston Commons and the Public Gardens. The Commons are a combination of a few things: fields for sports, a wading pool, the historic Freedom Trail, and tree-lined walkways and grassy knolls where you can relax the afternoon away.
In summer, the Commons are filled with people relaxing out in the sun. Little kids play and splash in Frog Pond while students lay out in the sun enjoying their break. Workers flood the benches during lunchtime, catching some fresh air and enjoying the weather before retreating back to their cubicles. Tourists roam the park and groups are often out playing sports. If it’s summer, it’s packed. With such harsh winters, Bostonians take full advantage of all our nice days.
Across the way is the Boston Public Gardens. Paths crisscross the area, with various flowers and trees dotting the trails. At the entrance stands a welcoming statue of George Washington. It’s a great place to stroll through during the summer and a cool place to photograph in the winter. In the center is a lake filled with swans, both real and wooden. You can watch the real ones float across the pond while couples paddle by in giant swan-shaped boats. Float across the pond and watch all the people and animals. It’s our mini-Central Park, and exploring both the Public Garden and the Commons is a great way to spend an afternoon.
Right next to these parks is Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill is home to our golden-domed statehouse, where all the legislative action happens and people like John Adams and John F. Kennedy used to roam the halls. The surrounding neighborhood is home to Boston’s historic colonial houses, where Boston’s upper class has long lived. It’s here you’ll find tiny cobbled streets and lampposts, colonial mansions, and stately brick homes. You’ll see colonial actors leading tour groups through the area, explaining the history of all the homes and the leaders who used to live here. This area was home to the likes of John Adams and John Hancock. Reminiscent of Philadelphia ’s historic area, it’s a neighborhood drenched in history—political, cultural, and architectural.
Suffolk University, my graduate school, is located near here, and, while I frequently walked the area’s outlying streets, I never really explored all of Beacon Hill. I’d always made plans to do so, but it never worked out, so it was good to finally make time for it. If you’re in Boston, don’t skip this area. It’s a walk back in history.
If you have more time in the city, read part two of my exploration for more of Boston’s history.
For more information on the United States, visit my country and city guides to U.S. travel .
