Boston Common
Boston’s green space in the heart of the city
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Boston Common is Boston’s front yard, a 50-acre patch of green right in the middle of downtown, framed by Tremont, Park, Beacon, Charles and Boylston Streets. Established in 1634, it’s the oldest city park in the United States, and it still feels like the place where the city comes to catch its breath.
Most visits start near Park Street Station, where the gold dome of the State House glints just beyond the lawns. From here, it’s easy to follow the red-brick Freedom Trail as it snakes across the grass, using the Common as your jumping-off point for historic Boston. Allow some time simply to wander: the southwest corner has ballfields and big open spaces for picnics and pick-up games, while the central paths lead you past monuments, buskers and office workers on their lunch break.
Frog Pond is the park’s year-round social hub. In winter there’s paid public skating and rentals; in summer the pond turns into a spray pool popular with local families, with a small carousel nearby. Benches ring the area, so it’s an easy spot to sit with a coffee and people-watch.
The Common links directly to the more manicured Boston Public Garden across Charles Street, where you’ll find the lagoon and Swan Boats in season, so many visitors treat the two parks as a single outing.
Late afternoon is especially pleasant, when the light softens, commuters stream past, and you’re reminded that this very modern city still orbits a surprisingly simple patch of grass.
Essential Information
Website: boston.gov/parks/boston-common
Hours: Always open
Tickets: Free entry
Transport: Park Street, MBTA
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