Fan Pier, South Boston Waterfront
Fan Pier Park sits on the rounded corner of the Seaport District where condominiums, offices, restaurants and retail shops have been rapidly popping up over the past few years. This area was given its name for the freight terminals that were in the 1800s and used for trains that needed to reach the different ship berths (the train tracks “fanned out” to the waterfront from their main lines). Now a beautiful and modern green space, Fan Pier is a place to sit back and relax. Whether you choose to stretch out on the lawn in front of the John Joseph Moakley US Court House, sit on the raised wooden platform across from Pier 4 or get toasty at night by the large stone fire pit, you will find this area of the waterfront to be a great place to unwind.
Located in close proximity to Boston Logan, Piers Park is a public waterfront park owned and operated by Massport. This location is incredibly peaceful with amazing views of the Boston skyline and it is one that we can’t forget to mention in our recommendations. The strict rules that prohibit barbequing, skateboarding, biking, roller skating, ball playing, fishing, playing loud music, and many other activities, are a testament to the tranquility you can find here and why it could be the place to go if you want to be left undisturbed. Despite the seeming lack of activities in this East Boston destination, Piers Park is the home of the Piers Park Sailing Center where you might want to take up sailing lessons, as well as a large grassy amphitheater where you can catch an occasional concert.
Castle Island, South Boston Waterfront
Despite its name, Castle Island is not actually an island, at least not anymore. This recreational area is accessible via Harborwalk and public roads, all of which pass over a strip of land that was created in 1928 to connect the island to the mainland. This man-made peninsula now encloses Pleasure Bay and is known as a state park and the site of Fort Independence. It’s a popular summer destination for all different types of people, from history lovers to swimmers/beachgoers to families and children. Castle Island is a unique scene that is always kept clean and it’s one that we definitely recommend, whether you choose to fly a kite on a grassy hill, take a nap on Pleasure Bay beach or take up a free yoga program.
Pope John Paul II Park, Dorchester
Pope John Paul II Park Reservation, also known as Pope Park, is a 66-acre Massachusetts state park bordering the Neponset River in the Dorchester section of Boston. The park has been reclaimed from the former site of a landfill and the Neponset Drive-In as part of the Lower Neponset River Master Plan and the development of the Neponset River Reservation. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
Christopher Columbus Park, North End
Located between the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway and the Boston Harbor, Christopher Columbus Park is a uniquely designed 4 1/2 acres that serve as a neighborhood park, a community gathering spot, the site of festivals, summer movie nights and art shows, a must-see destination for tourists from around the nation and around the world, and the conduit for those who are ferrying to the Harbor Islands, which are part of the U.S national park system
