Boston Common (easily accessible via the Red Line on the train – get off at Park Street) has been the most memorable and iconic place for me in Boston ever since I can remember. The Common’s “Frog Pond” ice skating rink was where I spent my first hours lying on the ice, watching my other hockey-playing friends skate by me with condescending ease. It was where I always wanted to spend my winter weekends, and yes, it was even where I had my first uncomfortable encounter with a rather intoxicated elderly man in a wheelchair who claimed to have lost his wife and needed help (which measured nothing in comparison to their eventual reunion). Forget Faneuil Hall, forget the Paul Revere House and even forget Fenway Park. Quite simply, Boston Common was Boston for me as a child.
Many who hear about the Common may instinctually try to compare it to the famed Central Park in New York City, but Boston Common is nothing like it, nor does it try to be. First off, it is much smaller and therefore much safer at night, and though it does similarly situate itself right in the middle of a bustling urban area, it generally does not provide the same loud excitement you might expect. In its essence, Boston Common is quaint, and offers for its entrants a short and beautiful taste of relaxation amidst skyscrapers and sports fans.
Frog Pond is one of the best and prettiest ice-skating rinks I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Surrounded by trees and less adventurous pedestrians, the rink has one of the more quintessential New England experiences you can find and what’s more, admission for ages 13 and under is free (and it’s still only $5 for 14+) so absolutely make sure to bring your kids. Don’t worry if you aren’t a traveling figure skater, they have skates available for rent at the entry, as well.
As a general heads up, on rare occasions like Hempfest on April 20th (where the park becomes a cloud of marijuana smoke) or during a protest, the area has been known to become more of a ruckus, but this is very rare, so unless you’re specifically planning otherwise, it’s safe to assume you’ll get the Boston Common I’ve written about. Also, make sure to check out The State House on Beacon Street when you’ve finished your stroll.
Above all else, if you’ve timed it right and come in the fall, you can catch arguably the most beautiful view of changing leaves you’ll be able to find anywhere, and in a historic city like Boston no less. So bring some hot cocoa, find a bench and enjoy what I’ve had the pleasure to grow up enjoying: true, unbridled New England beauty (and don’t mind the old man in the wheelchair, he’s harmless).
Images by bostoncondoloft.com and www.bukkitapp.com
