This historic coastal city has plenty of sights to see, and it’s just a short ride from Boston. Salem station is within a 10-minute walk of The Burying Point and Salem Witch Trials Memorial.

You can also take the 455 bus to Ryan Brennan Memorial Skate Park or Pioneer Village.

Scenic Rockport is about an hour away from the city, and home to the fishing shack Motif No. 1—the most often-painted building in America.

From Rockport station, it’s just a 5 – 10 minute walk to downtown and the beach.

Take the T to Lynn station and you’ll be right in the heart of downtown, just steps away from the Central Square Farmers Market.

Downtown Lynn is bursting with unique murals and lighting installations—the perfect place to snap some photos with friends.

You can take the 215 bus from the station to the Quincy Quarries, a popular rock climbing area with trails that connect to the Blue Hills Reservation.

Nantasket Beach in Hull is just a 20 minute ride on the 714 bus from Pemberton Point.

For a scenic ride on the water, take the Hingham/Hull ferry across the Hingham Bay to Hewitt’s Cove or Georges Island.

Founded in 1634, Boston Common is the oldest city park in the United States. Beat the heat in Frog Pond, ride the carousel, play fetch in the off-leash Common Canine areas, or meet up with friends at the Brewer Fountain Plaza.

Across from the Boston Common is the Public Garden, a Victorian-style botanical garden open to the public.

The Garden is the perfect place to relax on a summer day: admire over 80 species of plants, take a ride on an iconic Swan Boat, or lay out a picnic blanket and people-watch for the afternoon.

Just a few blocks from Maverick station, Piers Park is the best place to go for a view of the Boston skyline.

There are plenty of picnic tables and benches, a paved walkway on the pier, and a playground with restrooms nearby.

This green space along the river features a paved path, public dock, and beautiful view of Charles River.

The Esplanade is just a few blocks from the Public Garden, and is easy to reach from either Arlington or Charles/MGH station.

The Charles River Reservation area in Lower Allston features several playgrounds and paths, and there are lots of outdoor activities nearby:

• Skate park at Smith Playground
• Wading pool and spray deck at Artesani playground
• Canoe and Kayak rental

The Rose Kennedy Greenway is the perfect place to relax with a drink, cool off in a fountain, take a spin on the carousel, or grab a bite to eat from a food truck.

Accessible from Haymarket, Aquarium, and South stations, the Greenway stretches from Chinatown to the North End and is home to hundreds of activities and events.

Right across from Forest Hills station is Harvard University's free outdoor tree and plant museum, which offers walking tours & family activities.

You can also check out the Roslindale Farmers Market while you’re in the area.

View the Arboretum visitor’s guide

From Forest Hills station, it's a short bus ride to Franklin Park, the largest park in Boston’s Emerald Necklace. In addition to trails, sports fields, and playgrounds, the park has historic features and is home to the Franklin Zoo.

The Boston Nature Center has two miles of trails that are home to hundreds of natives plants, birds, and butterflies.

• Three trails with varying lengths and features
• All Persons Trail: an accessible 1-mile loop with interpretive stops in audio, braille, and print
• Nature Play Area for gardening, building, climbing, and unstructured exploration, with raised tables for digging in sand and dirt

The nature center is a 10-15 minute walk from nearby bus stops, or a 30-minute walk from Forest Hills station.

The 2.5-mile Freedom Trail links many historic sites in the city. You can walk the whole trail, or take the T to the spots you’re most interested in:

• Massachusetts State House
• Park Street Church
• Granary Burying Ground
• King’s Chapel and Burying Ground
• Boston Latin School Site/Benjamin Franklin Statue
• Old Corner Bookstore
• Old South Meeting House
• Old State House
• Boston Massacre Site
• Faneuil Hall
• Paul Revere House
• Old North Church
• Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
• USS Constitution
• Bunker Hill Monument

View an interactive map of the Freedom Trail

The historic buildings along the 1.6-mile Black Heritage Trail were the schools, businesses, churches, and Underground Railroad sites of Boston’s black community during the 18th and 19th centuries.

You can walk the whole trail, or take the T to the spots you’re most interested in:

• Abiel Smith School
• African Meeting House
• Smith Court Residences
• John Coburn House
• Lewis and Harriet Hayden House
• Charles Street Meeting House
• John J. Smith House
• The Phillips School
• George Middleton House
• 54th Regiment Memorial

You can also join the National Park Service on a guided walking tour along the Black Heritage Trail in Beacon Hill.

Learn more about joining a Black Heritage Trail walking tour

View an interactive map of the Black Heritage Trail

Note: The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, African Meeting House, and Abiel Smith School are open to the public. All other sites are privately owned and are not open to the public.

The Women’s Suffrage Trail highlights Boston sites where women protested, organized, and were imprisoned while fighting for the right to vote.

You can walk the whole trail, or take the T to the spots you’re most interested in:

• Massachusetts State House
• Woman’s Journal Offices
• Parkman Bandstand
• Wilbur Theatre
• Orpheum Theatre
• Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association (Horticultural Hall – now demolished)
• Emmeline Pankhurst Speech Site at Tremont Temple
• Old City Hall
• Faneuil Hall
• Woman’s Detention Center
• Charles Street Jail
• Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin Home
• Louisa May Alcott Home
• Betty Gram Swing Home
• The Phillips School
• Nichols House Museum
• Julia Ward Howe Home
• Boston Women’s Memorial
• Kensington Building
• Chauncy Hall
• Boston Public Library

View an interactive map of the Women's Suffrage Trail

Catch a ride on the Hingham/Hull ferry to Georges Island, where you can explore the Civil War-era Fort Warren, check out the visitor’s center exhibits, or relax with a picnic.

Ferries to Georges Island operate seasonally starting Memorial Day weekend.

Take the scenic route to Charlestown—it’s just a 10-minute ferry ride across Boston Harbor to visit Bunker Hill, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and the USS Constitution.

Pemberton Point (also known as Windmill Point) is a peninsula near the Hull ferry terminal. From here, it’s a 3-mile walk to Fort Revere, a historic fort dating back to the 1700s. At the fort, you can get a great view of Boston Harbor from the top of Telegraph Hill.

Take the Hingham/Hull ferry to Hewitt's Cove and you'll be less than a mile away from Back River Wildlife Sanctuary. From here, you can follow a trail that goes through Bare Cove Park and ends at the Hingham Skatepark near the West Hingham Commuter Rail station.

Take the Lynn ferry and check out the Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach or the waterfront Red Rock Park. This ferry runs from spring to fall, so you can see the outdoors of Lynn through a number of seasons. 

The spring to fall seasonal Winthrop/Quincy ferry can take you right to the Marina Bay and Quincy Waterfront boardwalk. Walk along the water with family or pets, dine in a number of cafes and restaurants, or walk beyond the boardwalk for a taste of New England history to see the Adams Mansion and other museums and historical sites. 

Front Beach is a 10-minute walk from Rockport station. There are restrooms and lifeguards on site, and it's right by Bearskin Neck, a popular spot to shop or grab a bite to eat.

Just a 5-minute walk from the closest bus stop, this beach at the Quincy Shores Reservation has a paved path and a great view of Boston across the water.

There are restrooms and lifeguards on site.

Nahant Beach and Playground is a 5-minute walk from Lynn station and has a boardwalk, bathhouse, and lifeguards on duty.

The Blue Line runs between Revere Beach and downtown Boston, making this a popular spot for a beach day.

There are historic sites, restrooms, playgrounds, and a lifeguard on duty.

Carson Beach, Pleasure Bay, and the M and L street beaches form a three-mile stretch along the South Boston shore.

Carson Beach

This beach is easily accessible from JFK/UMass station, and features restrooms, a concessions stand, and a walkway along the water between Castle Island and the Kennedy Library.

L & M Street Beaches

These beaches connect Pleasure Bay and Carson Beach and are two of the longest stretches of beach in Boston—the perfect place to walk or jog along the water.

Pleasure Bay Beach

This beach connects with Castle Island, where you can find a playground, fishing pier, and Civil War-era Fort Independence.

• The Border to Boston Trail is one of the longest rail trails in the state and comprises several trails listed below. It stretches 70 miles and links about 20 communities from the New Hampshire border to Boston.

Other rail trails near MBTA stations include the following:

• Minuteman Bikeway
• Clipper City Rail Trail
• Whitney Spur Rail Trail
• Wellington Greenway
• Chelsea Greenway
• North Bank Bridge
• Neponset River Greenway
• Assabet River Rail Trail
• Tri-Community Greenway
• South Bay Harbor Trail

• Kayaks
• Canoes
• Rowboats
• Paddleboards
• Pedal Boats
• Sailboats (season pass members only)

Learn more about rentals and more at Hopkinton

• Kayaks
• Canoes
• Rowboats
• Sailboats (season pass members)

Learn more about classes and rentals at Spot Pond