Arnold Arboretum

This is the most beautiful place I have ever been, especially in spring. There are people but deeper in the park, just you and your group. I took my sister and mom her when they visited Boston. It was so beautiful that we came here again for our engagement shots. It was quiet, peaceful, and relaxing. If I have more time, I would just want to chill here all day.

Took my wife to view the Lilac blooms. It was so refreshing. The flower scent around the garden was so refreshing. Would recommend any one for early morning walk from 7 – 11 am. We got parking near the south street entrance.

Beautiful place! It’s such a peaceful area to take a walk. It’s huge too, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to go around the entire place. There’s even a spot where you can see the Boston skyline. I recommend it for anyone looking for a place to run, walk or picnic on the city.

Cool place to go over a walk or jog. Lots of trees, obviously, and right now the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Some people picnic here, and you can get a view of Boston from the top of a hill. It is a hidden gem of the city.

This is a place that you can go to study, work out, or let your dog or kids run around in. This place is beautiful. You can smell how fresh the air is in arboretum.
If you can climb up the STEEP rocky hill (right as soon as you enter through the Blackwell path, off of centre street across from forest hills station), it is WORTH IT. I felt like I was in the forest, miles away from any city.
If I lived in Boston, I would come here twice a week to decompose.
Loved this place. If you go to Boston without going here, you’re missing out!

Very beautiful walk, lets you bring dogs on leash, nicely maintained but not stuffy and roped off. There is a paved roadway for bikes and mobility impaired people. Bring some allergy meds., and watch for a couple tiny areas with huge exotic hornets.

Such a stunning place! Theres so many interesting things to see! I was here in November and it was beautiful! Such an amazing place to come if you are in in Boston.

This arboretum is so magnificent that I still vividly recall it. I visited in October and it was great. I hope I will have another occasion to see it in my life.
I had some troubles finding the entrance, but once you get in there, there are multiple paths and ways to walk and wander in the park. Some places with a view are awesome.
As you stroll through it, it gets more beautiful at every corner. Many different landscapes, with ponds, forests and hills, but luckily, it does not get very crowded.
Really recommend!

One of the finest of its kind. Fall colors were spectacular. Even the oaks were strutting their stuff. What an asset to the neighborhood! They even allow dogs, but keep them on leash. There are parts I wouldn’t advise be walked alone at night, for instance near Forest Hills station. But otherwise, I felt perfectly safe walking alone.

If you are looking to get lost for a couple of hours and escape the city, without actually leaving the city, this is the place to go. Beautiful, exotic tree lined paths. Some parts are hilly, so I would definitely wear comfy shoes. There is street parking, although it can be tight. Fall here is quite beautiful, but I will definitely visit every season!

Definitely try to come in during autumn when all the leaves haven’t yet fallen. I came some time in early November for the first time and most of the trees were almost naked. It wasn’t disappointing though because the area is still beautiful, and the dead leaves made the ground crunchy when you walk on them, which is somehow wonderful in itself. But I would have liked to see more color in the trees.
If you’re not originally from the East Coast, I would recommend coming here every season to really experience the seasons. Again, this review is based on my first time here but it definitely is a place where you can experience the nature of the East Coast.
Let’s see, what else… It’s a great place for photo opps. I saw a young family taking their family portraits in the area. Also, visit the website prior to your visit here as it is extremely information and helpful.
Squirrels here can be jerks, though. One of them threw acorns at my friend and me from a tree.

Pretty ace as far as parks go.
Lots of cool local (and not-​so-​local) flora to explore. No issues with allowing dogs, and wide paths which are useful for when your jerk dogs decide they really need to attempt to bark at other jerk dogs somewhere else. Free, ample parking! (Yes, such a thing does exist in Boston, though apparently only for this one thing.)
On the flip side, it’s more of a park than an arboretum, so if you’re looking for lots of weird, cool plants with tons of information about them, you’ll probably be disappointed. That doesn’t mean there isn’t cool stuff, just that it’s more of a park than an outdoor plant museum (and many arboretums are actually the latter).
Depending on where you live, you may or may not have a nicer (or comparable) park nearby. But I come out here from Arlington to give the dogs a nice good walk and look at some cool trees, so you may as well give it a try too, if you’re looking for a nice, non-​strenuous outdoor activity.

Amazing place. Summer, fall, winter, and spring, this park is different and beautiful any time of the year.
Large enough to get lost when you are running and then find yourself again in the Chinese Path.
Lovely view of downtown Boston and its financial district from Peter’s Hill, highly recommended.

A place in the city to worship trees, of every variety. Lilac Sunday is the best possible way to kick off spring.

Very well manicured lawns and nice windy, hilly paths. This park is huge so unless you have tons of time to walk, I’d suggest biking through it. Peaceful vibes. Check out their website because they often hold free tours

So beautiful!!! Great place for some fresh air and a break from the car packed streets of Boston

Awesome place for picnic!!!
Good for a walk or bike.
The trees, vines and bonsai are A plus.
At the lakes if you wait a little the turtles come to check you out.

I’m gonna get sappy with my review, because I don’t get sappy for many Unilocal reviews so I think I’m entitled to one every once and awhile.
There are few things that are very difficult to express and even more difficult to write about that come from some place deep within the heart. It’s that part in your heart that can admire beauty for simply being beautiful and that’s definitely what this place did for me. I saw all the tourist spots, took all the tours, but this… this Arboretum is what made me fall in love with the area. Tourists may come here, but it’s inevitably a place where I see locals walking their dogs or couples walking hand in hand among the beautiful trees.
There are trees from so many locations. So many beautiful trees I’ve never actually seen in my life, but are so old and beautiful it’s impossible not to be captured by some sort of innate beauty. Even upon entering, you simply see so many different colors from all different directions. I was truly captivated.
I came in from the South gate. The first ascent we made was Bussey Hill. It didn’t have the best view of the city, but it was cooler and a place I would have loved to spend most of my time. The low temperature combined with the few benches around the circular cove made it quite relaxing and rejuvenating. I’m really glad we tackled that hill first because it set me into a peaceful mindset for the rest of the hike.
We got a little lost along the way, but managed to make our way to Peters Hill. Peters Hill is a tough upward climb but very beautiful and worthwhile when you reach the top. It faces Boston and it’s a sight that solidified my love for the city.
There are, of course, cons to every positive review. First of all, the hike from the Forest Hill station is not exactly well suited for pedestrians. There is no sidewalk, just a little gap between where you’re walking and where the car is plowing 30 mph down a road. I only know of South Street to get into the park. I’m sure there are safer ways, but this is the way GPS led me into the Arboretum. If a local resident could update with a safer route or an alternative to South Street, I think all tourists would be forever grateful :)
Secondly, and they both fall into the same category, I felt I could have used a bit more signage and definitely a restroom along the way.
None of my cons affect my forever love for this place. My joy and peacefulness after leaving a place as beautiful as this will be with me for life :)

So beautiful! I wish I would have appreciated the blossoms when I visited a few weeks ago because now they are gone. Silly me, I thought that the blossoms would stay until the end of the summer! Having lived in NYC, I wanted a «Central Park» in Boston so bad. I think I found something better.

Highly recommended. Large beautiful place to walk and relax. Very clean and well maintained.

Free open year-​round, the arboretum is a nice spot to go and relax. It’s a bit of a commute coming from central Boston, particularly if you don’t have a car. It took me about an hour to get there from the Harvard campus via the T.
One thing of improvement would be to have more seating space as it’s a pretty large space to walk through.

JP is quite a hike for me, but I still enjoy coming to the Arboretum on the weekends. I bring my dog here, especially to the Peter’s Hill area that is more dog friendly. Most dogs are leashed.

Having gone to school for so many years nearby, we thought we should definitely take a trip sometime to the arboretum. It is a beauty. You have to visit in the fall when the leaves are changing colors and just walk through the entire area noticing the different species they have here. Parking is a little confusing given there isn’t a central parking lot but you can basically reach any part of the arboretum by walking so it’s not a huge concern.
Additionally, you want to check out the visitor center on the north end as they can point you in the right direction for cool changes depending on the season it currently is. I loved the maples and got some really nice pictures while we were there.

I may be spoiled by the National Arboretum in DC, but I was kind of disappointed. There were a lot of trees, and the vertical vines were quite beautiful, but the Bonsai collection was very small (only about 15 Bonsais). In DC, there’s an entire pavilion filled with Bonsais. I will give Harvard that the Bonsais here are old. We even saw one from the 1730s! But why so few?
I suppose this might be a nice venue for getting your engagement photos done though?
The arboretum might be worth visiting if you’re trying to kill time after going to the Samuel Adams Brewery, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here.

I feel so lucky to be near one of the most beautiful expanse — a wonderful Botanical Garden in the form of the Arnold Arboretum that Boston is blessed with. And thanks to Harvard for all the many years of work and labor of love — for taking care of this great habitat.
There are so many good things about the Arb. Here are some of the highlights and tips for first time visitors:
— always check the official Arboretum website for seasonal times and special events.
— Forrest Hills T station on the Orange line is a great option for easy access to the gardens if you aren’t in the mood to drive.
— If driving and visiting on a weekend, depending on the time of the year (all spring through summer, fall peak foliage) finding parking spots along the park’s perimeter can be a challenge but not impossible. You might have to circle around near the gate you are nearest to but usually you will get a spot if you aren’t willing to park at the farthest available spot.
— Bussey Hill is one of the most beautiful points to enjoy the beauty of the Arb and view the city from a distance — from a beautiful vantage point. Also try the oak path /​chinese path hike route to explore the beauty of the trees if you don’t want to take the longer route via the Bussey hill road.
— Don’t miss the Lilac Sunday in May to enjoy some of the best collections of Lilacs in the country.
— Ideal for bike rides on very well laid out paths.
— Also, very dog friendly. So many people come here with their loving pets.
— Rest rooms: Portable rest rooms can be found only at the main entrance gate other than the public restrooms in the visitor center buildings. Key point being, there aren’t any public rest rooms atop any of the hills. So plan accordingly.
Anyone who is visiting Boston should try to spend at least a few hours at the Arboretum if not more. It is so worth every minute of it. For any Bostonian who hasn’t been to Arb yet, all I can say is as they do on NFL Live — «C’mmon Maayn!!!»