Castle Island Beach

One of my most favorite places in the city. I absolutely love it whenever I am in Castle Island. Can be easily classified as one of the many blessings of living south of Boston (oh no, I am not getting into the North Shore vs South Shore debate — not at all, I love both — but the south slightly more than the north — ;o) !!)
What’s the best thing about Castle Island? So many things actually. It all comes down to a simple combination of the time of the year and what you are into:
— Great for walking /​jogging. You cannot beat the scenic views of the harbor while walking along the coast line. The city has done a tremendous job of making clear and wide enough paths for regular walkers and joggers.
— Lawns /​Parks: Around the main castle itself, there are plenty of green patches where one can have picnics with a small to medium sized group and enjoy nature at it’s best. There are not too many trees but quite a few to snag a good spot for some shade from the summer sun.
— Water activities: The channel provides a handsome amount of water body for water enthusiasts to try whatever they fancy, without being in any substantial danger (unless of course they dive in without a life vest). Given the seasons, you will find people doing all sorts of fun stuff with the kites that are maneuvered purely by the wind and the skills of the able riders /​gliders below and such.
— The Beach: While anyone in New England should not expect powder like sand anywhere on the North East coast as a rule of thumb, the semi rocky beach is good enough for those who truly value the importance of outdoors for the amount of time it is possible for us folks to be able to. Rightly so, people make the most of what they have with a very straight forward «beggars cannot be choosers» kind of an attitude.
— Fishing: At the back side of the castle itself, you find many a folks religiously standing by the fishing pier /​area — lines in the water, hopeful and yet, spending some quality time with themselves and /​or their company. An odd dumb seagull gets entangled in the line once in a while. But hey, there are dumb kinds in every species — we all know that — for a fact!
— Plane spotting: While the Boston Cruise port is my favorite place for that, Castle Island is not bad at all for watching planes take off or land. Depending on the wind direction, you can witness the airplanes’ decent into or take off from Logan — test your eyesight and knowledge of airline logos, closely watch the landing gear opening mechanisms of air-​crafts, and if lucky, maybe more…
— Finally, nothing beats a good old people watching. Over the years, I have seen the demographics of people frequenting Castle Island change. And why not. That’s the only thing that is constant, isn’t it? Enjoy!

Been here now twice, great walking and scenery but can’t imagine an actual «beach day» here. Lots of friendly walkers, most with dogs :-) Sullivan’s is a mad house but handles the crowds well and the food is fine, something to cross off the list.

I have to say I was really surprised when I found this last year. It’s a really great spot to hang out with some friends. We have a dog so we come here to hang out and walk along the beach and boardwalk. It’s great for family’s, friends, couples, bikers, paragliders and just about everyone else!
Not sure I’d come here if I didn’t have a car, but it’s totally worth the trip if you do and live in/​near the city. There’s tons of parking by thew water too so you won’t want to drive off a cliff while parking, unlike most of Boston ;)

What a wonderful place to hang out, relax or read a book. This place is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! My Auntie and I went for a morning stroll… omg I wish that I could bottle Castle Island beach and take it back home with me.
The entire scenery was gorgeous. This place just screamed out serenity in every inch of its surrounding area. I love the fact that history facts enlightened me as I strolled around Castle Island. I was taken aback by such beauty and peacefulness.
Some Bostonians were very nice and said Hello or Good Morning as we strolled by. There is also a picnic area for barbecuing. I really enjoyed this area so much that I didn’t want to leave. I would definitely come back here on my next visit to Boston.

If you want to go to the beach but don’t want to go ALL the way out of the city, Castle Island is the place for you. (Also, unlike many of the fancier beaches, there’s ample parking right by the beach park area!) There are no waves, but the bay water is nice and you can probably trick yourself into thinking it’s clean enough for swimming. It’s very rocky and full of hermit crabs, so if you do get in the water, you’ll want to wear sandals or water shoes. It’s very picturesque and perfect for a summer day.

Passed on BHC then decided to visit and it didn’t disappoint (though it certainly seems a peninsula beach).

Alright this is hands down on my list of top 10 places in the city of Boston. It’s absolutely beautiful at night (fun during the day too). It’s my favorite place to go and walk or unwind! A must visit!

Good place for a walk, run or bike ride. Family and pet friendly. Nice ocean breeze. Was too early for a tour of the fort. Will return when in the area.

Great for taking a stroll or riding your Bike. It’s a very wide beach with a food house. Great if you’re hungry and need a meal or desert. There’s also a few parks here for the kids.

Wow, what a fantastic plan to go on a summer weekend in Boston!
Castle Island not actually an island but rather surrounds a bay. The trail around the bay is a great place to take a stroll or jog while enjoying the beautiful scenery! Also located on the «island» is a fort. I believe they do tours from 12 – 3:30 on weekends so you can go inside and up on the walls for a better view.
This park is an escape from the city and very family-​friendly. I recommend bringing food up here for a picnic (the only restaurant close by is Sullivan’s) and spending a peaceful afternoon enjoying the glorious Boston summer.

Very impressed with Castle Island. There’s just one thing… It’s not *really* an island!
This is still a great place to check out if you have a bike and a few hours of free time! The fort on (near?) the island is historic and beautiful, and the beach is replete with youngsters playing in the sand and dogs chasing tennis balls. It’s also a great place to set up a picnic or barbecue!
If you go, make sure walk across the bridge. You’ll get a beautiful view of some of the islands and the little bitty bay that is enclosed by the bridges.
Just when you think you’ve almost hit nirvana, a plane flies overhead and snaps you back into reality.

I have been to Castle Island Beach several times a week for the last 8 years. It is a great place to get exercise and little fresh air. The walkway around the Sugar Bowl is just under two miles. In good weather to Causeway is quite busy with pedestrian traffic, but in cold or rainy weather you can have the causeway almost to yourself. Is just great place to walk your dog on leash. Unfortunately it is not a good place to bike because bikes are not allowed.
Restroom facilities are located near the fort and near Sullivan’s restaurant. There is also a playground in that same area. There is apparently some fishing allowed from the pier on the far side of the fort as well. And airplane enthusiasts can take in the air traffic from the far side as well.
There is ample parking on all but the best summer days. There is also a Hubway bike station located next to the ice skating rink. And the park is also accessible by the 11 MBTA bus.

A beautiful place for a walk! Came on a Saturday morning. Parking was easy for us– however, it seemed to get more crowded in just an hour or two. I could see parking being quite difficult, especially on nice days.
While there is a walking trail that goes about 2 miles around, we decided to walk around the fort instead. The fort was closed when we came around 12:20, although there was a sign that said it was supposed to open at noon. There is also a playground that looked great for kids, and plenty of runners and cyclists enjoying the trails. We didn’t eat at Sullivan’s, but the food smelled amazing! As other reviewers have said, I probably wouldn’t swim in the water, but it is a nice and scenic beach. There is also a sailing pavilion where you can rent sailboats in season. It’s also fun to watch planes come and go from Logan Airport.
Two thumbs up!

Very nostalgic place for me to visit. My dad used to swim here when he was a boy. I love that it goes around in a circle so that when you go for a walk, you end up back where you started. It’s a very unique view and kind of unbelievable in that it is located just south of Logan airport. We put our feet in, walked around, ate fabulous fried shrimp at the snack bar and relaxed on one of the many benches around the park. Next time I want to rent one of the sailboats.

this place is great. I love castle island. Tons of sidewalk to walk, picnic tables, space to bbq. Also fort independence is oozing with history (and some bonus rats).
Its a great place to go for a run, watch plane’s land, check out a pretty cool sunset over boston, watch ships out in the harbor, and just even people watch.
There’s ample parking, this place can be a zoo on the weekends, or when there are special events like the Constitution sailing out to do a 21 gun salute.
The beach is no dogs during the warm months… dogs are supposed to be leashed… but you are going to run into dogs who are off leash and really shouldn’t be (don’t have a good recall). All in all though there’s enough space here for everyone to find their own little spot and enjoy the weather!

I have been going here since I was a kid. Located minutes from the Seaport District, it is a perfect place to relieve stress. The walk around is about two miles, and it is all along water.
A great place to watch tankers, cruise ships and commuter boats come and go. Once out on the causeway the temperature can dip 15 degrees.
Plenty of parking, water fountains during the season and Sullivan’s to grab a great cheap lunch.
No dogs allowed during the season on the beach.

Beautiful beach! My boyfriend and I came here with our dog (no dogs allowed on the beach) and walked the circular path around the beach to the fort and back. It was a beautiful day and a nice long walk. We ate at Sullivan’s and chilled on the lawn. Perfect day.
Definitely a place you have to experience at least once.

Castle Island, though highly visible from your harbor cruise to Spectacle Island and from google maps, is quite remote. You need a car, a cab, or perhaps local bus transit to get yourself out here as there are no other MBTA-​y ways to visit this local gem.
Don’t confuse the name of the Island for the name of the FORT. The big stone monolith is not a castle, it’s Fort Independence and its historic charm is up-​kept by a local group of volunteers bringing you free tours of the Fort (about 1.5 hr, but you get to stand on top of the fort where the views and breezes are unique to the city), halloween events, and maybe some other good events in the community. DCR takes care of the grounds of the park surrounding the Fort and they do a great job!
I got here by bike from Cambridge; and although it’s a bit of a ride, it’s really not too shabby. I like taking Summer Street (where South Station is) all the way past Harborside Southie. hang a left on East 1^st Street, hang a right on Farragut until you can get over to Day Blvd (beach). coz you’ll need to stay left and take this road to the end where limited parking is available for motor-​vehicle visitors.
The grounds are packed with people, mostly local families who literally bring the whole family. some BBQs (brought by visitors), chairs, yard games, you name it. there is a lot of decent space to hole up and spend a wonderful sunny day in a well shaded, well maintained, and amenable park. But if you didn’t pack your BBQ or hibachi, don’t worry. there are snacks at Sullivan’s.
Bring a frisbee, a kite, a football, a volleyball set (?!) … you can entertain yourself here for hours (for free). And if you’re looking to work off a sweat, there is a paved loop that takes you past the Fort on the Island and along a well maintained, and wide-​enough paved break-​wall path that goes all around the protected beach along Day Blvd. The loop is probably shy of 2 miles all around, complete with beach-​y breezes and a place to take a dip (right by the fort seems like a good spot).
Last bit of advice, park outside the parking area along Day Blvd because the lot gets a bit jenky when it’s a gorgeous day at prime PM time. so plan ahead if you want to bring the whole family circus (gate opens at 6 AM.?). Or of course you could skip bringing the vehicle altogether and you’ll be a lot better off.
OK … have fun!

This place is clean and pretty much pleasant.
They have Sullivan’s which is super convenient some of their food is over priced and some is just right!
This place is perfect for a picnic, running, and going for a stroll. The view is beautiful and it’s always fun to look at the boats drive by.

Worth it to visit on less busy weekdays. I can’t imagine how crazy it is when it’s packed with tourists. Great 360 views of the city with lots of benches and grassy areas to enjoy the sun and sights. Lots of places to skip stones, put your feet in the water (wouldn’t recommend swimming though it is allowed). Bathrooms are DISGUSTING, even on a very slow day. Does anyone maintain them? Parking is free but probably tough to find during the busy season. A shack near the entrance sells fast food for a couple of bucks (decent hot dogs, yummy soft serve). They accept credit/​debit cards.
Great for history buffs, day-​tripping tourists, etc. Take a picnic and pee before you leave home.