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Franklin Park

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Ages:Infants, Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor:Outdoor
Cost:Free
Category:Parks & Nature
Other Ideas: Garden In The Woods: Native Plant Trust; Breakheart Reservation; Arnold Arboretum; Massachusetts DCR State Parks; EcoTarium


Franklin Park is home to Boston's largest forest. It boasts an 18-hole public golf course, tennis courts, baseball fields, old stone ruins, and New England's largest Zoo.

Come spend the day! You can lunch at the golf clubhouse, watch a Sunday afternoon cricket game, and walk the 2.5 mile loop path through woods, over old stone bridges, and past a picturesque pond. From golfing and basketball to biking and walking, there are activities in Franklin Park for everyone.

Playing fields next to the rear entrance to the Franklin Park Zoo are known as the Franklin Park Playstead. Near the corner of Seaver Street and Elm Hill Ave. Enter the park by the main road from Blue Hill Avenue or the Arborway and turn on Pierpont Road across from the golf course.

Looking for more great places to enjoy the outdoors in Boston? Check out our guide to outdoor fun for families in the Greater Boston area.



Get involved! The Franklin Park Coalition (FPC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and preserving this 'gem' of Frederick Law Olmsted's Emerald Necklace and the city's largest park.

WEBSITE↑ top

www.franklinparkcoalition.org/

LOCATION↑ top

Blue Hill Drive, Boston, MA map
Phone: (617) 442-4141

Blue Hill Avenue Entrance:
From Mattapan Square, drive up Blue Hill Avenue (Rte 28) towards downtown, pass Franklin Field and Talbot Ave on your right. Go through light at edge of park (intersection with American Legion Highway) and stay on Blue Hill Ave. Next light at Columbia Road intersection, turn left into the park.

From Roxbury and Grove Hall, take Blue Hill Avenue, through the light at Seaver Street. At next light turn right into the park.

Forest Hills Entrance:
From Roslindale & Hyde Park, drive up Hyde Park Avenue towards downtown. Just past Forest Hills T stop, turn right onto the Arborway service road underneath the overpass. Go past courthouse, old stone church, and brick apartment buildings to the traffic circle... continued below

From Fenway & Jamaica Plain, take the Riverway, Jamaicaway – past the Jamaica Pond boathouse, and stay straight as you go around two traffic circles. Pass the Arnold Arboretum on your right. Just past the Arboretum take left hand lane to be on the overpass. Stay straight and go into the traffic circle as you come down from the overpass. Go about 2/3 around the circle to the entrance of the park – marked with a large wooden sign – and turn right into the park onto Circuit Drive.

From the south, take 203 and when it turns into Morton Street, you'll come to a rotary; turn right at the Rotary (you'll see signs for the park) and you'll now be going up Circuit Drive, which runs through the park.

MBTA
Orange Line to Green Street stop, exit out front doors of station and walk right on Green Street. Cross Amory Street at the light, stay straight, cross Washington Street at the light (Green becomes Glen Road), continue up the hill past houses till Glen Road dead ends in the park. Walk into the park along wide, grassy strip, bear to left and you’ll see beginning of the Overlook stone ruins and further along White Stadium. Bear to the right to go to the Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park, back entrance of the Zoo, Playstead for sports and the festivals, Circuit Drive-the main park road (just to the right after you get to the road you will see Valley Gates Parking Lot - gathering spot for volunteer days), and the golf course walking loop that leads to the Golf Clubhouse, Shattuck Hospital, and Scarboro Pond.

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Info changes frequently. We cannot warrant it. Verify with Franklin Park before making the trek. If you find an error, please report it...
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