I've always wanted to be a Park Ranger. There, I said it. Since vacation season is almost over, let me play Park Ranger and share a destination you should check out.
It's perfect for families, couples, and even loners who hate people (which I might be if I wasn't part of a couple or didn't have a family.) It's cheap, beautiful, clean, and if you live in Massachusetts, it's not far away.
I'm talking about the
Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston.
As someone who works in Boston, I usually make fun of and/or am annoyed by tourists. But my family has been to Boston twice this summer doing the wicked tourist thing, and we've spent quality time on the Greenway. Everyone who spends any time in Boston should check it out.
Grass, trees, walking paths, water fountains, benches, art installations, statues, and a carousel now sit where the old elevated expressway once was. Gone are the steel girders and ramps that used to block the view of downtown, Faneuil Hall, or the North End (depending on where you are standing.)
I know what you're thinking: "Great, another crowded tourist trap." Not exactly true. There is plenty of room to move without people rubbing up against you like in the North End or Faneuil Hall. Walk (or bike) from the North End to South Station in a series of different parks, all connected. Relax while the traffic goes by you on both sides. Let the kids play in the water fountains. Grab some treats from Modern Pastry or Mike's Pastry (I'm not taking sides in THAT debate) and sit at the tables and people-watch.
Or stop by the booth to buy tickets to the
Boston Harbor Islands (another treasure of this city.) Just look for the Park Ranger. He might even look like me. Hey, I can dream can't I?
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