America’s Oldest Public Garden With Swan Boats, Bronze Ducklings & Weeping Willows Is as Enchanting as Ever

Boston Public Garden

Boston Public Garden isn’t just America’s first public botanical garden. It’s where swan boats glide past willow trees, local artists set up their easels, and flowers bloom in perfect rows. Inside these 24 acres, Boston shows off its softer side.

Here are the best ways to enjoy this lovely part of the city.

Explore the Streets of Historic Beacon Hill

Your time in Boston isn’t done without Beacon Hill’s brick streets, gas lamps, and brownstone homes, including the quaint shops along Charles Street.

Once known as Trimountain for its three peaks, don’t miss the gold-domed State House, it’s been protecting Boston since the late 1700s.

Wander Along Paths Full of Rare Plants

Around 1837, this garden was the first public plant garden in America. It was built to be fancier than the plain Boston Common next door.

The city grows over 80 types of plants here. Part of the Emerald Necklace, it’s been created by famous park designer Frederick Law Olmsted.

Gaze at America’s First President on Horseback

Prepare to be amazed by the colossal bronze statue at the Arlington Street gate.

Standing at 38 feet, it’s the largest statue in Boston. The statue is so heavy that it sits on deep supports that go 11 feet into the ground.

Boston artist Thomas Ball started work on it in 1859, and it was finally set up in 1869, made right here in Massachusetts as a matter of local pride.

Honor Medical History at the Ether Monument

Your walking tour will include this moving statue near Arlington and Beacon Streets. John Quincy Adams Ward created it as the first art piece back in 1867.

Known as the “Good Samaritan,” it shows someone helping a child and marks when ether was first used in surgery at nearby Mass General Hospital in 1846.

Meet the Famous Mallard Duck Family

The artist Nancy Schön made these in 1987, with Mama Duck at 38 inches tall, near the corner of Beacon and Charles Streets.

The set shows Mrs. Mallard leading her eight babies (Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack) along a 35-foot path of old Boston cobblestones.

They come from the book “Make Way for Ducklings,” which won the 1942 Caldecott Medal and has been in print ever since 1941.

Snap Photos From the Curved 1869 Bridge

As old as the Washington statue, this curvy bridge is known for its gentle slopes and overlooks the garden’s most scenic spots.

From here, you can watch Swan Boats pass below and spot the small island where the ducks from the famous book were said to have lived.

Find Peace in the 9/11 Memorial Space

A quiet moment awaits in this spot that honors New Englanders lost in the 9/11 attacks.

Set up in 2004, this small area has stone markers, plants chosen for their meaning, and benches where you can sit in peace.

Year-round, people leave small tokens like flags and flowers, showing how the garden serves as a place of meaning for the city.

Look Up at Trees From Around the World

Look for the dawn redwood, once thought extinct until found alive in China in the 1940s. The huge weeping beech trees form cave-like spaces you can walk under.

The Japanese maples show bright red each fall. The ginkgo trees (which lived when the dinos did) drop all their fan-shaped leaves on a single day.

Each tree has a small tag with its name if you want to learn what you’re seeing.

Spread Your Blanket for a Garden Lunch

The open areas give you plenty of room to spread out a blanket and eat. Try to grab a spot near the pond where you can watch Swan Boats glide by.

You can pack a lunch from nearby Beacon Hill shops or bring treats from Boston Public Market just a short walk away.

In good weather, local musicians often play, giving free shows as you eat, and the lawns stay busy with people from spring through fall.

Pedal Around the Pond on Historic Swan Boats

These charming boats have been cruising the pond since 1877.

The same family has been running this system for over 145 years, and the oldest boat still in use today is more than 115 years old.

You’ll find the boats operating from April 19 to September 1, with hours from 10 AM to 4 PM in spring and 10 AM to 5 PM in summer.

For just $4.75 (adults) or $3.25 (kids), enjoy a 15-minute cruise while a driver inside the swan figure pedals you around the 4-acre pond.

Catch Free Shows During Warm Months

Your ears will thank you for the free shows that happen often in the garden. Jazz groups play on Sunday afternoons from May through August.

String groups from nearby music schools hold pop-up shows on summer days. The bandstand hosts brass bands twice a month in summer.

You’ll even find old-time bands playing tunes from the Swan Boat’s early days to mark the start of the boating season each April.

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