Fun Boston

The city, with a little context

Go out.Look closer.Laugh a little.

A free walk you can take now, short histories that make familiar corners feel new, and original jokes about life here.

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Willow trees reflected in the Boston Public Garden lagoon, with Back Bay buildings beyond
Field note / 01

In Boston, even a quick walk has a reading list.

Public Garden, Boston · Photo: Christian David / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped in layout
Schematic map of Boston Common and the Public Garden Hand-drawn, not-to-scale diagram. Boston Common, labeled 1634, lies east of Charles Street with Frog Pond near its center and the State House across Beacon Street. The Public Garden, labeled 1837, lies west of Charles Street with a lagoon and footbridge. A dashed orange walking route links six numbered stops: 1 the Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial on Beacon Street, 2 Frog Pond, 3 the Charles Street crossing, 4 the duckling sculptures near Beacon and Charles, 5 the lagoon bridge, 6 the George Washington statue at the Arlington Street gate. BEACON STBOYLSTON ST PARK ST TREMONT ST ARLINGTON ST CHARLES ST STATE HOUSE 1837 PUBLIC GARDEN 1634 BOSTON COMMON FROG POND 123456 N not to scale, drawn by hand for Fun Boston
Original diagram. Not to scale.

Featured story

years apart, one street between them

Boston Common started in 1634 as a town pasture, bought with a tax on every household. The Public Garden, across Charles Street, began with an 1837 petition to grow a botanical garden on land that was barely land at all.

Here's how two very different parks ended up side by side, and how we checked each date.

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Humor

Original, and drawn here

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The Boston year, by feel: a ring chart Ring chart dividing the year into Winter, Still winter, a thin sliver of Fake spring lasting one Tuesday, Pollen, Two perfect weeks, Humid, a sliver for Moving day on September 1, Actually perfect fall, Leaf-peeper traffic, and a long stretch of Winter, again. WinterStill winterFake spring (1 Tuesday)PollenTwo perfect weeksHumidMoving day, Sept. 1Perfect fallLeaf trafficWinter, again The Boston year BY FEEL, NOT CALENDAR data: every person who has ever lived here

Boston humor

The Boston year, by feel

Ten seasons, two of which last about a day.

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Where someone who is five minutes away actually is: a bar chart A joke bar chart: hasn't seen your text 31 percent, in the shower 22 percent, looking for keys 19 percent, parking optimistically 14 percent, actually five minutes away 3 percent. A handwritten note says the figures are entirely made up. "I'm five minutes away"WHERE THEY ACTUALLY AREHasn't seen your text31%In the shower22%Looking for keys19%Parking (optimistic)14%Actually five minutes away3%figures entirely made up

Everyday humor

"I'm five minutes away"

A chart with numbers we made up, and a truth we didn't.

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Guide in progress

Weekend plans, once verified

There are no event picks posted right now. We'll add them after checking the organizer's date, time, cost and registration details. In the meantime, there's a free walk you can use any weekend.

Take the Common-to-Garden walk

Still on the drawing board

Jokes you might wear someday.

Early shirt ideas only. Nothing to buy yet.

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