Fun Boston

Boston Life · Walks

The Common-to-Garden walk

Six stops across two parks and 203 years of history, from a Civil War memorial to a lagoon with swan-shaped boats. It's free, there's nothing to book, and it works in any season.

Cost
Free. Swan Boats cost extra and only run in season.
Time
About an hour with stops (our estimate)
Start
Beacon St, across from the State House
Finish
The Public Garden's Arlington St side
Terrain
Park paths with slopes on the Common. We haven't done an accessibility audit.
Last checked
By Fun Boston Published Updated 3 sources
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 route diagram, not to scale. Use a phone map for turn-by-turn directions.

  1. The Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial

    Start on Beacon Street, across from the State House. The memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment was dedicated in 1897.[1] Read the names before you head downhill.

  2. Frog Pond

    Walk down into the Common to Frog Pond. What it's doing depends on the season, so check what's running before you promise anyone skating. This is the oldest stretch of the walk: the town bought this land in 1634.[1]

  3. Cross Charles Street

    Cross at the light. You're leaving a 1634 town pasture for an 1837 botanical garden[2], so the paths get curvier and the planting gets more deliberate.

  4. The ducklings

    Nancy Schön's bronze ducklings, installed in 1987 and based on Robert McCloskey's 1941 book,[2] are near the Garden's Beacon and Charles corner. Expect a line for photos on nice weekends.

  5. The lagoon and footbridge

    Walk to the middle of the bridge for the classic view down the lagoon. In season, this is where the Swan Boats run, as they have since 1877.[3] When we checked on Sept. 28, 2026, they were closed for the season until April 2027.[3]

  6. George Washington, on horseback

    Finish at Thomas Ball's 1869 equestrian statue of Washington[2], on the Garden's Arlington Street side. Commonwealth Avenue's mall starts across the street if you want to keep walking.

Our tips

  • Early mornings are quietest. That's our experience, not data.
  • It works in reverse too. You'll finish on Beacon Street, a short walk from Park Street.
  • Want the backstory first? Read The Common and the Garden.