Over in Brookline, just a few blocks from Fenway Park, you can find the Hall’s Pond Sanctuary and Amory Park.  The sanctuary, with a central marshy pond surrounded by the Amory Woods, is home to a number of birds like the Great Blue Heron in the picture above.  The woods have trails to explore and the pond is surrounded by a boardwalk.

When we’ve visited it’s always been quiet – maybe just one or two other people including the volunteers who were pulling out invasive plants.  There’s also a couple of viewing platforms on the boardwalk that are great for a picnic if you don’t mind sitting on the ground.  If you prefer a bench, you could always go to the gardens, too.

The cool thing is that, as secluded as the sanctuary feels, it’s actually right behind the Hawes St. stop on the C branch of the Green line – just a couple stops in from Kenmore.  We’ve also seen water turtles and a mallard on our visits, although the Great Blue Heron was definitely the biggest hit with the kids.

Takeaways/Ideas:

• Make it a picnic day.
• Bring binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens to get a closer look at the wildlife.
• I didn’t see any trash cans inside the sanctuary, so bring a garbage bag in with you if you think you might need one.
• Don’t leave without taking some time to enjoy the formal garden.
• Bring a New England flowers and plants field guide along.
• Bring some park toys for the kids to play with at Amory Park (which is located contiguous to the Hall’s Pond Sanctuary) after they’re done with nature/hiking/etc..
• While Amory Park allows off-leash time for dogs from dawn until 1:00 pm, Hall’s Pond Sanctuary doesn’t allow dogs inside at all.