In the heart of Jamaica Plain lies one of Boston’s most serene escapes: Jamaica Pond, a 68-acre kettle pond cradled by wooded shores in the city’s beloved Emerald Necklace. Frederick Law Olmsted, who folded the pond into his chain of parks in the 1890s, called it “a natural sheet of water with quiet, graceful shores” — and Bostonians have treasured it ever since.
A flat, scenic path of about a mile and a half circles the water, perfect for strollers, runners, dog walkers and anyone chasing fall color or spring blossoms. In the warmer months the historic boathouse rents rowboats and sailboats, fishing rods pull in trout, bass and pickerel, and Courageous Sailing teaches new generations to catch the breeze. The 1912 bandstand still anchors summer concerts, just as it did when 6,000 listeners turned out for the very first one.
Best of all, this peaceful pocket of nature sits right on the Jamaicaway, minutes from downtown yet a world apart. Pack a picnic, rent a boat, and watch the sun sparkle on Olmsted’s jewel.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
