The Charles River Esplanade is a long, narrow riverfront park stretching along the Boston bank of the Charles, with shaded paths, lawns, lagoons, and footbridges that draw runners, cyclists, picnickers, and dog-walkers. The park hugs the water through the Back Bay and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, separated from the city streets by Storrow Drive, which most visitors cross via pedestrian footbridges to reach the green space.
Its best-known landmark is the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, an outdoor concert stage that hosts free performances and films in warm months and anchors Boston’s famous Fourth of July festivities. The Esplanade is managed in partnership with the Esplanade Association and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Event lineups and schedules vary by season, so check the official sources before planning a visit around a specific concert, movie night, or holiday celebration.
Good to know
- Free, open public park with riverfront walking and biking paths
- Home to the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell outdoor concert venue
- Reached from the city by crossing footbridges over Storrow Drive
- Event and concert schedules vary seasonally; check the official site
Getting there
- Address: Charles River Esplanade, along the Charles River, Back Bay/Beacon Hill, Boston, MA (Hatch Shell: 47 David G. Mugar Way, Boston, MA 02108)
- Neighborhood: Back Bay / Beacon Hill
- Nearest T: Charles/MGH (MBTA Red Line) and Arlington (MBTA Green Line) are both nearby; reach the park via the Storrow Drive footbridges