Houghton's Pond beach (Blue Hills)

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Houghton's Pond beach (Blue Hills)

Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

🏖️ Beach · Milton

3 hours · Free · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 4.0
1–3 yrs
★ 5.0
3–5 yrs
★ 5.0
5–10 yrs
★ 5.0
  • 🚗
    About 25 min drive
    From Newton · Parking: Free lot on Hillside St, arrive before 11am on summer weekends
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Some shade
    Great on sunny days · Handles heat · Good on cool days
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 3 hours
    Best seasons: Summer · Spring · Fall

A glacial pond in the Blue Hills Reservation and the summer staple for families south of Boston: a sandy beach with shallow water and lifeguards from mid-June through Labor Day, big shade trees, a playground and grills on shore, and a flat 1-mile loop around the pond that ends right at lunchtime.

💡 Tips
Freshwater with no waves, ideal for a 2-year-old's first swim; it is free, but once the lot fills you wait. Bring beach toys and a picnic. For a hike, the trail from here up Great Blue Hill is just right for older kids.

What this place offers

✓pond beach
✓lifeguards
✓shallow water
✓playground
✓shade
✓pond loop
✓grills
✓restrooms

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Location

Milton, Massachusetts

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