| If you've ever watched the nationally-televised Boston | | | | soon as she died in 1949, a road was built and - adding |
| Pops July 4th concert, you've seen the Boston | | | | insult to injury - named after her. |
| Esplanade. The Esplanade - also called the Charles | | | | Although several pedestrian walkways over Storrow |
| River Esplanade - is a grassy tree-filled park | | | | Drive give access to the Esplanade, they're not easily |
| extending along the Boston side of the Charles from | | | | visible unless you happen to know where they are. |
| the Museum of Science to the Boston University | | | | And since many buildings in Beacon Hill and Back Bay |
| Bridge. | | | | back up to Storrow Drive, they block the view of the |
| In addition to being the site of many free summer | | | | Esplanade so that it can't be seen from most spots in |
| concerts, free movies, and the world's largest 2-day | | | | the city. |
| regatta, it contains numerous other recreational | | | | Finding the Boston Esplanade is well worth the effort. |
| facilities, the oldest public boat club in the country, and 6 | | | | In addition to the Boston Pops concerts at the Hatch |
| miles of paths. | | | | Shell concert stage on July 3 and 4, the Esplanade |
| Although many Bostonians regard the Boston | | | | provides prime viewing spots for watching the July 4th |
| Esplanade as their favorite park because of its many | | | | Fireworks over the river. The Hatch Shell also hosts |
| recreational activities and events, many visitors to the | | | | numerous other free concerts throughout the warm |
| city never explore it - in fact, many do not even know | | | | months, as well as family-friendly free movies on most |
| that it exists. It may be Boston's most hidden park - | | | | Friday nights during the summer. |
| even though, once you know where it is, it's almost in | | | | You can also find tennis courts, ball fields, and 6 |
| plain view. | | | | docks. If you want to try sailing, Community Boating |
| Why? The reason can be explained with two | | | | provides high-quality sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing |
| words: "Storrow Drive." | | | | instruction and boat access to kids from 10-18 during |
| Storrow Drive is the busy east-west highway that | | | | the summer for a bargain $1 membership fee. |
| runs parallel to the Charles River, effectively cutting off | | | | (Adults pay more, but the cost is still very |
| the Esplanade from Beacon Hill and Back Bay, the | | | | reasonable.) In October, as many as 300,000 |
| communities that border it. Although the park itself | | | | spectators converge on the Esplanade and the |
| began back in 1880 with a small 10-acre parcel of land | | | | Cambridge side of the river to watch 7,500 athletes |
| near the mouth of the river, land creation through the | | | | from all over the world compete in the 2-day Head of |
| filling of mud flats and tidal marshes during the next 5 | | | | the Charles Regatta. |
| decades gave birth to much of what is now the | | | | But probably the most popular Boston Esplanade |
| Esplanade. | | | | activities center around the pathways. |
| Helen Storrow, a wealthy widow, donated $1 | | | | Walkers, runners, rollerbladers, parents pushing baby |
| million to the city to extend the park down the length | | | | carriages, dogs on leashes, and bicyclists fill the paths, |
| of the Esplanade in 1930, with the understanding that a | | | | almost year-round. |
| road would never cut through the area. Ironically, as | | | | |