Massachusetts Beaches Part 1

Dorchester Reservatio

The Dorchester Reservation is open year-round, dawn to dusk. Malibu Beach, Victory Road Park and Tenean Beach provide coastal access along the extended mouth of the Neponset River. There is protected swimming and a bathhouse. Tenean Beach is a popular swimming beach with playground facilities, tennis and basketball courts. Savin Hill Beach is managed by the city of Boston and restored to its original Olmsted Brothers design. Savin Hill Beach has a tot lot, baseball fields and protected swimming. These facilities are a link in the continuous pathway and greenway system from Castle Island in South Boston to Neponset River.

Houghton’s Pond Recreation Area

Houghton’s Pond Recreation area is located at 695 Hillside Street, Milton, Massachusetts. There is 24 acres and up to 42 feet in depth. Houghton’s Pond is a spring-fed kettle hole pond formed by receding glaciers approximately 10,000 years ago.

Houghton’s Pond Recreation area provides a variety of recreational activities that include a supervised swimming beach, stocked fishing, 3 picnic sites available for reservation, 3 softball fields, 4 tennis courts and a playground.

The swimming area is supervised by DCR lifeguards in July and August, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and seven days a week. The beach is also equipped with a wheelchair accessible ramp leading to the water.

Groups of 25 or more are required to have a permit to use the picnic sites. The picnic area has 3 sites available for reservation with picnic tables and cooking grills.

Mystic River Reservatio

The Mystic River Reservation is open year round, dawn to dusk. The banks of the Mystic River are almost entirely publicly owned, making it one of the Commonwealth’s best protected streams.

Mary O’Malley Park offers tennis, boating and picnics. This park was acquired from the federal government after the closing of the historic Chelsea Naval Hospital. The park has striking views of the harbor and the Tobin Bridge over the Mystic River. Located on an historic granite pier is a boat landing and shelter. There is also a wind sculpture by William Wainwright to enliven the waterfront. The park is open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Torbert Macdonald Park provides places for running, hiking and biking. Macdonald Park was built on a reclaimed dredge spoiled area left after the construction of Route 93. It is an award-winning landscape design of meandering paths, trees and open lawns that provides space for rest and enjoyment as well as bicycling, jogging, walking and informal games in a riverside setting.

Dawn Seven Park provides spaces for soccer, picnics and biking. The park also provides much needed field game space for Somerville and adjacent communities. It has two soccer fields, a bikeway/walkway, a picnic area with shelter and beautiful landscaping.

Mystic Lakes provides areas for swimming, picnics, rowing and sailing. The Mystic Lakes are popular for freshwater swimming at Sandy Beach. Special sailing programs are available at Tufts University Boathouse. The Upper Mystic Lake is for non-powered boats. The Lower Mystic Lake is for power boats with no wake.

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