Houghton’s Pond – Milton, MA

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-south/houghtons-pond-recreation-area.html

We were tired of our usual swimming hole and decided to check out a different place for one last summer hurrah!  My son and I headed over to Houghton’s Pond at the Blue Hills Reservation with some friends.  This place is truly a gem, an absolute beautiful landscape to explore.  Naturally made by glaciers – it has a shallow pond for swimming, trails for walking, a playground and various picnic areas.  The pond water is crystal clear and staffed by lifeguards during the summer months.  It can’t be more than about 3 feet deep at the deepest part of the swimming area which makes it ideal for kids.  They also have a newly renovated bath house complete with bathrooms, changing areas, showers and such.

We started our adventure at the playground since it needed to warm up a bit before it was swimming weather.  The kids had fun running around, getting sweaty and tired.  When it was finally time to make the short walk down to the beach, they were ready to go!  We took the scenic route over a large boardwalk, past a beautiful lily pad strewn pond and read some fun facts about nature along the way.  When we finally got to the beach, the kids went off running.  One of the best parts about the beach were the numerous trees in the sand, providing natural shade.  The kids had a blast swimming, building sand castles and watching the various low flying airplanes fly by overhead.

They even had a cafe with an extensive menu to grab a bite to eat, ice cream, coffee or even fried dough.  We’ve been here during other seasons as well for walks with the family and family photo shoots.  All in all, a really beautiful spot to enjoy nature at its finest.

Things to note:

• Free parking
• Free to swim/use
• Water fountains located at various sections for hydration refills
• There is a bit of a walk to the actual pond so come prepared with a stroller or beach cart if you’re going swimming
• The beach gets extremely crowded on weekends with an “interesting” crowd so if at all possible, visit during the week

How to get there:

840 Hillside Street

Milton, MA