Fall Foliage
Look No Further than Your Backyard
By: Zainab Zaman
As the cool air blows into town and t-shirts are ditched for cardigans, New Englanders look outside their window for one thing: foliage. They search for brightly colored leaves scattered along the ground and sweeping trees of reds and oranges lining the parks.
If you want a place to admire the autumn atmosphere, look no further than Massachusetts.
Traveling just 30 minutes outside Boston lands you in Blue Hill Reservation, a 7,000-acre state park in Norfolk County. This park has over 125 hiking trails and peaks to immerse yourself in the changing colors. One of which is Buck Hill; this light 3-mile trail passes Lake Vista to reach a hilltop overlooking trees bursting with color.
Next, head across the river to Cambridge, settle in Harvard Yard, or walk around the square. This is a gorgeous spot to study or relax on the benches and watch as each leaf falls from a tree, decorating the pathways in an array of colors. You can even visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History and learn more about over 3,000 plant species.
Beacon Hill has all that and more if you’re looking for the quintessential Boston fall. The narrow alleyways of Beacon Hill contain cobbled streets, brownstone buildings, and a beautiful autumnal hue. Stroll through one of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods and immerse yourself in history by walking the Freedom Trail, or grab something at Tatte and head to the overflowing tree-filled Louisburg Square.
You don’t have to travel far to look at the hue of colors filling the city; simply take a walk in BU’s backyard. Visiting the Esplanade or the Boston Common is a great opportunity to throw on a sweater and enjoy the autumn weather. The Esplanade sits on the bank of the Charles River and is right behind campus. You can admire the reflection of leaves in the river from Beacon Hill to Back Bay or even on your daily commute to class. The Boston Common is a short walk or T ride from campus, filled with Oak, Chestnut, and Maple trees. The park oozes with color in the fall and is a great place to sit and leaf gaze.
No matter where you go this season, you can be sure to catch a plethora of colors swirling through the air as the weather gets colder, reaching that perfect autumnal crisp.