I'm a little biased anyway because I love cemeteries. I did my thesis on one (King's Chapel Burying Ground in downtown Boston, yo), they're free to get into (can't say that about many places anymore), they're usually quiet, and they often are full of beautiful, storied, artwork.
Mount Auburn is all these things, and more (I kind of feel like I'm writing a tourism brochure here) - and let me tell you why!
It's Historic: America's first garden cemetery, it's also home to many notable burials such as Mary Baker Eddy, Charles Bullfinch, Isabella Stewart Gardner, and others too numerous to name
It's beautiful: Green rolling hills, flower trimmed lanes (each "street" in the cemetery is named after a different flower or tree), unique and exquisite monuments, ponds, and a view to die for at the top of a centrally located tower.
View from the tower
Flora and fauna: If you love flowers and trees, this is the place for you. There are so many different species, and they are all helpfully labeled. Mount Auburn is also one of the best places in the area for bird watching. I've seen hawks, turkeys, cardinals, gold finches, and that's without even having to go look for them. There is a big chalkboard in entrance gate where people write down the rare birds they have seen lately.
Beautiful Irises in front of a grave
A hawk sunning itself on the ground. I took this from the tower so it's a little hard to see!It's Free: and right off public transportation, too :)
Bonuses: On clear days in the spring and summer (and we always hope- the fall) you can hear Red Sox games being announced all the way from Fenway park.
Mount Auburn is also a stone's throw from Harvard Square, so when you're done hiking around you can get some delicious food at one of the many restaurants around.
It's a special place for me, because no matter what changes or happens, I can always come here and see the same monuments and trees I grew up with.
Visit the website here!
Have you ever been to Mount Auburn Cemetery? What do you love about it (or maybe not love)?
Or, what are some of your favorite places to escape to for a day?
