Castle Island in Boston

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comments 5

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  Christian Wilson

  :: 23 May 2018 11:42:26

  Very impressed with Castle Island. There's just one thing.... It's not *really* an island! This is still a great place to check out if you have a bike and a few hours of free time! The fort on (near?) the island is historic and beautiful, and the beach is replete with youngsters playing in the sand and dogs chasing tennis balls. It's also a great place to set up a picnic or barbecue! If you go, make sure walk across the bridge. You'll get a beautiful view of some of the islands and the little bitty bay that is enclosed by the bridges. Just when you think you've almost hit nirvana, a plane flies overhead and snaps you back into reality.

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  Philip Johnson

  :: 15 May 2018 11:26:11

  One of my most favorite places in the city. I absolutely love it whenever I am in Castle Island. Can be easily classified as one of the many blessings of living south of Boston (oh no, I am not getting into the North Shore vs South Shore debate - not at all, I love both - but the south slightly more than the north - ;o) !!) What's the best thing about Castle Island? So many things actually. It all comes down to a simple combination of the time of the year and what you are into: - Great for walking / jogging. You cannot beat the scenic views of the harbor while walking along the coast line. The city has done a tremendous job of making clear and wide enough paths for regular walkers and joggers. - Lawns / Parks: Around the main castle itself, there are plenty of green patches where one can have picnics with a small to medium sized group and enjoy nature at it's best. There are not too many trees but quite a few to snag a good spot for some shade from the summer sun. - Water activities: The channel provides a handsome amount of water body for water enthusiasts to try whatever they fancy, without being in any substantial danger (unless of course they dive in without a life vest). Given the seasons, you will find people doing all sorts of fun stuff with the kites that are maneuvered purely by the wind and the skills of the able riders / gliders below and such. - The Beach: While anyone in New England should not expect powder like sand anywhere on the North East coast as a rule of thumb, the semi rocky beach is good enough for those who truly value the importance of outdoors for the amount of time it is possible for us folks to be able to. Rightly so, people make the most of what they have with a very straight forward "beggars cannot be choosers" kind of an attitude. - Fishing: At the back side of the castle itself, you find many a folks religiously standing by the fishing pier / area - lines in the water, hopeful and yet, spending some quality time with themselves and / or their company. An odd dumb seagull gets entangled in the line once in a while. But hey, there are dumb kinds in every species - we all know that - for a fact! - Plane spotting: While the Boston Cruise port is my favorite place for that, Castle Island is not bad at all for watching planes take off or land. Depending on the wind direction, you can witness the airplanes' decent into or take off from Logan - test your eyesight and knowledge of airline logos, closely watch the landing gear opening mechanisms of air-crafts, and if lucky, maybe more... - Finally, nothing beats a good old people watching. Over the years, I have seen the demographics of people frequenting Castle Island change. And why not. That's the only thing that is constant, isn't it? Enjoy!

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  Robin Talkowski

  :: 10 May 2018 06:38:55

  Castle Island is a beautiful spot in South Boston. There is a nice walking path about a mile long that takes you by an old fort, great views out into the bay, green spaces to sit, and a small beach. If you get hungry, the famous Sullivan's is there for traditional beach fare. There is a small parking lot which was adequate on a beautiful spring week day, but I can imagine that parking might be a problem in the summer and on weekends.

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  Debra Berkey

  :: 05 May 2018 16:07:50

  We had a group of about 60, and the kids loved it. The park had something for everyone. Sullivan's was very good food for a reasonable price. We took 43 kids there and got through the line in less than 20 minutes. Kids ran around in the grass, played on the beach and enjoyed the playground. It was a beautiful Saturday early afternoon, and it didn't feel crowded. Great place for a picnic with kids of any age.

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  daniel harrington

  :: 26 April 2018 11:48:28

  Although there are several islands in Boston harbor none are as convenient or as well developed as is Castle Island. Accessible by car it has a children’s playground and a small beach close by. A circular track which extends out from the island over the water and back makes for an exhilarating walk or run . There is even an excellent fishing pier for those anglers who wish to try their luck. Large grassy fields surround the islands imposing fort which are enjoyed by both picnickers and kite enthusiasts. Sullivans is an island tradition supplying the needs of of its hungry patrons with reasonably priced goodies that will please the most discriminating palates.