Top 10 Photo Spots In & Around Boston

Travel
Written By Sarah Bopp

So you’re looking for a sweet spot to snap that perfect photo of Boston. Maybe you want to find the quintessential backdrop for your travels. Or perhaps you are a resident in search of some new, unique photo locations. Well get ready for my top 10 favorite photo spots in and around Boston!

Well, have I got a list for you!

Here you will find the top 10 best (in my opinion) photo locations in Boston, some are certainly more common and populated, while others are slightly more off the beaten path.

And hey, if you end up making it out to some of these locations, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section down below

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10. FAN PIER PARK

Assigning this spot as the 10th best location could be seen as giving it a back-handed compliment. But Fan Pier Park is only ranked so low because it’s so new to me. In reality, this park checks off many Boston and photography boxes for a multitude of reasons.

This area has great boat watching opportunities. With boats are coming in and out of the wharf (boat docking station), you can capture some great photo and video footage of all the action.

It is likely that you will find many lists boasting the beauty of Fan Pier Park as being the harbor and skyline views of the city. Which, don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful. However, they are missing one key attraction.

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The birds!

Many photographers will turn to photoshop to get that perfect skyline photo with a perfectly placed flock of birds flying in uniform chaos across the silhouetted buildings. But here at Fan Pier Park, you can get that very same image in-camera – no photoshop necessary!

I’m no scientist, but I’m guessing the constant bird-action is a result of the fact that it is a harbor and seagulls like fish. One note of warning: keep in mind that birds enjoy pooping while flying, so I would recommend bring along your protective head-gear.

Hiking trail marker (left) and Ice Fishing on Walden Pond (right)

9. WALDEN POND

Made famous by the famous Henry David Thoreau in his book “Walden”, the beautiful Walden Pond is a definite must. Though it is tucked away and not exactly in the city of Boston, it is well worth the journey.

If you have access to a car, the pond is just a quick 30-minute drive from downtown Boston. The beautiful nature of a glacier-created pond and woodland area will make you feel like you’re nowhere near a major metropolitan area.

Whether you are interested in macro photography, capturing stills of wildlife, or getting a landscape composition with beautiful reflections on the still water, Walden Pond has something to offer.

In addition to being an ideal natural photo spot, Walden Pond is great for beach-going in the summertime or ice fishing in the wintertime. You can easily kill two birds with one stone and get all the hobbies in at once! (But please don’t kill any birds.)

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8. LO PRESTI PARK

As someone who would frequent Lo Presti Park for weekly recreational soccer games, I would argue this spot is one of Boston’s best-kept secrets when it comes to the ideal photo location.

The surrounding East Boston neighborhood is not only full of delicious restaurants but it is also not heavily populated with tourists (unlike many of the other locations on this here list). You can easily get that beautiful, unobstructed shot of the Boston skyline from across the harbor.

And let me tell you, those wide-open views are incredible, at nearly any time of day. During the early morning hours, you can capture images of the sunrise dancing over the soaring skyscrapers. What I would definitely recommend, however, is to head over there just before sunset and/or just after sunset. This will allow you to get some crisp silhouettes, as well as the nice symmetry of the city lights reflecting off the harbor.

Another big perk?

It’s a short trip from Logan International Airport, so you can easily check this one off your list within the first hour of arriving in Boston!

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7. BOSTON COMMON & PUBLIC GARDENS

Ever heard of NYC’s Central Park? Well, this is just like that only better! Why? The Boston Common is America’s oldest park!! Here you will find a rich history of Revolutionary war stories and plenty of tourism. If it’s your jam, this is the main hub for walking tours around Boston.

Combine all of this with the scenic backdrop of a vast park and beautifully-curated public garden across the street … sounds like the ideal candid photography/people-watching location to me!


If you’re more interested in the serene photographs of the park’s landscape, I would definitely recommend trying your hand at photographing this location after the sun goes down. The Massachusetts State House, at the top of the hill on the outskirts of the Boston Common, has some very dramatic uplighting that creates some beautifully-moody night photography images.

The Boston Common and Public Gardens combo also happens to be very centrally located, making it a no-brainer when it comes to ease-of-access. The park has so much to offer with endless unique backdrops, it will no doubt keep you coming back for more.

6. MIDDLESEX FELLS RESERVATION

Unlike its predecessor, the Middlesex Fells Reservation is a little bit of a hike (eh, eh?). But don’t be discouraged, there is no need for a car on this trip! You can easily get there via public transportation, it is just a short 30-minute bus/train ride away from downtown Boston.

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed into hiking trails, biking trails, fishing, boating, and even an off-leash park for your canine companion. If this hasn’t convinced you it is a great place to visit, let’s talk about all it has to offer in terms of photo opportunities.

You know that famous Sarah Palin quote, “I can see Russia from my house”? Well, you can’t see Russia from Middlesex Fells, but you can see the Boston skyline! From atop several of the hiking trails you can see this from afar, as well as the ever-expanding verdant green beauty of the Maurice J. Memorial Bridge.

This state reservation makes for a nice escape on a hot summer day. You can stay relatively cool under the shaded trails and avoid the hustle and bustle of the city, all in one fell swoop.

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5. ON THE HARBOR

Hey, speaking of summer, this next one is mainly only available in the summer months, though you can also try your luck during late spring or early fall. Like many great cities that share their borders with a large body of water, arguably some of the best views of Boston can be seen from out on the harbor.

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Now I know what you’re thinking, “where am I going to get a private yacht?”. Lucky for you, Boston has numerous transportation methods for getting you out on that salty ocean water. Here are a few of my favorite honorable mentions (in ascending order by price):

As long as you aren’t water averse, this is really a win-win situation. You get to be out on the water on a beautiful summer day. All the while, you can pursue those photography goals of yours and hunt down that great image.

Similar to Lo Presti Park, this is another great example of a photo spot with beautiful nighttime city light reflections on the water. Though, it is certainly more difficult to get those long exposures and low-light images while aboard a moving vehicle. But hey, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, am I right?

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4. HARBOR ISLANDS

Oh wow, this ties in nicely to that last suggestion of taking a ferry ride with the National Park Service. But here’s where it gets interesting, you can depart the vessel and explore the Boston Harbor Islands!

The ferry will take you from island to island, should you choose to remain on board. There are eight islands in total, with the four largest being Georges Island, Spectacle Island, Paddocks Island, and Lovells Island. Each of them has an old abandoned fort for you to explore. The rich texture of these old forts makes for some truly unique shots.

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You can play around with low-light photography in the middle of the day within the dark, unlit rooms of the fortress on Georges Island. If you’re looking to go even spookier, head on over to Paddocks Island, which is where the horror movie, Shutter Island was filmed.

Some of the islands will even allow you to camp overnight in the summertime. Again, making for a great night time, low-light photo opportunity.

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3. BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

This next one though, oh man, it’s hard to describe how much of a huge fangirl I am for the Boston Public Library. From the old building entrance, you are immediately greeted with the words,

“The Public Library of the City of Boston Built by the People and Dedicated to the Advancement of Learning.”

This quote paired with five giant waving American flags creates a most epic entrance into this magnificent place of learning.

Once you enter the building, you will see where my obsession derives. Everywhere you look you are greeted with intricate details like a grand marble staircase, ornately sculpted beams, and ceiling paintings that tell a beautiful historical story.

If all of this doesn’t capture your interest, my two favorite focal points of the library are the McKim Bates Hall and the McKim courtyard connecting the old and new buildings. Not only are these spaces beautiful, intricate works of art (much like the rest of the Boston Public Library), but they also make for incredible productivity locations.

You can get it all done here, from capturing your photos to making those finishing edits, the Boston Public Library is a must-see on this top list of Boston photo locations.

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2. LONGFELLOW BRIDGE

Oh boy, this one is so tricky to sum up in just a few short paragraphs, but I will try. Have you ever dreamed of a dynamic scene filled with sailboats, kayaks, water, skylines, cars, trains, birds, art, sunrise views, sunset views, architecture, history, and the list goes on?

For all of these reasons, the Longfellow Bridge keeps me coming back, looking to get even more unique and interesting photos with every click of the shutter.

The bridge is beautiful in architecture, as it was designed to mimic European-style bridges. But with a train line cutting right down the middle of the two traffic lanes, it is really representative of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Extending over the Charles River and connecting the college-town of Cambridge to the heart of downtown Boston, you will regularly find (even in the winter, sometimes) sailing teams cruising around on the south side of the bridge. And during the summer months, the river to both the north and south is flooded with casual water sporters like kayakers, fishers, paddle-boarders, and even the occasional swimmer.

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As the sun sets over the Charles River, you can get incredible oranges and yellows in the sky, looking towards the Back Bay side of the city, or looking towards downtown you can get more of the purples and blues cascading over the Beacon Hill area, just as the skyscraper’s lights begin to turn on.

Truly, what more could you ask for? Oh right, art! Just a few years ago, an anonymous local artist began placing old trophies under the bridge next to a walking pass. These trophies make the bridge gleam when it would otherwise be a regular, grimy underside of a bridge. Not to mention it makes for a great photo opportunity and an even better story.

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1. BEACON HILL (ACORN STREET)

And finally, we come to our number one, the cream of the crop, the best of the best, Acorn Street in Beacon Hill! This is certainly not going to be everyone’s favorite, it doesn’t have as many shiny, dynamic elements as some of the earlier discussed places might.

However, what makes Beacon Hill so unique aren’t all those pieces or things that might draw a wide variety of photographic interest into one single place. What makes this area of Boston, and specifically this street, so special is the cohesive beauty of it all. A majority of the streets and sidewalks in this neighborhood are cobblestone-paved with back-to-back old brick buildings on either side of the street.

It makes you feel as though you’ve just teleported to an adorable street in Europe.

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Most of the shops are small businesses, including several delicious-smelling bakeries, coffee shops, and even some antique furniture stores. But the real treasure, River Street, runs parallel to the main road running from the Charles MGH train stop to the Public Gardens. Though it is only one street over, this area isn’t as busy with foot traffic and it doesn’t have nearly as many, if any, shop at all. Though it is a bit more residential, there are loads of interesting features to be found, so keep your eyes peeled and capture all the beauty it has to offer.

BONUS: Choose your own adventure

If you found this list, you’re probably either a friend/family member of mine (hi!) or perhaps you are traveling to Boston from out of town, in search of some great spots to photograph around town.

If the latter is true, I would recommend making this journey your own and trying out some of the areas of Boston that are on the map but aren’t listed on any of the 100 travel lists out there on the internet. I think you will be surprised with how much Boston has going for it when you step a bit away from The Freedom Trail, or other tourist attractions like it!

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Hey there! It’s bopphoto, aka Sarah Bopp, your internet pal and photographer. Lover of coffee, plants, nature, and old cameras.

Here you will find everything from my photoshoots, posts on tips & tricks, things that inspire me, and some behind the scenes content.

Peace & love,
Sarah

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Sarah Bopp

https://www.bopphoto.com
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