To Do Today: Get Out on the Water at Jamaica Pond
Jamaica Pond, just a T ride from BU, is a popular destination for cyclists, boaters, and strollers and is easily accessible via the MBTA Orange Line, by bike, or by car.
Photo courtesy of @jamaicapond on Facebook.
To Do Today: Get Out on the Water at Jamaica Pond
Kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, and sailboats available to rent
What?
When?
The park is open daily from sunrise to 11:30 pm. The boathouse is open weekdays from noon to 7:30 pm and weekends from 10 am to 7:30 pm, from Patriots Day to Halloween. The last launch of the day is at 6:30 pm.
Where?
Jamaica Pond, Jamaica Plain, Mass. If you’re driving, parking is available along Perkins Street on Jamaica Pond’s west side. By the T, take an Orange Line train to Stony Brook or Green Street and walk up to the pond.
How much?
Rowboats can be rented for $35 for one hour, or $55 for two hours. Single kayaks start at $20 for one hour and double kayaks start at $35. Sailboats can be rented for $45 and standup paddleboards are available starting at $20. They also offer season passes for paddling or sailing, at $200 or $400, respectively.
Want to learn to sail? Courageous Sailing offers sailing lessons at $90 for two hours, or a full 12-hour course for $355. You can even take a standup paddleboard yoga class for $45.
Boston residents can receive $5 off one-hour rentals or $10 off two-hour rentals. Check out the Courageous Sailing website for more discounts on season passes and classes.
Why should I go?
Looking for a chance to escape the heat and grime of the city, but don’t want to travel too far to get there? You won’t do better than Jamaica Pond. As one of the brightest jewels in the Emerald Necklace, Boston’s meandering park system, the glacier-formed kettle pond covers approximately 68 acres, making it the largest body of freshwater in Boston.
The pond offers enough diversions to pass a long summer day, including plenty of opportunities for strolling, cycling, rowing, sailing, and fishing. It’s also an ideal destination if you’re looking for a shaded bench to read a book or people-watch.
First incorporated into renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace in 1892, the pond is ringed by a 1.5-mile paved path, popular with cyclists, joggers, and dog walkers. Many of the grand homes fronting the pond were the summer residences of wealthy Bostonians.
The pond is stocked with trout each year by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. Anglers must bring their own rods and must purchase a freshwater fishing license in advance. Birders can expect to see ducks, geese, and swans, and the occasional double-crested cormorant and great blue heron.
Visitors can rent rowboats, sailboats, and kayaks at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse, which is administered by Courageous Sailing, a nonprofit that offers recreational programming at the pond.
To rent a sailboat, you must first complete a short test from any of the on-site sailing instructors. Upon passing the test, you’ll receive a complimentary hour of sailing. Rentals are first come, first served, so be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.
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