Boston Harborwalk

A public walkway along Boston's waterfront, from East Boston and Charlestown through downtown and the Seaport to South Boston and Dorchester. People walk it for harbor views, beaches and parks, with the T and ferries close by.

Length
43 mi
waterfront path
Surface
Mixed
paved and unpaved
Get on at
7 places
on the map

From Piers Park to Columbia Point

Parking at 1 of the 7 places to get on · See where

Open. No closures as of Oct 26, 2026.

Directions to Piers Park

Where to get on

Numbers match the list; P has parking.

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  1. Piers Park, East Boston

    Harbor views toward downtown.

    Maverick (Blue Line), about 0.4 mi.
    Directions

  2. LoPresti Park, East Boston

    Maverick (Blue Line), about 0.2 mi. East Boston Ferry at Lewis Mall, about 0.3 mi.
    Directions

  3. Charlestown Navy Yard, near USS Constitution

    The National Park Service Visitor Center here has public restrooms. Entry is through a security checkpoint.

    Route 93 bus, about 0.15 mi. Charlestown Ferry (F4) to Long Wharf stops at the Navy Yard, about 0.2 mi.
    Directions

  4. Christopher Columbus Park and Long Wharf, Downtown waterfront

    Between the North End and the New England Aquarium.

    Aquarium (Blue Line), about 0.1 mi. MBTA ferries leave from Long Wharf.
    Directions

  5. Fan Pier, Seaport

    Courthouse (Silver Line SL1, SL2, SL3), about 0.1 mi. Seaport (Fan Pier) ferry stop nearby.
    Directions

  6. Castle Island, South Boston

    DCR lists restrooms here. Open sunrise to sunset. Sullivan's food stand is open in season.

    Routes 7, 9, 10 and 11 bus at Farragut Rd and E 2nd St, about 0.6 mi.
    Free DCR lot near Fort Independence. Metered parking along Day Boulevard.
    Directions

  7. Columbia Point, near the JFK Library, Dorchester

    Path goes around the Columbia Point peninsula past UMass Boston.

    Routes 8 and 16 bus at Mt Vernon St and South Point Dr, about 0.35 mi. JFK/UMass (Red Line), about 1 mi.
    Directions

Getting there

By transit
The Blue Line (Maverick, Aquarium), Silver Line (Courthouse), Red Line (JFK/UMass) and MBTA ferries (Long Wharf, Charlestown Navy Yard, Lewis Mall in East Boston, Fan Pier) all stop near the Harborwalk.
Bike share

Near Piers Park, right now

  • Piers Park2 min walk · 12 bikes
  • Lewis Mall Wharf5 min walk · 17 bikes

Near Columbia Point, right now

  • University of Massachusetts Boston - Campus Center7 min walk · 13 bikes
Parking
Most of the Harborwalk is in dense neighborhoods with paid or limited parking.
More

The free DCR lot at Castle Island is one of the few free lots on the route.

A roam on this trail

A roam is a self-guided route with stops along the way. The free Shift app checks you in at each stop, and you unlock a badge at the end.

Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash

Uses this trail

Harbor Walk to Eastie Eats

1.7 mi 1 hr

Get Shift, free. Follow a roam with turn-by-turn directions to each stop, and see closures on your trails before you go.

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Keep going

The Boston Harborwalk joins other paths and protected bike lanes. Pick a direction to see it on the map.

This trail Where you can keep going Other bike paths

About the Boston Harborwalk

Surface
Mixed. Brick, concrete and asphalt walkways, with wooden boardwalks and pier decks in places.
Rules
Rules vary by section, because each has a different owner, so follow the posted signs. The Castle Island section, run by DCR, is open sunrise to sunset.
Restrooms
Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center (National Park Service). Castle Island (DCR lists accessible restrooms). The bostonharborwalk.org map lists more amenities.
Food
Sullivan's at Castle Island, open in season. It opened for 2026 on February 27; it usually closes for the winter in late fall.
Who looks after it
City of Boston Planning Department (formerly the BPDA) leads it. Each section is built and kept up by the owner of that stretch of waterfront: the city, state agencies such as DCR, or private property owners.
Also called
Harborwalk, HarborWalk, Boston HarborWalk, Boston waterfront walk

More about the trail

Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 19, 2026