If you’ve never experienced spring in Greater Boston, it’s high time you did: the hard-earned season unfolds beautifully here in one of America’s most historic regions. A springtime getaway to the Inn at Hastings Park, situated just 15 miles from Downtown Boston in Lexington, Massachusetts, puts all of the vernal loveliness and event-studded calendar at your fingertips.
Here’s a glancing survey of just some of the ways you might consider marking this birdsong-y, bloom-full stretch of the calendar while enjoying our luxury Relais & Châteaux hospitality here at the Inn!
Visit the Boston Public Garden
The oldest of its kind in America, established as it was back in 1837, the Boston Public Garden is a jewel in the city’s Emerald Necklace and certainly among the most iconic urban greenspaces in the nation. Besides enjoying a plenitude of blooms this time of year, you ought, of course, to take a ride on one of the legendary Swan Boats that ply the Public Garden’s pond (and have done so since 1877!)—the annual Swan Boat season kicks off in April.
The Public Garden also offers a number of events this time of year, not least the delightful Duckling Day Parade on Mother’s Day, featuring a reading of Robert McCloskey’s beloved Make Way for Ducklings (set in the Public Garden) and a performance by the Harvard University Marching Band.
Tour the Arnold Arboretum
Speaking of Harvard University, its 281-acre Arnold Arboretum is, like the Boston Public Garden, among the most venerable public arboretums in the country. Spring, needless to say, is a wonderful time to visit, with a phenological paradise of extended and varied blooms—from cherries, dogwoods, and magnolias to redbuds, crabapples, and lilacs—on full display.
You can also join various spring birding walks to tap into the migration action, with lots of other events and guided tours on offer as well. On April 8th, the Arboretum Arboretum at Harvard University is hosting a viewing event for the partial solar eclipse that’ll unfold that afternoon over Boston: Take a guided walk up to the summit of the Arboretum’s high point, Peters Hill, to watch the celestial spectacle.
Watch the Boston Marathon
Among the most iconic of all foot races, the Boston Marathon will once again take place on Patriots’ Day (which also comes well celebrated in Lexington, by the way), the third Monday in April, this year. (That’s April 15, 2024, to be specific). This is the impressive 128th running of this world’s oldest marathon, which this year will feature better than 22,000 qualifiers.
Celebrate Cinema at the 2024 Boston International Film Festival
From April 11th through the 16th, the Boston International Film Festival brings a smorgasbord of films of all genres from more than 60 different countries to screens around town. Panels, Q&As, and other events help round out the festival, an absolute must for any and all cinephiles.
Book Your Spring Getaway to Greater Boston at the Inn at Hastings Park
Savor boutique-luxe accommodations a stone’s throw from Boston with a guestroom or suite here at the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, Massachusetts this spring!
