From Our Blog
Holiday Lights in Boston
As the holidays approach, Boston turns into a true wonderland. The city takes pride in celebrating the season with outdoor lights and decorations on our historic streets and amid our parks and open spaces. It inspires a childlike joy in all who gaze up at the bright colors that define this time of year.
Our long, winter evenings are perfect for a stroll to take in the wealth of lights and festive celebrations around the city, and perhaps a hot chocolate along the way. It’s one of the favorite holiday activities in Boston. Given Boston Park Plaza’s exceptional location, we suggest you start at The Boston Common and the Public Garden, just a block from our front door.
The tree in Boston Common is given each year by the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, as a thank you for the help Bostonians gave to the city of Halifax following a devastating explosion in 1917. This year, the stunning tree is 48 feet tall and is adorned with more than 7,000 lights of all colors. The Public Garden is also wearing its seasonal best, with an array of white lights on the bridge that crosses the Lagoon. Both the Common and the Public Garden are magical places during the holidays, and a favorite for both locals and visitors to Boston.
Once you’ve taken in the sights of the Common, it’s time to enjoy Commonwealth Avenue, the broad mall that begins at the edge of the Public Garden. All along the mall, the trees are lit with elegant, sparkling white lights that turn one of the most popular avenues in Boston into a must-see destination.
Just a few blocks off Commonwealth Avenue is Copley Square. The expanse of festive lights, complemented by architectural landmarks Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library, makes it another favorite spot and a great destination on your stroll through the city’s seasonal sights.
When it’s time for hot chocolate to sweeten your stroll, consider visiting L.A. Burdick. On Clarendon Street, just off Copley Square, is a charming storefront. Inside, the aroma of chocolate delights the senses. Choose from one of the drinking chocolates and relax into the depth of flavor in a cup.
If you’re going towards the waterfront, there are a range of seasonal lights to discover. Start at Christopher Columbus Park, on Atlantic Avenue. The park turns into a garden of winter wonder with more than 50,000 blue and white lights adorning a 260-foot trellis as well as adjacent trees. With the beauty of the surroundings, this park is often called Boston’s most romantic destination this time of year.
The season is also on display at the Seaport Common. Here, a 54-foot Norway Spruce tree with more than 10,000 white lights draws visitors, while the whole neighborhood is filled with decorations that inspire awe in children of all ages.
It’s a beautiful time of year in Boston, and the holiday spirit is carried in the air. Be sure to take in the best of the holiday decorations that mark this special time.
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Boston Park Plaza is so much more than a hotel. We are a Boston icon, integral to the city’s heritage. As one of the best hotels in Boston, we offer a true one-of-a-kind experience, as richly textured and profoundly memorable as Boston itself.
