Houghton’s Pond Recreation Area

This is a very nice park. There is a sweet little pond here too. There is plenty of parking, lots of picnic tables and even a beach. They also have pvc fishing line receptacles for old line. Sadly, even with lots of trash cans, people still feel like it’s okay to throw their trash on the ground. Naturally, much of that ends up in the pond. Brutal, and just sad.

Beautiful park with new, clean facilities and lots of sandy beach to set up a tent or umbrella. I wish they let you swim more but it is perfect for the kids. Went on Labor Day and it was crazy busy but we arrived after lunch and found parking easily (don’t believe the «lot full» signs). There is a lot of shade to be had around the pond and the playground is terrific. Lovely spot for family photos, too!

Great for kids. Beautiful, free parking, nice snack bar/​restaurant, decent bathrooms. I would have given it 5 stars BUT although the DCR website mentions that the water is up to 42 feet deep, they fail to mention that the outermost limits of the cordoned off swimming area reach a maximum depth of less than 3 feet. I’m 5’2″ and the water didn’t even reach my waist. Even when there are no lifeguards, someone is keeping an eye on the beach, and twice today people who tried to go beyond the ropes were yelled at via the extremely loud PA system. So it is great for kids, but if you’re a teen or adult who wants to actually swim, this is not the place for you.

I call this place the «baby beach». It’s perfect for kids to build sand castles, and cool off in the water. I’ve never had trouble finding a spot to park or sit and it’s nice to not worry about the tide or waves knocking anyone over. It’s definitely a place for families with little kids, I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have kids. My biggest complaint is the geese. They’re everywhere, and my toddler always wants to run after them. Obviously I can’t change that, but that really has been our only issue when coming here. I grew up in Utah and this place makes me feel like I’m in the mountains at home. It’s beautiful and I love it!

We visited this place recently and it was quite crowded as it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. This park is easy to reach from Boston and there was ample parking. The buildings (visitor center, concession stand, first aid/​restrooms) seemed new and well maintained. There quite quite a few grills around the lake and many people taking advantage of them. The trail around the lake was nice and well maintained such that one can easily get away from the crowds. This should be a good place to revisit during foliage season.

Not much room for swimming and the life gaurds on duty were super strict every 5 mins they would call people out for every little thing.

Other posters have said this and I agree: This area is a real gem and all free for access! We have lived nearby for 30 years and then about 2 years ago the DCR invested a lot of resources ($$-!) to renew and restructure outbuildings, visitor center, pathways, signage, beaches, et etc. Suffice it to say it shows. Went there today and was astounded. This is a really large, expansive area with various recreational modes surrounding an entire pond.
Next time I will bring along a stick and a trash bag though, since the general public just cannot seem to restrain itself from dropping small amounts of trash — just enough to interfere with the aesthetics (the view from the interpretive stops along the elevated boardwalk next to the scenic swamp of lily pads. Just a plastic bag or a cup and a can will sully the visual experience for everyone, but if one person picks it up, then *POOF* — reality has changed for everyone.
By the way, we went there to eat brunch at Jenna’s Place II which is the proprietor of the food concession at the pavilion off the free parking area. This whole area has no access fees. Pay only for the good food at Jenna’s Place II.

I love Houghton’s Pond! Anyone giving this place less than four stars in regards to the beach probably doesn’t have kids. If you have kids it is perfect. It’s not deep, the water is warm, and the people visiting are all pretty chill. The reservation is well maintained and kept very clean. There is picnic area and places to grill. There is also a great little snack bar with lots of choices and they just started accepting credit/​debit cards. There are often interesting events going on like family reunions or mass baptisms. There is a lot of area outside the beach for hiking, dog walking, etc. The entire place is outright beautiful in any season. Another plus is the free parking, which can be tough to find, but still awesome. It’s just an amazing place to have near by and to escape the city.
There are only two things about this place I do not like. They do not allow flotation devices of any kind (even life jackets or water wings that are attached to your body) in the water. Secondly, the teenagers they hire for life guards. Actually the teenagers are fine as long as you don’t sit too close to the lifeguard towers because you risk over hearing their personal conversations about boozing it up, joints, «romantic» exploitation, and so on. They also have very colorful vocabularies. I’m not a prude by any means but for a place full of children…

The area itself is beautiful and the hiking surrounding the pond is wonderful. I’m sure the pond itself is also enjoyable when it’s not right in the middle of peak season on a 90 degree day. The roped — in swimming area is tiny and so crowded with kids there’s no where to actually swim. At its deepest point it barely made it up to my hips and I’m not tall at all. That combined with the constant sound of the lifeguards yelling through their megaphones to stop people from hanging onto the rope or taking Frisbees into the water makes this a pretty big disappointment for any adult without children. If you want a place for a nice swim in july, this isn’t it.

For year my parents dragged me to the pond to get out of the city on tho those hot summer afternoons. I used to hate going there because it was not the Cape but as I grew older I could see why this place was a special getaway. The pond has not changed much though the walking paths are worn to gravel from all the foot traffic. Prior to the addition of the bath house the only bathroom was a old building the was close too the main parking lot.
As a kid I loved going to the food stand for hotdogs and drinks and begged my cheap sisters for a few more coins a ice cream. On the far side of the pond are areas to host large groups for BBQ’s and volleyball.
Some bad memories there were the drownings of some city kids that would happen every summer. I have vivid memories of the lifeguards dragging kids and sometimes adults out of the water there limp and lifeless. Till this day whenever I go there I still recall those events. I still love the pond and its a great place to walk in the fall season.

This place is *niiiice*.
Came here for my Greyhound group walk. Bathrooms clean, beautiful little pond, nice walking trails!
What a gem!

A pleasant surprise for a beach day. I’d been hearing a lot about this place and finally made it there. There are plenty of areas to sit under the shade if you choose to not go for a dip in the pond. The sand is a bit rocky, but you can find some spots that are better than others. Beware of limited changing areas. Just don’t go there on a camp day and try to change! Parking is plentiful, and it’s really such a short distance from Boston. You don’t even have to get onto 93. Easy to find, too!

Houghton’s Pond is good if you need a quick stint in the sun & can’t make it to the actual beach. It’s usually very jam-​packed with people & families from the city & surrounding towns. If you go on a weekend during the summer, especially a holiday one, be sure to get there early in order to claim a spot on the beach. The water itself is obviously pond water and it’s clean just very shallow. The deepest part goes just above my waist. There are lifeguards on duty, which is good for all the moms who get to talking & not paying attention to their little ones. I like the newly renovated bathrooms, showers with changing areas & outdoor showers to rinse the sand from your feet. The snack bar sells soda, water, pretzels, fried dough & some candy… they only accept cash. The trails around the pond attract joggers & dog walkers. I have family who live in a neighborhood across from one of the park/​pond entrances… please don’t park there when no spots are available in the parking lot. It’s a mutual aggrivant amongst neighbors & I don’t blame them. I can’t promise that your vehicle will be there when you return… or should I say, in tact & free of scratch marks. Hey, it’s their ‘hood.

Great place to walk the dog and it’s clean.

I have only used the softball field for family games but would recommend. Getting this field is hard and unavailable until after July 15^th and then hard to reserve after that because of league games. We have used twice, by far the best maintained fields we have been to. No grandstands for people to watch the game which is a minus and you need to bring your own bases which most people don’t think to do. The parking is a little tight and the BBQ areas are usually taken by 10 – 10:30 so don’t think that you can BBQ and play a softball game in the same area. Once in a while lacrosse people will wonder on the field but softball bats are most dangerous so you can chase them off. Very easy to get to off of the highway. The facilities are a little far removed from the fields making it hard to use the bathroom when you are playing a game.

Nice place! Not big on crowds you will love this area. Great open spaces perfect for picnics and the pond is great for families. You will definitely feel like you’re at the beach. There is a concession stand if you forget your food too.

Honestly, this is my favorite «beach» to go to in Boston.
Everywhere else and i mean EVERYWHERE is gross. I’ve gone to beaches and seen tampons in the water. DIRTY. This place is a very chill place to soak up some sun in Boston. Although, Little kids are always here with their family, it doesn’t bother me a bit. I hate the fact that it closes at 8pm but i guess it makes sense. You can only swim a certain distance to where the rope is though. So, swimmers you may not like this place. But i DO! they also have a food store that you can get fires, chicken, fried dough and things like that it and the food is pretty good.

It’s a beautiful location with a parking lot and well-​groomed facilities. I mountain bike and run with my dog on several of the trails. It’s absolutely gorgeous during the fall with the foliage, as well.
Yes, at times it’s a nice beach, but the sand isn’t my cup of tea, so my ratings aren’t based on the beach activities.

We love Houghton’s Pond. This is a great place to get away and to go deep into nature. The geese and swans are beautiful and quite entertaining. If you need a place to go for some excercise I suggest coming here. It is so peaceful.

What a great area to hang out at on a hot day. About a 15 minute drive from Boston, you are on the edge of the Blue Hills at a large scenic pond where you can swim and sunbathe.
On a 95 degree weekend day, the beach or should I saw sandy area, was packed with families of all ethnicity’s, enjoying the sun and water. There was still plenty of room to throw down a blanket and pick a spot. I decided to try out the water. It being packed with children was a little intimidating. But I went in as far as I could go to the limit line, which was about to my neck. The water was cool at first, then felt warm and refreshing.
If you don’t want to hang out at the pond, there is tons of shady grass space with bbq grills. Multiple lifeguards were on duty at the pond. There is even a large snack bar with a good variety of food. Note that the parking area near the pond is small, so you may have to park further down the street and walk to it. Worth a short trip from Boston for an urban escape!