The Landscape Architect’s Guide to

Spectacle Island

Your Guide

Spectacle Island has a varied history that included farming, a quarantine hospital, a glue factory, resort hotels, and a city garbage dump. As part of the Big Dig project, the island was recently reclaimed and transformed into a public park, using landfill from tunnel excavations. Brown, Richardson + Rowe (landscape architects) designed the park, providing the grading and planting drawings necessary to stabilize millions of cubic yards of fill, and working with a soil scientist, Dr. Phillip Craul, to develop site-specific manufactured topsoil.

Today, Spectacle Island is a popular harbor destination, with five miles of trails, stunning views, and a swimming beach. The design was honored with a 2000 Honor Award from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects. Spectacle Island is one of the two “hub” islands with hourly departures from Long Wharf-North in downtown Boston. Purchase your ferry ticket from Boston’s Best Cruises.

View Sites Nearby

New "Green" Visitor Center

Start at the new visitor center to learn more about the island's history. One of the goals of the island’s renovation is to create a “zero emission park.” The building contains green features such as solar panels on the roof, a graywater recycling system, and modern composting toilets.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 2

Summer Programs

Visit Spectacle Island for free events such as Sunday afternoon performances from the local talent of David Ehle and students from the Berklee College of Music, Thursday evening clambakes sponsored by Jasper White’s Summer Shack, or Saturday kite flying outings.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 3

Walking Trails

Five miles of walking trails circle the island. It is marvelous to imagine that these grassy rolling hills were landscaped over a former landfill.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 4

View of Boston Skyline

After an approximately 25-minute hike on the trail, you reach the top of the north drumlin and enjoy the view of the Boston skyline from well-placed benches. Look west toward South Boston’s Dorchester Heights, Marine Park, and Fort Independence on Castle Island, then up the channel to the skyline of downtown Boston.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 5

Lunch at the Top

Enjoy a picnic lunch under the shade shelter at the top of the north drumlin.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 6

Explore the Drumlins

Walk back down the trail to explore the south drumlin and notice the plants, which include both native and non-native species, chosen on their ability to thrive in maritime conditions while maintaining the stablity of the hill slopes.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 7

Island Vegetation

Look for evergreens such as the eastern red cedars, a few of the more than 28,000 trees, shrubs, and grasses planted on Spectacle Island.

Image: Brown Richardson + Rowe Spectacle 8

View of Spectacle Coastline

From the top, you can also see nice views of the pier, visitor’s center, and beach coastline.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 9

Island Beach

Continue to stroll down the gravel path and spend some time on the small beach, taking in the sun, or dipping your toes in the water. Notably, this beach is continuously rated one of the cleanest urban beaches and has a lifeguard during the summer season.

Image: Grace Ng Spectacle 10

Discovery History Along the Shore

Much is known about Spectacle by examining things that were dumped here. Look around the beaches at the sea glass littering the shore. You are bound to see pieces in a variety of shapes and colors, each one a historic part of a Boston household. All the seaglass are considered cultural artifacts and should be left behind for future enjoyment.

Image: Grace Ng