South Boston: Castle Island, Pleasure Bay Walk 7 Miles

There is no nearby parking. Sometimes events along the fields (opposite the water take up parking that is for the event).

We will walk along the ocean past Carson Beach and Pleasure Bay to Castle Island. We will take a break at Sullivan's for a snack/lunch break before returning to the JFK/UMASS station.. There are bathrooms at Castle Island. This will be a moderate pace (2.5 miles/hour). It will be a total of approximately 7 miles. Pace also depends on foot traffic.

What to Bring? You should wear comfortable sneakers/walking shoes. Bring water, snacks, lunch, and /or money to purchase food at Sullivan's. Sullivan's food is relatively cheap. They have hot dogs, hamburgers, fish, french fries, onion rings, ice cream.... Where can you get a hot dog for under two dollars?

It is also a good idea to wear sunscreen or have it handy.

Sorry no dogs with this meetup.

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Castle Island / Pleasure Bay, South Boston
Owned and operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, this area provides an abundance of recreation and historical learning opportunities for the visitor. Accessible from downtown, the HarborWalk extends along Pleasure Bay, with a detour to Castle Island. Pleasure Bay is a calm, enclosed lagoon with a sandy beach for swimming. Pleasure Bay is one of the most popular swimming and sunning beaches in the City. Foot showers and water fountains are located on-site. Because the bay is fully enclosed by the man-made Head Island Causeway, water and sediment quality are consistently high. The causeway located behind the beach provides a great walk way for strolling around Pleasure Bay.

Originally freestanding, Castle Island has been connected to the mainland since the 1930s, when streetcars brought bathers to Pleasure Bay. Fort Independence, located on Castle Island, is a five pointed granite structure. The current structure is the eighth fort to occupy this site and contains over 172,687 linear feet of hammered stone and was constructed under the direction of Colonel Sylvanus Thayer between 1834 and 1851. The fort is open during the summer months, and visitors can explore independently or take a free tour. The fort and the island are on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, and Fort Independence is a National Historic Landmark. There are views to Logan Airport and the Harbor Islands, and visitors can observe boating activity in the Harbor. The area is excellent for jogging, walking, picnicking and hiking, and there is a fishing pier and swimming area.