Fenway-Kenmore is a romantic section of downtown Boston that reveals the city’s history and culture. Admire rows of townhouses and imposing museums lining peaceful neighborhood streets and imagine a 19th-century scene populated by artists and patrons.
Start in The Fens, an elegant park featuring ecologically important marshes along the riverbank, plus a pleasant rose garden. The park was built in the 1890s as part of the Emerald Necklace, a chain of green spaces designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Wander along narrow paths in the lively community allotments and admire the creativity of local gardeners.
Designed simultaneously with the park system, this gracious neighborhood was intended to attract Boston’s wealthiest socialite. The Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum resides in the mansion of one such magnate, an art collector and philanthropist. Tour this perennial visitor favorite, full of priceless paintings and artifacts, and the site of an infamous 1990 art heist.
For more world-class art, walk several blocks to the Museum of Fine Arts, particularly well-known for its American collections. Nearby, the public college MassArt trains present-day inheritors of this artistic tradition, with ground-floor galleries often featuring the works of talented students.
Visual art shares the spotlight with music in this creative neighborhood, which has several institutions devoted to both education and performance. Wander past the New England Conservatory of Music and listen for the sounds of the talented students at work, then head to Jordan Hall to hear world-class performers play classical music or jazz. For more laid-back modern offerings, check out the nearby House of Blues, a favorite stop for touring pop and rock bands.
For the ultimate neighborhood experience, see Red Sox opponents battle the Green Monster at professional baseball’s Fenway Park. Mingle with Boston University students at Kenmore Square.
Combine an excursion to Fenway-Kenmore with a walk through the Emerald Necklace park system. The neighborhood is connected to the rest of the city via ample bus lines, subways and trolleys. Walk easily from here to Boston’s Back Bay.
