Until recently, a busy elevated highway cut through the center of Boston. A massive construction project nicknamed the Big Dig relocated the highway underground and created space for a new series of urban parks. Collectively known as the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, these parks opened in 2007 and 2008. The Greenway reconnects downtown Boston to the waterfront and creates a link between the North End, the Financial District, and Chinatown.

The Greenway parks abound with family-friendly elements, from a carousel and other festivities to fountains and interactive works of art. The Reading Circle, designed by the American History Workshop, provides a space for storytelling while also informing visitors about Boston’s past and its evolution. Look at the stone benches for a brief lesson about the history of transportation and shipping in the area.