Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831 as America's first landscaped or garden cemetery. Comprising 175 acres, it is a National Historic Landmark. While it remains an active cemetery, it is renowned for its magnificent horticultural collection of trees, shrubs and ground-covers.
There is great birdwatching at Mount Auburn. For independent explorations, check the Entrance Gate, which has a sightings board and pamphlets that list recent sightings with dates and locations. See what birds have been seen recently and where they've been sighted.Another source of information is the pamphlet, Birds at Mount Auburn, which lists the best periods for observing particular species during spring migration and is available for a small fee at the Entrance Gate.
Tip: Purchase a map, you'll need it. Expect to get lost, or at least disoriented, on the more than 10 miles of twisting roads and paths.
The cemetery also provides (for a fee)
guided tours
on the way you will visit some of the cemetery's
famous residents
Don't forget to climb the Washington Tower which provides some of the best views of Boston and Cambridge.
