For nature & scenery, Emerald Necklace / Jamaica Pond delivers.
A locals' treasure — Olmsted's continuous green corridor lets you walk or bike from the Common out to the Arboretum, and the 1.5-mile Jamaica Pond loop is a beloved, peaceful waterside circuit. The catch: it's a diffuse system rather than a single destination, the best stretches are away from downtown, and it's a 'do' (walk/run/bike) more than a 'see.'