Newton Marriott

Directions to

The Newton Marriott

Located on the former site of Norumbega Park and the iconic Totem Pole Ballroom (click here for a short but fascinating history of the Park and Ballroom penned by Robert Pollock) the Marriott is off Route 30/Commonwealth Avenue in Newton's Auburndale section. It is just across the Charles River (and easily seen) from Route 128/95. You may have rented canoes from the boathouse next door to it, or fed the ducks, geese, swans, and sea gulls congregating in and around the "duck feeding lot" near it.  For us, however, waterfowl feeding is secondary to using the Marriott as a launching platform from which to access riverside trails along both sides of the Middle Charles River and its Lakes Region. It's a perfect doorway to several miles of almost uninterrupted riverside pathways through Newton's Norumbega and Auburndale Parks and the MDC's Forest Grove Reservation; for those on bikes, continuing over paved and stone dust paths all the way through Waltham and Watertown to Boston and the Science Museum is possible, though the round trip from Route 128 is thirty miles or more, enough to keep even the most dedicated enthusiast busy for a while.  To get there:

From Route 128/95

If you're coming from the north, drive Route 128/95 to Exit 24 (Route 30 East toward Newton-Boston). Stay right when the ramp splits; don't be tricked into going left to Wayland. When you reach Route 30, which happens just after the split, turn right ("merge right onto Route 30 is what MapQuest advises") and continue on it 0.2 miles (crossing the Charles River as you do) to the Marriott. Turn left, drive to the farthest back of the parking lot, and look for us somewhere nearby.

 If you're coming from the south, drive Route 128/95 to the ramp for Exits 23-24-25 and continue along it 1.1 miles (this is a long exit ramp!) past 23 and 25 (on the map these look like exits for Recreation Road and the Mass Pike, respectively) to Route 30. At Route 30/Commonwealth Ave turn right ("merge right onto Route 30 is what MapQuest advises"), cross over the Charles, and shortly thereafter turn left into the Marriott. Drive to the farthest back of the parking lot and look for us somewhere nearby.

From Western Suburbs handy to Route 30 (South Road)

For many of you there's no reason to fight your way to Route 128 when Route 30 is already at hand. Drive it to and across the Charles River and turn left into the Marriott shortly thereafter.

From Weston

Newton Road to Route 30 is easy, but a far more scenic route is Meadowbrook to Loring, turn right on Loring and continue to River Road. Once on River Road, follow it to Route 30, turn left onto 30, and then left again at the Marriott.

*** Good Luck !!! ***

For those navigating to the start with MapQuest or a GPS system:

2345 Commonwealth Ave, Newton MA 02466 or N42 20.644, W71 15.609

To contact us call 978-808-0900