Mount Auburn Cemetery, founded in 1831, was the first large-scale designed landscape cemetery open to the public in the United States and is now a National Historic Landmark. As with the Forest Hills Cemetery, Mount Auburn is so much more than a burial site. The 175-acre property has ponds, meadows, woods, gardens, fountains, sculptures, monuments, and chapels. It’s considered a wildlife sanctuary for birds; the Mass Audubon Society designated it an Important Bird Area.

Start your visit at Story Chapel (to the right of the cemetery office), which is home to the visitor center. You can watch a video about the cemetery’s history and pick up maps as well as special materials for kids. Mount Auburn is committed to educating children and offers a letterbox challenge, a scavenger hunt, and a family guide to the Washington Tower, an observation tower you can climb for views of Boston.

The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery offers guided walking tours and special events throughout the year. Check the cemetery’s website for a calendar.

Remember: Let your kids know that the cemetery is a place of contemplation for many and is therefore not the place for rambunctiousness. Bicycles, picnics, and pets are not allowed.

Fresh Pond Reservation and Danehy Park (Trips 17 and 18), where the kids can run and play to their hearts’ content, are five minutes away by car.

Plenty of food choices are available in either direction on Mount Auburn Street.