Backyard road trips come in all shapes and sizes, from new adventures to those tried and true favorites. With a focus on experiencing the new or the ease of sticking to places close by, what is often overlooked are past favorites, such as revisiting a place I used to live. Bringing in a new perspective with my kids, this is what I recently did in taking a backyard road trip for an afternoon in Newton, Massachusetts the town that I lived in for five years.
Tony Suburb
I moved to Newton the year I graduated college. Instead of flocking to Brighton or Somerville, I opted for fancy suburbia. Many friends thought it was an interesting choice. I like the fact that I could easily have a car since my job was out of town. It actually was a perfect location. Plenty of good restaurants, an easy trip into the city, as well as close to the downtowns of Waltham or Cambridge. Of course, it’s a beautiful town with plenty of parks, gorgeous houses, and access to major highways. Basically, it makes sense why this town is so desirable!
Although I could never afford to actually buy a home in Newton, renting worked out just fine. I lived with roommates in Newtonville for two years, a year on my own in Newtonville, followed by two on my own in the village of Nonantum.
For our Newton backyard road trip, it was a trip to Nonantum to see the Christmas light display in Coletti Park followed by lunch at Anna’s Taqueria in Newton Highlands.
Coletti-Magni Park
Living on nearby Dalby Street, Coletti-Magni Park is a small green space in the heart of Nonantum. Nonantum is a bit of an anomaly in Newton. Instead of mansions, this village is more urban housing with apartment buildings and modest homes (although during this visit I did see gentrification creeping in even here). It is also known as the Italian section, nicknamed “The Lake” due to the now-non-existent Silver Lake.
In a suburb known for its Whole Foods locations, Boston College, and mansions, it’s nice to see that Nonantum still has neighborhood holdovers such as Antoine’s Pastry Shop, Eddie’s breakfast restaurant, and a Jazzercise studio. At Christmastime, the park is accented by a gigantic Santa Claus and holds an annual Christmas tree lighting.
Since moving out over ten years ago, visiting this park was a blast from the past. The Christmas decorations have exploded, easily tripling the amount in the last decade. Along with the big Santa is a sleigh and tons of inflatable characters such as Paw Patrol and Peanuts. There is also a nativity scene, a mailbox for letters to Santa, and Christmas music playing overhead. It’s a bit of a classic take on small-town Christmas. My kids loved it and so did I.
Anna’s Taqueria
Lunch was next on our itinerary our afternoon in Newton. Anna’s Taqueria, with its original location in Brookline, has expanded throughout the Boston area including restaurants in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and now, Newton. Anna’s acted as my cafeteria weekly while I was in my last two years of college. Nothing quite satisfied like a super chicken burrito, and at that time, for small money. At Anna’s, the burritos are rolled in an assembly line. Cheese? Rice? Beans? What else? And it’s done.
Not only for hungry college kids but Anna’s is perfect for anyone. My own kids enjoy the cheese quesadillas while my wife and I always opt for the burrito. The Newton Highlands location is easiest for me since it is not far away from Route 95 offering a quicker stop than driving way into the city or Brookline (and the parking is a lot easier).
Devouring a super chicken burrito and ordering another for a later time, Anna’s was as good as ever. Anna’s was recently featured in my newest book, Classic Restaurants of Boston, check it out here!
An Afternoon in Newton Comes to an End
For a fun backyard road trip to Newton, check out Coletti-Magni Park in Nonantum and Anna’s Taqueria in Newton Highlands. For more Backyard Road Trips New England afternoons, check out Wrentham, Bristol, and Fitchburg!
