The Best Locations in Boston to Play Pokémon Go

Alex Erdekian

If you feel like you’ve seen (even more) people’s eyes glued to their phones this past week, don’t worry—you’re not going crazy.

Released July 6, Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm, and Boston is no exception. The app, available on iOS and Android, is an adapted mobile version of the original handheld game that became an international craze in the late ’90s. The app uses GPS to surface Pokémon in real-life locations, and players have to hit the streets to find and catch Pokémon. Pokémon have popped up in many a random place. A church-turned-house in Holyoke became a “gym,” much to the homeowner’s surprise. One player reported a Pokémon sighting to the city’s BOS311 service. Events have been planned, Google Maps have been made, and a few have even snuck into our office.

http://twitter.com/KyleClauss/status/753242302102048769

If you’ve been infected with Pokemania, get the most of the game by hitting up some of Boston’s most Pokémon-filled hotspots. We checked out the online Pokémon Go communities on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit to find some popular locations in the city where the most players seem to be gathering and catching Pokémon, battling at gyms, and finding poke stops. Happy hunting, and we hope you catch them all.

The Public Garden
Pokémon spotted include: Dragonair, Horsea, Dratini, Vulpix, Jigglypuff, Goldeen

Boston Common
Pokémon spotted include: Growlithe, Scythe, Eevee, Squirtle, Seel, Poliwhirl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Slowpoke

Christian Science Plaza
Pokémon spotted include: Staryu, Poliwag, Goldeen, Magikarp, Poliwhirl, Hitmonchan, Squirtle, Tentacruel, Golduck, Dratini, Psyduck, Slowbro, Slowpoke, Jynx

Copley Square
Pokémon spotted include: Jynx, Gastly, Lapras, Squirtle, Voltorb, Onyx

Fenway/Kenmore Square
Pokémon spotted include: Pikachu, Charmander, Growlithe, Bellsprout, Gastly, Squirtle, Jynx, Weepinbell

Harvard Square
Pokémon spotted include: Squirtle, Graveler, Meowth, Hypno, Magnemite, Gastly

MIT/Kendall Square
Pokémon spotted include: Porygon, Slowpoke, Poliwag, Gastly, Jynx, Squirtle, Horsea, Seel, Staryu

Boston University
Pokémon spotted include: Growlithe, Hypno, Meowth, Magnemite, Machop

New England Aquarium
Pokémon spotted include: Dratini, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Psyduck, Magikarp, Goldeen, Poliwag, Squirtle