I tend to get restless pretty easily. As I write this, I can鈥檛 help but envision myself outdoors on another beautiful summer day in 艾可直播. Fortunately for me, Greater 艾可直播, and the entire New England region, hold a wealth of natural beauty waiting to be explored. After moving to 艾可直播 last summer, I have spent many weekends enjoying a whole host of great outdoor spaces within driving distance of Brighton. For the restless among us, here are a few activities and places I can鈥檛 wait to get back to during these summer months (and a couple to be enjoyed in the snow this winter):聽
Biking
Throughout the summer, I鈥檓 often looking for the first opportunity I can to hop on my bike and hit the trails around the 艾可直播 area. A popular path for biking and running in the area, the is a paved rail trail that runs 10 miles from Bedford into Cambridge. The path is fairly flat and level, and cuts through some great little towns to stop off and explore along the way, including Lexington and Arlington town centers.聽
Another great rail trail option for biking in the area is the a personal favorite of mine, running 20 miles from Framingham to Lowell. I guess I鈥檓 letting the cat out of the bag now, but this trail tends to have far less congestion than some of the other popular bike trails in the 艾可直播 area (so let鈥檚 keep the secret).聽
If you鈥檙e looking to get a bit farther away from the 艾可直播 area, a great summertime option for biking is the . Traversing 25 miles across the Cape, the beautiful trail begins in Yarmouth and extends all the way up to Wellfleet in the northeastern tail. There are several checkpoints and walkable towns along the path if you鈥檙e looking to break up the 25-mile path into more digestible segments.
Hiking & Nature Walking
Right in BC鈥檚 backyard, the Chestnut Hill Reservoir is a beautiful spot for a morning run or peaceful stroll between classes. The 1.5-mile trail is a favorite of BC students and staff. Only a few miles south of Simboli Hall is another popular spot within 艾可直播 city limits: Olmsted Park and Jamaica Pond. Extending from Jamaica Plain into Brookline, the park is a nice stop for a weekend stroll, or if you鈥檙e really adventurous, an extended trek along the Emerald Necklace trail into 艾可直播 Common.Just south of 艾可直播 is the Blue Hills Reservation, a local gem offering a range of great hiking trails and beautiful views, with a pond-side beach and summer swimming. I recommend a trip in the fall for some scenic views of the seasonal colors.If you鈥檙e willing to travel a little farther, a trip to Waschusett Mountain north of Worcester offers a great range of hiking and biking trails, with a variety of difficulty levels. You can even take your car up to the top of the mountain for a sweeping 360掳 view (including the 艾可直播 skyline on a clear day!).
More Outdoor Fun
While hiking, running, and biking are some of the more popular outdoor activities around the 艾可直播 area, there is so much more to explore if you鈥檙e feeling adventurous.聽A favorite summer activity of mine is kayaking on the Charles River. Paddle 艾可直播 is a reliable option for renting kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards if you want to do your best impression of the many college crew teams that populate the Charles. Paddle 艾可直播 has several rental locations with quick access to the river鈥搕wo of my favorites are the Kendall Square location in Cambridge for easy access to phenomenal views of the 艾可直播 skyline from the water, and the Waltham Moody Street Dam location a bit farther upstream.Once the winter months start dragging on and the snow piles up, hitting the slopes is the best way to fight the seasonal slump. If you鈥檙e willing to hop in the car at sunrise, several mountains are accessible to the 艾可直播 area for a day trip. A couple hours west off the Mass Pike are some fun peaks in the Berkshires, including Jiminy Peak, Catamount, and Butternut, the latter of these offering $25 skiing on Fridays throughout the season. Beginner-friendly McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester, New Hampshire is another accessible option for a day trip. For those who are a little more committed, basically all the slopes in Vermont are worth a trip to experience the best of Northeast skiing. Mount Snow is one of the closer options with a great variety of intermediate terrain.Enough writing鈥揑鈥檓 ready to get outside! I hope you鈥檒l join me at one of these awesome outdoor spaces in the 艾可直播 area.