Best ways to see Boston by bike
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Best ways to see Boston by bike
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We've put together three bike routes around Boston for your pedaling pleasure, complete with restaurant, bike shop, and sightseeing suggestions along the way. What are some of your suggestions for enj
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Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 1:08 PM EDT
Posts: 96
First: 6/19/2008
Last: 11/24/2009
We've put together three bike routes around Boston for your pedaling pleasure, complete with restaurant, bike shop, and sightseeing suggestions along the way.

What are some of your suggestions for enjoying the city by bike? Any different or longer routes around the city or in the Greater Boston area we should check out?

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 4:17 PM EDT
Posts: 2
First: 7/29/2009
Last: 10/8/2009

You've gotta be kidding me!!There are no good bike routes around Boston. It's one of the most unfriendly cities in the country for that mode of transportation!

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 5:54 PM EDT
RTM
Posts: 32
First: 7/22/2008
Last: 11/13/2009
Just an FYI....
I noticed they just added a bike lane to Washington St from Forest Hills to Rossie Sq. One of my favorite rides is around Jamaica Pond, down the Arborway and into the Arnold Arboretum.

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 6:05 PM EDT
Posts: 3
First: 10/8/2009
Last: 10/8/2009
In Response to Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike:
You've gotta be kidding me!!There are no good bike routes around Boston. It's one of the most unfriendly cities in the country for that mode of transportation!
Posted by rdbiker


I might have felt the same but really enjoyed last Sunday's Hub on Wheels ride. DO it! You will love it. I rode parts of Boston I never saw before and a lot of old things from new perspective. Guess what? I also learned any Sunday morning is a great time to ride Boston. Maybe not Storrow Drive but out to Arnold Arboredum and over to Castle Island!

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 6:13 PM EDT
Posts: 3
First: 10/8/2009
Last: 10/8/2009
In Response to Best ways to see Boston by bike:
We've put together three bike routes around Boston for your pedaling pleasure, complete with restaurant, bike shop, and sightseeing suggestions along the way. What are some of your suggestions for enjoying the city by bike? Any different or longer routes around the city or in the Greater Boston area we should check out?
Posted by BDCThingsToDoStaff


I love visiting Arthur Fieldler, Mayors White and Curley, Red, Bird's shoes then off to Admiral Farragut and over to Cy Young.  Sweet ride.

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 6:22 PM EDT
Posts: 3
First: 10/8/2009
Last: 10/8/2009
Being a Metro Boston parent, I herd as many teenagers as I can from Watertown Square, Harvard Square, Museum of Science, Hatch Shell and visit the new Harry Parker boathouse and back. I bribe'em with Falafels on Mass Ave, burgers at Bartley's or frisbee on the Esplanade and it is a big success.

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 6:24 PM EDT
Posts: 4
First: 6/17/2009
Last: 10/8/2009

Oh no!  The Globe tell us about the huge number of evil older poeple regulary kill people, even those on bicycles,  and they are saying we must have lots of people out there with bicycles?

How many of them will get killed by evil older people who just don't care how many people they kill?

Oh no!

(maybe they are finally admitting they are wrong about evil older people? Nah they have their agenda and they are stickin' to it!)

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/8/2009 7:51 PM EDT
Posts: 11
First: 6/10/2008
Last: 10/8/2009
Correction to the article: The Forests and Fields bike trip doesn't touch the South End at all (South End is north of Mass Ave).  It starts at Ruggles St, which is part of Roxbury.  And it stays in Roxbury until Jackson Square, at which it crosses into JP.  It's a trip through Roxbury and Jamaica Plain.

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/9/2009 3:55 AM EDT
Posts: 2
First: 10/9/2009
Last: 10/9/2009
The river route can be continued, on bike paths, all the way past Harvard Square to Watertown Square -- making it close to 20 miles roundtrip. 

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/9/2009 4:01 AM EDT
Posts: 2
First: 10/9/2009
Last: 10/9/2009
And I wouldn't call a ride on Amory Street in JP "Forests & Fields". However, you could take the paths through Arnold Arboretum, go on some small side streets for a few blocks, and then take the paths through Franklin Park, and that would be mostly F&F.

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/9/2009 5:20 AM EDT
Posts: 11
First: 2/19/2008
Last: 10/9/2009
Well its encouraging seeing the public and especially the Globe discoverying and discussing biking.
 It's unforunate, as noted by the first respondent, the general attitude is its dangerous and there are no good routes. Also that some just choose to vent here, liking carping about the paper vs older drivers.
 I'm about 70 and enjoy biking regularly along the Charles and Emerald Necklace and Harborwalk.
 Both the River map and FlyingDutchman have sold this route short. You can ride a loop from the Museum Of Science along the Charles all the way to Waltham Center/Square on paved paths. Once past the Mass Ave bridge and BU the foot traffic thins out and once past Watertown Square the path is at its best and is truly amongst trees and greenery. Only the crossing of streets is where you see cars and of course be cautious. But this ride for which you can return on the opposite side of the Charles, along Watertown and Cambridge and Memorial Drive rivals the much praised, justifiably, Minuteman Trail Path from Somerville to Bedford, which is not a loop. And this one is in the heart of the cities and Boston.
 Likewise, the Southwest Corridor which you can start with at Southie along Day boulevard and down to Forest Hills, visit the Zoo, park or cemetary, and come back up via Jamicaway paths to Charles and then along Harborwalk back to Southie is also glorious and overlooked and sold short. Try and enjoy! Be polite to pedestrians and fellow bikers and stay away from roads and drivers and wear helmets, unlike rider in one picture along Charles. Regards! RichC from Everett

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/9/2009 4:55 PM EDT
Posts: 1
First: 10/9/2009
Last: 10/9/2009
I have mapped a few of my rides:

This is about a 20 mile ride around the Emerald Necklace

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=102450319880224670173.000466fb5453304aa87c4

This is about a 35 mile ride out to the waterfront

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=102450319880224670173.00046e1dfa9bf8d9424f0

The Esplanade extends past Watertown Square onto the Blue Heron Trail

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=102450319880224670173.00046c7a06b60d69b41bb

If you are feeling adventurous this is 45 mile ride from Boston out to Walden Woods and back

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=102450319880224670173.00046b4986081db807699

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/12/2009 9:07 AM EDT
Posts: 1
First: 10/12/2009
Last: 10/12/2009
If you're interested in getting to the Minuteman Bike Path (an award winning rail-to-trail), I have my commute from Arlington posted here:  
 
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=334118

There's a dedicated bike lane most of the way.

I saw SuperCodeMonkey's post for Walden and noticed for the first time the access to the Minuteman via the "Grove-Cedar Bike Path" in Somerville.  Will definitely check that out!

I'm loving all the new GPS and mapping tools and widgets out there.  My bet, if you have a GPS device, go to EveryTrail (this is not a shameless plug from the company, I'm just a fan).  You can post comments, photos, and waypoints.  I also love Map My Ride for planning.

In Response to Best ways to see Boston by bike:
We've put together three bike routes around Boston for your pedaling pleasure, complete with restaurant, bike shop, and sightseeing suggestions along the way. What are some of your suggestions for enjoying the city by bike? Any different or longer routes around the city or in the Greater Boston area we should check out?
Posted by BDCThingsToDoStaff

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/22/2009 7:39 AM EDT
Posts: 1
First: 10/22/2009
Last: 10/22/2009
My best ride is to take the bike path along Storrow Drive and connect up with the Minuteman bike path via Havard Square.  The ride though Harvard Square is well marked with signs (starts at the entrance to Kennedy School Yard) and uses less travelled one way streets (some have marked bike lanes) which then take you via Fresh Pond to the Red Line at Allewife where you then jump on the Minuteman Trail.  Great coffee shop in Arlington and several Starbucks/Peets along the way.

In Bedford you have the option of continuing on to Concord Center or even farther to Carlise etc.

The ride from the Science Museum to end of the Minuteman is approx. 20 miles,  going onto Concord Center adds another 5 miles. Allows you to have a relatively car free, safe ride for a total round trip of 50 miles.

I try to do this ride everyday (until the weather forces me inside).  The season changes, sailboats, ducktours, rowers and the tourists during the year makes the trip interesting and different everyday.

Only request is that the State re-mark the Storrow Drive bike path.  This is an accident waiting to happen with the walkers and joggers who don't realize this is a bike path (make sure you have a bell!).

Re: Best ways to see Boston by bike

posted at 10/30/2009 10:03 AM EDT
Posts: 2
First: 10/30/2009
Last: 10/30/2009
Do yourself a favor, your family a favor and Bostonians a favor and do not ride your bike on the streets of Boston.  Consider the suburbs.

Forums » Suggestions » Best ways to see Boston by bike