At press time, the Metropolitan District Commission (tel. 617/727-9547; www.state.ma.us/mdc), which runs many of the state's recreational areas, was imperiled by budget cuts. MDC's incredibly helpful website includes descriptions of properties and activities, and has a planning area to help you make the most of your time. If the website is inoperative, you should be redirected; if you aren't, visit the main state website (www.mass.gov) and click "Having Fun."
Beaches -- The beaches in Boston proper are not worth the trouble. Besides being bone-chilling, Boston Harbor water is subject to being declared unsafe for swimming. If you want to swim, book a hotel with a pool. If you want the sand-between-your-toes experience, add some time to your excursion to the North Shore or to Walden Pond in Concord. See chapter 11 or consult the MDC for information on suburban beaches.
Biking -- Even expert cyclists who feel comfortable with Boston's layout (a tiny group) will be better off in Cambridge, which has bike lanes, or on the area's many bike paths. State law requires that children under 12 wear helmets. Bicycles are forbidden on buses and the Green Line at all times, and during rush hours on the other parts of the subway system.
On summer Sundays from 11am to 7pm, a flat 1 1/2-mile stretch of Memorial Drive in Cambridge from Western Avenue to the Eliot Bridge (Central Sq. to west Cambridge) closes to cars. It's also popular with pedestrians and in-line skaters, and it can get quite crowded. The Dr. Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path is an 18-mile circuit that begins at Science Park (near the Museum of Science) and runs along both sides of the river to Watertown and back. You can enter and exit at many points along the way. Bikers share the path with joggers and in-line skaters, especially in Boston near the Esplanade and in Cambridge near Harvard Square. The Metropolitan District Commission maintains this path and the 5-mile Pierre Lallement Bike Path, in Southwest Corridor Park, which starts behind Copley Place and runs through the South End and Roxbury along the route of the MBTA Orange Line to Franklin Park. The 10 1/2-mile Minuteman Bikeway starts at Alewife station at the end of the Red Line in Cambridge. It runs through Arlington and Lexington to Bedford along an old railroad bed, and is a wonderful way to reach the historic sites in Lexington.
Rental shops require you to show a driver's license or passport and leave a deposit using a major credit card. Most charge around $5 an hour, with a minimum of at least 2 hours, or a flat daily rate of about $25. They include Back Bay Bikes & Boards, 336 Newbury St., near Mass. Ave. (tel. 617/247-2336; www.backbaybicycles.com), and Community Bicycle Supply, 496 Tremont St., near East Berkeley Street (tel. 617/542-8623; www.communitybicycle.com). Across the river, try Cambridge Bicycle, 259 Mass. Ave. (tel. 617/876-6555; http://oldroads.com/cb.html), near MIT, or Ata Cycle, 1773 Mass. Ave. (tel. 617/354-0907; www.atabike.com), near Porter Square. For additional information, contact MassBike (tel. 617/542-2453; www.massbike.org).
Golf -- You won't get far in the suburbs without seeing a golf course, and given the sport's popularity, you won't be the only one looking. If possible, opt for the lower prices and smaller crowds you'll find on weekdays. The Massachusetts Golf Association (tel. 781/449-3000; www.mgalinks.org) represents more than 310 golf courses around the state. It has a searchable online database and will send you a list of courses on request.
One of the best public courses in the area, Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, 212 Kenrick St., Newton (tel. 617/630-1971; www.sterlinggolf.com), is a challenging 18-hole Donald Ross design. It's 5,305 yards from the blue tees, par is 70, and greens fees are $28 on weekdays and $35 on weekends.
Within the city limits is the legendary 6,009-yard William J. Devine Golf Course, in Franklin Park, Dorchester (tel. 617/265-4084; www.sterlinggolf.com). As a Harvard student, Bobby Jones sharpened his game on the 18-hole, par-70 course, which emerged from a state of decrepitude in time to catch the golf boom of the 1990s. Greens fees are $25 on weekdays and $32 on weekends.
Less challenging but with more of a neighborhood feel is 9-hole, par-35 Fresh Pond Golf Course, 691 Huron Ave., Cambridge (tel. 617/349-6282; www.freshpondgolf.com). The 3,161-yard layout adjoins the Fresh Pond Reservoir, and there's water on four holes. Before a refurbishment in 2002 and 2003, it charged $17, or $27 to go around twice, on weekdays; $22 and $35, respectively on weekends.
Gyms -- If your hotel doesn't have a health club, the concierge or front desk staff can recommend one nearby and possibly give you a pass good for free or discounted admission. Guests at the new Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common, have the use of the over-the-top facilities at the 100,000-square-foot Sports Club/LA (guests at the original Ritz pay $20), which is otherwise closed to nonmembers. Other hotels with good health clubs (see chapter 5) include the Boston Harbor Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel, the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, and the Royal Sonesta Hotel.
The "Y" offers the best combination of facilities and value. The Wang YMCA of Chinatown, 8 Oak St. W., off Washington St. (tel. 617/426-2237), is close to downtown; the Central Branch YMCA, 316 Huntington Ave. (tel. 617/536-7800), is near Symphony Hall. A 1-day pass costs $10 and includes the use of the pool, gym, weight room, and fitness center. Closer to downtown, Fitcorp (tel. 617/375-5600; www.fitcorp.com) charges $20 for a guest pass that includes well-equipped facilities but not a pool. It has branches at 1 Beacon St. (tel. 617/248-9797), near Government Center; 133 Federal St. (tel. 617/542-1010), in the Financial District; and in the Prudential Center (tel. 617/262-2050).
A Vacation in the Islands -- Majestic ocean views, hiking trails, historic sites, rocky beaches, nature walks, campsites, and picnic areas abound in New England. To find them all together, take a 45-minute trip east (yes, east) of Boston to the Boston Harbor Islands (tel. 617/223-8666; www.bostonislands.com). Their unspoiled beauty makes a welcome break from the urban landscape, but they're not well known, even to many longtime Bostonians. There are 30 islands in the Outer Harbor, and at least a half dozen are open for exploring, camping, or swimming. Bring a sweater or jacket. Plan a day trip or even an overnight trip, but note that fresh water is available only on Georges Island, and management strongly suggests bringing your own.
Ferries run to the most popular, Georges Island, home of Fort Warren (1834), which held Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. You can investigate on your own or take a ranger-led tour. The island has a visitor center, refreshment area, fishing pier, picnic area, and wonderful view of Boston's skyline. Allow at least half a day, and longer if you plan to take the free water taxi to Lovell, Gallops, Peddocks, Bumpkin, or Grape Island, all of which have picnic areas and campsites. Lovell Island also has the remains of a fort (Fort Standish).
Boston Harbor Cruises (tel. 617/227-4321; www.bostonharborcruises.com) serves Georges Island from Long Wharf; the trip takes 45 minutes, and tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $7 for children 4 to 12. Cruises depart daily at 10am, noon, 2pm, and 4pm in the spring and fall, and daily on the hour from 10am to 5pm in the summer. In the off-season, check ahead for winter wildlife excursions (scheduled occasionally). Water taxis and admission to the islands are free.
Administered as a National Park Partnership, the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (www.nps.gov/boha) is the focus of a public-private project designed to make the islands more interesting and accessible. Visit the website, consult the staff at the kiosk on Long Wharf, or contact the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands (tel. 617/740-4290; www.fbhi.org). The Friends coordinate a variety of cruises on and around the harbor throughout the summer and fall; check ahead for details.
Hiking -- For information about hiking in state parks and forests, visit the Department of Environmental Management's website, www.massparks.org. The Boston Harbor Islands offer great hiking; it takes a half-day to circle the largest island, Peddocks.
The Bay Circuit Trail is a 200-mile corridor of open space that curves around Boston from Newburyport, near the New Hampshire border, to Kingston Bay, north of Plymouth. The ribbon of conservation land touches on 50 cities and towns; it comes closest to the areas covered in this book when it cuts through Concord along the north shore of Walden Pond. For information, contact the nonprofit Bay Circuit Alliance, 3 Railroad St., Andover, MA 01810 (tel. 978/470-1982; www.serve.com/baycircuit).
Ice Skating & In-Line Skating -- The skating rink at the Boston Common Frog Pond (tel. 617/635-2120) is an extremely popular cold-weather destination. It's an open surface with an ice-making system and a clubhouse. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children under 14; skate rental costs $7 for adults, $5 for kids. The rink gets unbelievably crowded on weekend afternoons, so try to go in the morning or on a weekday.
A favorite spot for in-line skaters is the Esplanade, between the Back Bay and the Charles River. It continues onto the bike path that runs to Watertown and back, but after you leave the Esplanade, the pavement isn't totally smooth, which can lead to mishaps. Your best bet is to wait for a Sunday in the summer, when Memorial Drive near Harvard Square in Cambridge closes to traffic from 11am to 7pm. It's a perfect surface. Unless you're confident of your ability and your knowledge of Boston traffic, stay off the streets.
To rent skates or blades, visit the Beacon Hill Skate Shop, 135 Charles St. S. (tel. 617/482-7400), not far from the Esplanade, or Blades Board & Skate, 349A Newbury St. (tel. 617/437-6300; www.blades.com), near Mass. Ave., or 38 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge (tel. 617/491-4244), near Memorial Drive. Expect to pay about $15 a day. The InLine Club of Boston's website (www.sk8net.com) offers up-to-date event and safety information.
Jogging -- The Dr. Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path is also a jogging route. The 18-mile loop along the water is extremely popular because it's car-free (except at intersections), scenic, and generally safe. The bridges that connect Boston and Cambridge allow for circuits of various lengths, but be careful around abutments, where you can't see far ahead. Don't jog at night, and try not to go alone. Visit the MDC website to view a map that gives distances. If the river's not convenient, the concierge or desk staff at your hotel might be able to provide a map with suggested jogging routes. As in any other city, stay out of park areas at night.
Sailing -- Sailboats fill the Charles River basin all summer and skim across the Inner Harbor in all but the coldest weather. Your options during a short stay aren't especially cost-effective, but they are fun.
The best deal is with Community Boating, 21 David Mugar Way, on the Esplanade (tel. 617/523-1038; www.community-boating.org). Visitors pay $100 for 2 days of unlimited use in the Charles River Basin, a gorgeous but congested patch of water between the Back Bay and Cambridge's Kendall Square. The oldest public sailing facility in the country offers lessons and boating programs for children and adults from April through November. The fleet includes 13- to 23-foot sailboats as well as Windsurfers and kayaks. The Boston Sailing Center, Lewis Wharf (tel. 617/227-4198; www.bostonsailingcenter.com), offers lessons for sailors of all ability levels. The center is open year-round (even for "frostbite" racing in the winter). The least expensive 30-day "mini-membership" costs $350. Prices for chartering a boat with a captain start at $100 an hour, with a 2-hour minimum and a six-person maximum.
Tennis -- Public courts maintained by the Metropolitan District Commission are available throughout the city at no charge. To find the one nearest you, call the MDC, visit the website, or ask the concierge or desk staff at your hotel. Well-maintained courts that seldom get busy until after work can be found at several spots on the Southwest Corridor Park in the South End (there's a nice one near West Newton St.). The courts on Boston Common and in Charlesbank Park, overlooking the river next to the bridge to the Museum of Science, are more crowded during the day.
