Boston By Bike- Things to Do in Boston
For living so close to Boston my whole life, I didn’t realize until recently how beautiful of a city it truly is. The lively city streets filled with Bostonian pride make for an incredible vacation. The City of Boston is known for its historical sites and popular attractions. If visiting for a day trip or staying a week, there is plenty to do and see.
Best Time To Visit
Boston is the perfect place to visit in the summer. The sun is shining and the temperatures are warm. In the summer, it becomes an outdoor playground. Live music, street performers, biking trails, and even walking guided tours. New England in the fall is beautiful but isn’t the best for biking weather. Winter, is never ideal, it is freezing and it tends to snow.. a lot. Spring starts to get warmer but like most other places in the United States, rain can become a problem. All in all, visiting in the summertime is the best way to visit the historic city of Boston.
Biking through Boston
Boston by Bike
Experiencing Boston on a bike is a great way to see the city. Recently, Boston has grown a huge interest in biking. Bostonians often find themselves commuting to work via bike every day. Not to mention, biking has serious environmental and health benefits. It is a cost-efficient and environmentally safe way to tour Boston’s most popular attractions.
Bike on Your Own
Boston has a plethora of guided group biking tours that you can partake in. These tours double as a sight-seeing excursion through the entire city. I would definitely suggest a group tour if you are in a big group, want to meet new people, or just want the comfort of being with a guide. However, if you read this blog post and use my tips and tricks, you definitely can experience all of Boston by yourselves.
Bike Rentals
Unless you brought a bike of your own, your first step is going to be renting a bike and there are a few options for this. One, you can rent a bike through a highly accredited company called Urban AdvenTours. You can either pick up the bike at their physical location, 103 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02110, or take advantage of their delivery service. Either way, the bikes come with a lock, helmet, and a map of Boston. Boston also has a bike-share program called Blue Bikes. If you are only planning on biking for a couple of hours, Blue Bikes is the most budget-friendly. You will see their racks all over downtown Boston and you purchase your bike ride through their Blue Bikes app. One thing to note if you decide to use Blue Bikes is that they don’t come with helmets. You can find helmets at CVS or Walgreens for $10-$15.
Biking in Boston: The Essentials
Now, listen up, because this section is regarding the rules and regulations of being on a bike in such a popular city.
- Riding on city streets requires a higher level of concentration
- Bike lanes are becoming more prominent in the city but you can still expect to share these lanes with cars. If you are feeling uncomfortable at all on the street, take to the sidewalk until the traffic dies down.
- Be careful of car doors opening whenever they need to open, which seems to be quite often.
- You will have to follow all traffic light regulations
- You must yield to pedestrians
- You must always have one hand on the handlebar
- And most importantly, be safe!
Lets Go Biking
Boston’s Best Biking trails
If you are looking for a nature bike trail with plenty of green space, below I have listed some of the city’s favorites. If you are looking for a route that explores Boston’s top attractions and historical sites, follow my Boston By Bike Guide below.
- Franklin Park
- Minuteman Bikeway
- Arnold Arboretum Trail: Near Jamaica Plain
- Olmsted park
Boston By Bike Ultimate Self-Guided Tour
I would suggest putting each destination in your maps on your phone. You will use the same process as driving directions except you can click the bike icon. This will give you the best biking routes to get from one destination to the next.
Start at North Station.
There is nothing too significant about North Station, just that it is a perfect starting place for your journey. It will connect you to the Emerald Necklace Bike trail which will bring you to your next destination.
Bike to Charles River
Bike on the Emerald Necklace Bike Trail and stop at the banks of the Charles River. The Charles River is the most significant river in New England flowing 80 miles from Boston to Hopkinton, MA. The Charles River is mostly known for its rowing, sculling, and beautiful boathouses. The Banks of the Charles River are also close to Commonwealth Ave and Fenway Park. Commonwealth Ave is known for its 32-acre mall and public garden making it one of the major streets in Boston. Please note it is not biking friendly but there have been talks to add a bike lane. Fenway Park is home to the Boston Red Socks and is the oldest baseball stadium in the United States, dating back to its opening in 1912.
From Charles River Bike Up to Peters Hill Viewpoint
Peters Hill is a viewpoint in Jamaica Hills that offers beautiful views of the city of Boston. Peters Hill is part of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. The Arnold Arboretum is Harvard University’s museum of trees that is free to the public and offers knowledge on various plants and botanical research.
Views on our Ride
Views on our Ride
Next Bike to the Museum of Fine Arts
The route to the Museum of Fine arts will take you from Jamaica Plain and will get you closer to downtown Boston. This route includes going through the Southwest Corridor Park Bike Trail. The Museum of Fine Arts offers over 100 galleries and interactive exhibits. It is known for being one of the best art museums in the world, making it the best collection in the United States.
~~ The rest of this self-guided tour of the popular attractions are a lot closer together. If staying mostly in the downtown, north end, or south end area is more attractive.. Then start at Copley Square below.
Head to Copley Square
Copley Square is a public square in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. It is one of Boston’s historical squares as it is home to the John Singleton Copley Statue, Trinity College, and the Boston Public library. The Square is one of the city’s most popular meeting areas.
Then Bike to the Boston Public Library
The Boston Public Library is located in Copley Square and sits directly across the Trinity Church. It is completely free to visit and although the exterior is deceiving, the interior is absolutely stunning. The hallways are lined with murals and the learning room has stunning high ceilings.
Downtown Boston
After, Bike Over to Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is one of Boston’s more popular areas due to its picturesque landscape. It is known for its cobblestone streets and Federalist Era architecture. The surrounding neighborhood showcases chic boutiques, brick sidewalks, steep streets, and the Massachusetts State House. Don’t miss out on this stop, it is one of New England’s most charming neighborhoods.
It’s now time to bike to South End, your first stop will be Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Faneuil Hall Marketplace, commonly known as Quincy Market, is a marketplace of eateries, local shops, and even street performers. Quincy Market is specifically a historical building near Faneuil Park constructed in the 1800s. Quincy Market is super lively and is one of my favorite parts of Boston. Please note, for this popular attraction, you will have to dismount your bike and walk a bit as it is a pedestrian-only walkway.
Random Coffee shop in South End
Head to the Boston Tea Party Ships
This destination is totally up to you and how tired or sore you may be feeling. If you are into the historical aspects of Boston, then you may not want to miss this site. However, it is closer to downtown Boston than South End making it a bit out of the way. The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum allows you to first-hand experience the famous event through interactive exhibits and a full-scale replica of the ship itself.
If you decide to skip the Boston Tea Party then head directly to the Paul Revere House
The Paul Revere house was built in 1680 and was home to an American Patriot in the American Revolution. This house is the oldest remaining house in downtown Boston. You can tour the home and experience what it was like to live in the 18th century.
Boston HarborWalk is Next
The Boston Harborwalk is a 45-mile trail along the shores of the Atlantic coast. The Harborwalk also showcases tremendous views of the city of Boston. The Harborwalk starts at North End Station making it completely back to where the trip started.
IF you are feeling up to it: Bunker Hill
At this point, you will most likely be back where you started at or near the North End Station. However, if you have one more popular attraction in you, then head over to Bunker Hill. The Bunker Hill monument represents the war, The Battle of Bunker Hill. It is one of the sights along Freedom Trail making it a historical final attraction. You can climb to the top of the Bunker Hill monument for the most incredible views of the city.
Bunker Hill Views
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