Boston: Activities

• boating

  Boston is a boating enthusiast's paradise. You can take canoes, kayaks, sailboats, windsurfers and racing shells out on the Charles River or Boston Harbor. Canoes are available on Cape Cod for paddling around the Waquoit Bay National Estuary.

• swimming (outdoor)

  The best swimming beaches are along Cape Cod. Old Silver Beach is Falmouth's most popular strand, but if you want to escape the crowds you can take a water taxi ride from Provincetown out to Long Point Beach. Coast Guard Beach, on the Atlantic shore near Eastham, is a long strand backed by tall, undulating dune grasses. The South Cape Beach State Park in East Falmouth has nature trails and a long sandy beach.

• cycling

  The nicest cycling routes are through the 'Emerald Necklace' of city parks linking the Esplanade and the Back Bay Fens with the Arnold Arboretum, several miles southwest of downtown. The 11km (7mi) Shining Sea Bike Path runs between Falmouth and Woods Hole on the southern shore of Cape Cod and offers great views of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

• walking

  The 4km (2.5mi) Freedom Trail links over a dozen historic sites, winding through downtown and the North End and ending up at the USS Constitution in Charlestown. Guides are on hand to lead nature walks along the 'Emerald Necklace'. The Black Heritage Trail focuses on 19th-century sites on Beacon Hill. For those whose feet follow their noses toward the sea air, the Harbor Walk takes in a mix of ancient granite warehouses and postmodern hotels along Boston's fabled waterfront.

Back to top ^