Boston, Massachusetts, is a city with an interesting history and a diverse culture. Just across the Charles River is Cambridge, home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Besides world-class education, the city offers museums, restaurants and many areas for outdoor recreation. It would be difficult to run out of things to do, as both Boston and Cambridge offer many opportunities for fitness activities year-round, including golf, ice skating and bicycling.
Kendall Square
At Kendall Square, visitors and locals can gather to spend the day ice skating, going to farmer's markets or enjoying a concert. Located in Cambridge, Kendall Square is a 10-acre community with residences, office space and 2.5-acres of landscaped outdoor space. Starting in December, the 8,400 square foot ice skating rink opens seven days a week for the winter season. A day of ice skating can help tone muscles and is great cardiovacular exercise. During the warmer months, Kendall Square holds a farmer's market on Thursdays from June to September. Visitors can enjoy shopping for nutritious, local food from area farmers.
Golf
Cambridge's Fresh Pond Golf Course is a great place to spend the day. The nine-hole course is open from April to December and is located around the corner from the Historic Fresh Pond Reservation. Players of all skill sets will be challenged, with water coming into play on four holes, as well as other well-placed hazards. Golfers can expect to use every club in their bag, as there are two par-5 holes throughout the course.
Bike Ride
To really appreciate the Cambridge and Boston skylines, take a bike trip around the city. The Paul Dudley White Charles River bike path is a 14-mile loop around the Charles River. Stretching from the Museum of Science to Watertown Square, the path is 4 feet wide, with many entry spots in Cambridge and Boston. For beautiful views of the Boston skyline, visit the The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. The city park and research center has many roads winding through it that are mostly closed to car traffic. Though you have to walk the last 200 feet to the summer, bike up Peters Hill for one of the best views of Boston.
Paddling
Canoeing or kayaking the Charles River is great exercise as well as a way to get a different perspective of Cambridge and Boston. Visitors can rent canoes or kayaks in Cambridge's Kendall Square, or Boston's Allston/Brighton area. The nine-mile stretch of river has no current, according to Paddle Boston, so it will not be a huge challenge for paddlers. Less experienced paddlers can do one-way trips between the rental locations in Kendall Square and Allston/Brighton.
Science Museum
For an educational day indoors, check out one of the area's exciting museums. Boston's Museum of Science has an IMAX theater, a planetarium and a 3D digital cinema. The Mugar Omni Theater, the world's largest film format, shows educational IMAX documentaries. Past shows have included "Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk," "Arabia" and "Whales." Visitors of all ages will enjoy exhibits such as "Catching the Wind," which explains how turbines turn wind into green energy.
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