I knew from the beginning of my college search that I wanted to go to an urban college, but one thing I worried about was that I would miss my time outside. Fortunately, the city of Cambridge is incredibly walkable and I've come to enjoy my urban strolls!
The Charles River Trails
I went to high school in rural upstate New York, and my favorite place to walk was the river near my home. I was delighted to discover that my new home in Cambridge also has a river, and that the Charles River has its own fabulous walking and bike paths— over 20 miles of them! You can walk toward MIT, toward Watertown, or cross the river and walk along the Boston side.
A view from the path along the Charles River
I love walking along the Charles because it allows me to explore Cambridge’s urban environment while still satisfying my desire to be in nature. The walk along the Charles is extra special in the spring and early summer, when there is lots of animal activity. Redwing blackbirds call for mates. Pairs of geese lead their adorable goslings. Cambridge residents can sometimes be seen taking time out of their busy days to help a family of geese safely cross the road. Best of all, this time of the year, there is a large population of bunnies munching on the grasses.
A bunny spotted during a late spring walk by the Charles
The Garment District
Walking used to be more about the journey than the destination, but in Cambridge, I’ve found many more destination-oriented walks I enjoy. There are so many shops and cafes to explore within walking distance! Once, I wanted to surprise my roommate with some baklava for her birthday because she mentioned it was her favorite food. I went on a twenty-minute stroll to Yafa Bakery & Café, a Middle Eastern bakery nearby in Somerville. It was hands down some of the best baklava my roommate and I had ever tasted!
If, like me, you’re a little navigationally challenged, and interested in expanding your wardrobe, the Garment District is also a great place to walk to! Located near MIT, it’s a straight shot down Broadway Street for thirty minutes. I really like walking there because I have no turns to keep track of and can get lost in thought or in conversation, if I’m traveling with friends.
I love passing the giant willow tree outside the Cambridge Library on my way to Garment District
Not to mention, the Garment District is such a fun thrift store. It has a pile where you can select clothing and purchase by the pound. If that feels too haphazard, there are also racks upstairs to peruse. Whether I’m looking for a practical blazer or a quirky costume piece, they’ve always got my back. One of my favorite memories of Garment District was walking there on the first real warm spring day of the year, and passing the Cambridge Public Library, where an enormous willow tree was beginning to grow out its leaves. I ended up finding a fun green jacket that I wore the next day when I went with my friends to our secret-garden-themed first year formal. It really was the quintessential Cambridge spring moment.
My friends and I at the first-year formal. I wore my new green jacket!
Trader Joe's
Walking in nature and walking to take advantage of the shops in Cambridge aren’t mutually exclusive, either! You can have the best of both worlds. One of my favorite ways to do that is to walk to the Trader Joe’s on the Cambridge side of the Charles. It’s about a thirty-minute walk from campus, and you walk along the river almost the whole way there!
For the uninitiated, Trader Joe’s is a neighborhood-style grocery store known for its quirky vibes and immense collection of fun specialty snacks. Their honey-sesame cashews and their dried mangoes are my favorites. I often visit to stock up on dorm snacks, or to get ingredients for my various baking projects.
My favorite part of Trader Joe's is the dried fruit aisle.
Sometimes, my friend and I will walk along the Charles to Trader Joe’s just to get some fresh fruit. Earlier this summer, we went and bought a mango, so we brought it back to my dorm and cut it up to share as a tasty post-walk treat. It might have been the best mango I’ve ever had; it was so perfectly ripe. Many of my friends also swear by their giant green grapes.
Finally, if I’m ever really craving to get out of the city and back into the countryside, there are so many student organizations that go on hikes. There are even some forests accessible by taking public transport out of the city.
Walking around Cambridge has been such a fun part of my Harvard experience and given me the freedom to explore so much within such a small radius. It’s been amazing to go from a place where everything was a fifteen-minute drive away to somewhere where many of my favorite things are only a fifteen-minute walk away, but I still have access to green space.
