What You Will Do
The Emerald Necklace bike tour is an amazing way to see Boston’s most famous green spaces in a ‘green’ way - you may forget you are in the heart of the city! Discover Frederick Law Olmsted’s famous system of parks on this bicycle tour of the historic Emerald Necklace. From the shaded boulevard on Commonwealth Avenue to the popular shores of Jamaica Pond to the winding paths of the Arnold Arboretum, this route is a fabulous way to experience Boston's park system. The route is a favorite among locals! The parks are gorgeous any time of the year, but the foliage peaks in color between mid October and early November.
This tour is up to 4 hours long and covers at least 15 miles, with several hills. Riders must be comfortable spending that much time on a bike and covering that distance. This ride covers many hidden gems in Boston.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Urban AdvenTours, 103 Atlantic Avenue, Boston
1
Urban AdvenTours
30 minutes
Arrive at our shop 30 minutes prior to your tour time. You'll be asked to sign a waiver and be fitted on your bike. You guide will provide an overview of the ride, what to expect, as well as our safety tips and rules of the road.
2
North End
Our ride will start in the North End, Boston's Italian neighborhood. You will likely smell the garlic as we roll through. At the end of your tour, you guide will be happy to recommend a restaurant or pastry shop (mmm...cannolis!)
3
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge
Curious to know the inspiration behind Boston's new(ish) bridge? Our guides will let you know a few fun facts behind the design...
4
TD Garden
Along our route, we'll ride past TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, and many a concert!
5
Beacon Hill
Cycle through Beacon Hill, on of Boston's most famous - and photographed - neighborhoods.
6
Louisburg Square
5 minutes
Louisburg Square is famously known as a literary square, with previous residents including Louisa May Alcott and Robert Frost.
7
Charles River Esplanade
Our route will take us along the river on the Esplanade, where we'll ride by the Hatch Shell, the outdoor concert stage which was made famous by the Boston Pops Orchestra, which performs during the Fourth of July fireworks.
8
Back Bay
We'll ride through the Back Bay Fens, one of the parks in the Emerald Necklace park system, which was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The Fens are home to Victory Gardens dating back to WWII, as well as two of Boston's art museums - the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts.
9
Museum of Fine Arts
The MFA is a world class art museum. We'll stop to see one of their unique art installations outside of the museum. Banners outside will give you an idea of current exhibits, but the MFA is always worth a visit while you're in Boston.
10
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
We'll pass by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - we recommend planning a visit during your time in Boston!
11
Emerald Necklace
1 hour
During this tour, we'll ride through the famed Emerald Necklace, which is a chain of green spaces and parks. You may not even feel as though you are right in the heart of a city!
12
Jamaica Pond Park
5 minutes
Ride around Jamaica Pond, a kettle pond within the Emerald Necklace.
13
Arnold Arboretum
5 minutes
We'll ride through Arnold Arboretum, the second "link" in the Emerald Necklace park system
14
South End
Ride through Boston's South End neighborhood.
15
Copley Square
10 minutes
Copley Plaza is the heart of the Back Bay neighborhood. The John Hancock building, Trinity Church, and the Boston Public Library surround the square. Copley Plaza also marks the finish line for the Boston Marathon.
16
Trinity Church
5 minutes
You'll see Trinity Church when we stop in Copley Plaza.
17
John Hancock Tower
5 minutes
See the John Hancock Tower during our stop at Copley Plaza.
18
Boston Public Library
5 minutes
You'll see the Boston Public Library when we stop in Copley Square.
19
Commonwealth Avenue Mall
Ride in the bike path along Comm Ave
20
Boston Common
5 minutes
We'll visit America's oldest park!
21
Downtown Crossing
We'll ride through Downtown Crossing, the original shopping district in Boston.
22
Freedom Trail
Many people ask if we will ride the Freedom Trail on tour. While it's not possible to follow the entire route on bike, we'll cross over the Freedom Trail multiple times along our tour.
23
Old South Meeting House
As we ride through Downtown Crossing, you'll see the Old South Meeting House.
24
Rose Kennedy Greenway
One of the city's newest parks, created during "the Big Dig". Rose Kennedy Greenway is the home of many unique art installations, gardens, splash fountains, and farmer's markets.
25
Boston Harbor Cruises
10 minutes
From Long Wharf, you can see the Old State House - the site of the Boston Massacre - the Custom House Building, the Seaport District of South Boston, and the neighborhood of East Boston.
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