There are so many things to do in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a city that’s home to world-class universities (Harvard and MIT) and cultural institutions. Located along the banks of the Charles River, across the water from Boston, Cambridge maintains its own identity as a liberal, creative hub. The city is known as the “city of squares” for the squares anchoring different neighborhoods, including Central Square, Kendall Square, and Harvard Square. Parks like the Cambridge Common dot the city.
Summer and autumn are the best seasons to visit Cambridge. In summer, the weather is hot and humid, and life is lived outside—the banks of the Charles River brim with people eating ice cream and riding bicycles. In autumn, the famous New England foliage turns, and the trees are a riot of colors—just in time for the return of the university students and many festivals.
Cambridge is a compact city, and it’s easy to get around using public transportation. The subway, called the T, goes through Cambridge with the Red Line and the Green Line, and an extensive bus network fills in the gaps. Cambridge is also an easy city to navigate by bike (with flat roads and bike lanes) and by foot, thanks to the short distances between major areas and wide sidewalks.
In addition to its celebrated museums and universities, Cambridge is home to a thriving independent culture scene, including the Harvard Bookstore (not university affiliated) with an extensive collection of new and secondhand books, and the Brattle Theater, with an eclectic program of foreign, indie, and offbeat movies. For music, stop by the Middle East, an iconic music club in Central Square to see a local band or belly dancing at one of its affiliated venues.
