This week in our Neighborhoods Series, we’re highlighting Arlington, Cambridge and Somerville. Closer to Boston, these cities have lots of fantastic restaurants, some colleges, and historical events and landmarks. And, of course, there’s never a shortage of activities to engage in – from museums to biking paths. We’ll start with the city furthest from Boston (Arlington) and move our way in!
Arlington
Located at the end of the Red Line, Arlington
has more of a suburban feel, but definitely has a lot to do. Home to the Jason Russell House (see picture above), this
city, bordering Lexington, was a key player in the Revolutionary War. Originally a more rural community rooted in
agriculture, Arlington eventually developed into a heavily populated suburb of
Boston. The Smith Museum, located right next to the
Jason Russell House, has exhibits that show the development of the town from
prehistoric times to present day. If you
want to really experience the patriots march, you can walk or bike along the
Minuteman Bike Path from Alewife to Lexington. Present day Arlington contains some gems of the Boston area in terms of
food and activities. With a diverse
range of restaurants, from Argentinian cuisine at Tango
to authentic and delicious sushi at Toraya, they’ve got some good fancy eats as
well as their fair-share of casual American fare and pizza parlors. And if you’re looking to follow dinner with a
movie, Arlington has a couple options, from more current movies at the Capitol
Theatre to special musical performances and movie festival flicks at
the RegentTheatre. If you want to enjoy
some dessert, Arlington has many options, from the mouth-watering cookies at Cookie Time
to the rich ice cream at Abilyn’s Frozen Bakery. And for your late night fix, The ScoopN Scootery is open and serving ice cream sundaes until 2 am!
Somerville
Getting closer to Boston, and further along
the Red Line, Somerville has more of a city feel and has major centers for
restaurants and boutiques in Davis, Porter, and Union Square. There are also a
number of smaller squares, including Magoun, Inman, and Ball Square. Somerville also houses Tufts University,
so there are a lot of college-age residents in the area along with young
families, immigrants, and long-time residents Being so highly and diversely populated, there is a huge variety of
events, community groups, and things to enjoy. In Davis Square alone, there’s the over-100-year-old SomervilleTheatre which shows both contemporary films and also has special
showings of classics like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, along with bowling and
pizza at Sacco’sBowl Haven and Flatbreads, and live music at The Burren. Not only that, but there’s a number of
clothing stores, bars, and other amazing restaurants like Redbones BBQ
and Tenoch Mexican and to enjoy. And
while Somerville has a lot of older infrastructure, there is a lot of newly
developing sections, like Assembly Row shopping center, which has
restaurants, tons of shops, and a movie theater. There is always somewhere to be or something
to do for any interest- whether it’s enjoying the view from Prospect Hill (see
picture above) or going out one of the many festivals, concerts, or
markets.
Cambridge
Right next to Somerville, Cambridge directly
borders Boston, and feels almost like an extension of the city. It is host to many prestigious colleges, like
Harvard
and MIT,
and, like Somerville, has a wide diversity in its population. There are so many fun places to explore for
all different interests. For the
cinephile, Kendall Landmark Theatre and Brattle Theatre
both host a number of independent films and movie marathons, like the upcoming Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat-Cereal Cartoon Party
at Brattle. And if you’re more
interested in shopping, there are malls like the CambridgesideGalleria for more well-known stores and also lots of vintage stores,
like RaspberryBeret. On a beautiful sunny
day, you can drop by Paddle Boston and rent a canoe, paddleboard,
or kayak to take out on the Charles River. If the weather is crummy, there are
also many museums in the area to check out, including the Harvard ArtMuseums (pictured above) for art lovers, the Museum of Science
for an interactive experience for the whole family, or the MIT Museum
for a mix of technology and history. In
terms of food, Cambridge has too many options to list! For everyone from the carnivore to the vegan,
fine-dining to fast casual, and a huge cultural diversity in cuisine. You can check out this list of “33 Essential Cambridge Restaurants” to get an
idea of all the options out there.
