Exploring the "Emerald Necklace"

"We want a ground to which people may easily go when the day's work is done, and where they may stroll for an hour, seeing, hearing, and feeling nothing of the bustle and jar of the streets where they shall, in effect, find the city put far away from them..." ~ Frederick Law Olmstead, 1870 ~

Late one night I got a phone call from my sister Fran. "So, what are you doing tomorrow," she said. "I was thinking you should ride up to the city. Some of my art is being showcased at the Thayer Gallery and I thought you might like to see it." I did want to see the exhibit but I also had a bee in my bonnet. Wednesday was Earth Day 2009 and I wanted to explore "The Emerald Necklace", a series of parklands surrounding the city of Boston. Over the years I have visited Franklin Park and of course Boston Gardens and the Commons, but I had never explored the rest of the "necklace." click here for the full photo essay by Elizabeth E.

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Springs Brook Swim Area - Bedford

It’s a pool! It’s a pond! It’s a “man-made filtered swimming facility…set in a beautiful wooded setting.” Sandy beach, playground, deluxe sprinkler area, grills, food concession, small basketball court, big slide, volleyball, lap lanes, diving dock. Great shade, great lifeguards, great place - plus a conservation area for walking. MBTA goes near the conservation area at 180 Springs Road. 781- 275-1392; bedfordrecreation.org

Oceans of Fun in Woods Hole

Woods Hole makes a great day destination from Greater Boston. In the far part of Falmouth, there is the free Woods Hole Science Aquarium run by the National Fisheries Service (check hours) and a museum at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute focusing on underwater exploration and climate change.

Woods Hole and Falmouth also have some neat beaches that usually aren't overrun with tourists. Our favorite, especially for young children, is Woodneck Beach in Falmouth - part of it is a very calm marsh/sandpit area with tons of hermit crabs, and other creatures. .

There 's a fun bakery called Pie in the Sky in Woods Hole with outdoor tables, casual but nice, with great meal choices. Also Falmouth proper, near the center of town, has a brand new large playground with all kinds of cool ocean-related things; including a little
lighthouse you can climb up; it's very close to the library; by an elementary school.

We have family in Falmouth; so we go there quite often. It's about 1 3/4 hr. drive, with no traffic (we go down the 128 to Rt. 24 way). It's best to avoid rush hour, for a day trip, leaving VERY early in the a.m. is recommended.

Many thanks for this day trip tip from Jeanne Wells Hobbie, formerly of the Arlington Family Connection board, and director of Mystic River Musik.

Perpetual Motion Saves the Rainy Day

I just have to thank you again for your book. My friend and I (plus two 2 year olds and a baby) just spent 3 blissful hours on a rainy day at Perpetual Motion in Lowell. We would never have heard of it without the Compleat Day Tripper. - Christine Power Thielman, Arlington

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Editor's Note: Perpetual Motion now offers areas for school-age kids as well as pre-schoolers, plus they offer a coupon for Dispatches subscribers. Please visit our sponsor site to claim your discount!

Bike 'N Play

We found a great playground just past Lexington Center on the Minuteman Bikeway. Called Parker Field Playground, this bike 'n play destination has playing fields of all sorts and a beautiful, large, new playground that's ideal for toddlers as well as older kids. If you remember the multi-tiered wooden climbing apparatus that used to be at Parker, there's a shiny new structure there now. There are the typical climbing contraptions and slides, plus a really neat artificial rock to climb, which was a big attraction for our 3 1/2-year-old. There were probably a dozen or more parents there with bikes and kids, and we even met another family from Arlington Heights, so it seems to be a popular destination for Minuteman Trail users. Highly recommended! - Thanks to Dispatches reader and "Velo Fellow" Andrew Conway for this destination review! Click map image to enlarge it, or click here to download a PDF map of the Minuteman Bikeway.

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Read about 350 other family-tested destinations in
The Compleat Day Tripper: Metro Boston Edition!