Best Places to Bike in the New England Area

With the arrival of cooler temperatures and fall foliage, now is the perfect time for cycling. Fortunately, New England is home to plenty of great places to bike. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a leisurely Sunday bike ride or a weekend warrior seeking new challenges, there are plenty of options. Here we take a look at a few:

Arlington, Massachusetts

If you’re looking for a side of history with your cycling excursion, you’ll want to head over to Arlington.

The Minuteman Commuter Bikeway in Arlington is an  11-mile path that runs along an inactive railroad and follows the first footsteps of the Revolution, and runs through Cambridge, Arlington, and Lexington, out to Bedford. This trail roughly approximates Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride through Lexington and Arlington. Fortunately, you’ll benefit from a luxury that Paul Revere never had – you can pick it up via public transit by hopping on the train and exiting at the Alewife T station. Best of all, you can turn this route into your own personal food tour by stopping at one of the many excellent restaurants, bars and cafes along the way. Senné has two offices located near this route – contact us if you’re interested in setting up an appointment to make this your home after your ride!

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, which in 2019 became the first city to make protected bike lanes mandatory, is an ideal and consistently highly-rated city for cyclists. Cambridge offers a bevy of great biking options, including the Charles River Bike Path (also known as the Charles River Greenway). This 22-mile expanse along the Charles River runs through Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, and Newton. As you approach Boston, you will be greeted by beautiful views of the city skyline. Bonus: Starting in 1985, on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., from the end of April until mid-November, the City of Cambridge shuts down Memorial Drive along the Charles River for pedestrians and cyclists only.

The Fresh Pond Bikeway, which runs through Fresh Pond Reservation, runs about 2.5 miles and winds around the east edge of the Fresh Pond Reservoir, Cambridge’s water source.  The Fresh Pond area is a popular spot for renters and home-buyers and if you’re looking for an apartment, you’ll want to stop by The Brook, a luxury apartment complex featuring amenities like bike storage, a dog-wash and a rooftop deck with amazing sunset views.  This popular trail is generally considered an easy route, taking an average of 44 minutes to complete. The path is transit accessible via the Alewife red line stop and several bus lines. Part of this trail is on a road within the reservation, with separate lanes for bicycles and cars. The tree-lined trail is mostly lined and stays close to roads. While the bikeway ends at Concord Avenue, you can continue along Concord Avenue using the paved sidewalks and bike lanes. At its southern endpoint, the trail connects with the 2-mile multi-use Watertown-Cambridge Greenway, which follows the tracks of a former Railroad line.

Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is home to The Somerville Community Path, a tree-lined paved path, connects Davis Square to Alewife’s Linear Park and is part of the 11-mile Minuteman Bike Trail. This leafy recreation corridor is an ideal option for cycling. If you hop on at Davis Square, you’ll reach Alewife station in a mile. This section gets a lot of use as it connects with the popular Minuteman Bikeway near the station. The trail continues as a tree-lined pathway to its end at Brighton Street on the eastern border of Belmont. Somerville is also bursting with bike culture and is a popular spot with bike messengers. Davis Square’s Redbones restaurant is the go-to spot for both amazing barbecue food and a bike valet service. In 1996, Redbones introduced first-in-the-nation Bicycle Valet parking to Davis Square, offering free parking for bikes, in a secured space, to riders coming to Davis Square regardless of their destination.

Boston Harborwalk

If you like your bike rides with a side of scenic waterfront views, the Boston Harborwalk is an ideal option. This public walkway and bike path hugs the lovely shoreline of Boston Harbor. After your ride, you’ll probably want to spend some time enjoying the area’s parks, public art exhibits and restaurants.

A near-continuous, 43-mile linear park along Boston’s shoreline, the Harborwalk connects eight Boston waterfront neighborhoods to Boston Harbor and each other.  It stretches from the Neponset River in lower Dorchester to Constitution Beach in East Boston via Charlestown, the North End, Downtown, Seaport, and South Boston.

Wayland, Massachusetts

Wayland is home to several idyllic biking trails, including the Common Pathway and Spicket River Greenway. With more than 107 trails covering 618 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you.  These trails, which include Pod Meadow and Pine Brook and are near and dear to nature-loving cyclists and are a great place to spot owls, Rusty Blackbirds and American Beaver. Wayland is also home to one of our newest Senné offices. Stop in if you need a break or a refill of your water bottle.

Concord, New Hampshire

Concord is a city surrounded by parks and forests. This abundant green space makes Concord a cyclist’s paradise, with over 80 miles of trails that provide scenic views. If you’re looking for a gentle ride, the paved trails around Silk Farm Road are a good bet – as are the beginner trails around Meadow Lake in Northwood Meadows State Park. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, the nearby dirt trails of Fox State Forest in Hillsborough, Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown and Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir in Dunbarton will appeal to you. Reward yourself afterwards with a nice swim!

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Located along New Hampshire’s Seacoast and brimming with beautiful scenery, Portsmouth is an excellent town for biking. Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail is one of the largest trails in all of New Hampshire and there are different branches of it all across the state. The Fremont Branch passes through Portsmouth and is 18.3 miles long, making it a perfect option for serious riders. You’ll pass through wetlands, wooded areas, and might get a glimpse of wildlife too.

If you’re more interested in a low-impact ride, the West Foss Farm Trail might be right for you. While this trail may be smaller in length as it is only 1.6 miles, you’ll still get to experience some of the scenery in this area. This trail is owned by the University of New Hampshire and is sometimes used as an outdoor classroom by some of the professors.

Provincetown, Massachusetts

This bike-friendly town is filled with scenic cycling options, as well as being the last stop on the world-famous Pan-Mass Challenge. The Province Lands Trail is one of the highlights and boasts mesmerizing views of the coastline and ocean. You’ll pass by marshes and cranberry bogs for a quintessential New England biking experience. The path takes you directly to Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach and along the way, you may spot some whales and seals.

If you’re looking to make the move closer to some of your favorite biking spots, give us a call at 617.314.9400 to get matched with a Senné Associate and start your search today.