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Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour

4.5 (11)
Boston, US
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Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour

4.5 (11)
Boston, US
Share
Experience the beauty of Boston's renowned park system on the Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour. This 4-hour adventure takes you through the city's most famous green spaces, allowing you to immerse yourself in nature while still being in the heart of the city. From the shaded boulevard of Commonwealth Avenue to the picturesque shores of Jamaica Pond, and the winding paths of the Arnold Arboretum, this tour showcases the best of Boston's parks. Along the way, you'll discover hidden gems and iconic landmarks like Beacon Hill and Copley Square. Whether you're a local or a visitor, this tour is the perfect way to explore Boston's green spaces and experience the vibrant colors of fall foliage. Hop on a bike and join in the fun!

About this experience

  • Non Refundable There is no return, refund or cancellation possible with this product
  • Admission Included
  • 4 hours
  • Suitable for 1-15 Participants
  • Private Tour, Small Group Tour
  • Guided Experience
  • Explore Boston's famous green spaces
  • Experience the beauty of the Emerald Necklace
  • Ride along the Charles River Esplanade
  • Discover hidden gems in Boston's park system
  • See iconic landmarks like Trinity Church and Boston Public Library
  • Professional guide
  • Use of bicycle
  • Use of helmet
  • Gratuities

Popular Hotels Closeby

More about this experience

Introduction

Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour offers a unique and exciting way to explore the city's most famous green spaces. Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the Emerald Necklace is a chain of beautiful parks and gardens that stretch through the heart of Boston. This guided tour takes you on a thrilling bike ride through these picturesque landscapes, allowing you to immerse yourself in nature while still being in the city.

What to expect?

During the 4-hour tour, you can expect to cover at least 15 miles, including several hills. It's important to be comfortable spending that much time on a bike and covering that distance. Along the way, you'll discover hidden gems and iconic landmarks, such as the North End, Beacon Hill, Charles River Esplanade, and Copley Square. You'll ride through the famous Emerald Necklace, pass by Victory Gardens and art museums, and even pedal around Jamaica Pond and Arnold Arboretum.

Who is this for?

This tour is perfect for adventure seekers, nature lovers, and history enthusiasts. Whether you're a solo traveler, a couple, or a group of friends, this guided bicycle tour promises an unforgettable experience for everyone. It's suitable for both locals looking to explore their city in a new way and visitors wanting to discover the best of Boston's parks.

Why book this?

The Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience that combines outdoor adventure with the beauty of nature. By biking through Boston's green spaces, you'll have a chance to escape the urban hustle and connect with the tranquility of the parks. Your knowledgeable guide will share interesting facts and stories about each location, bringing the history and culture of the city to life. Not only will you get to see the major landmarks, but you'll also explore the lesser-known corners that hide their own unique charm.

Good to know

This tour is suitable for individuals who are comfortable riding a bike for up to 4 hours and covering a distance of 15 miles. Make sure to arrive at the shop 30 minutes prior to your tour time to sign the waiver, get fitted on a bike, and receive an overview of the ride and safety tips. Don't forget to dress appropriately for the weather and bring water and snacks to keep yourself energized throughout the tour.

Reviews

Customers who have taken the Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour rave about the exceptional experience it offers. They praise the knowledgeable guides, the stunning scenery, and the opportunity to explore Boston's green spaces from a unique perspective. Many reviewers express their appreciation for the tour's perfect blend of exercise, nature, and sightseeing, and highly recommend it to both locals and visitors alike. This immersive and informative tour receives high marks for its ability to showcase the best of Boston's parks and leave participants with lasting memories.

How long before the event do I need to book?

  • You can book at any time before the event

Vouchers accepted in the following formats

  • Mobile

Your Itinerary

Urban AdvenTours

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.

Admission Included

North End

(Pass by)

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!)

Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge

(Pass by)

Curious to know the inspiration behind Boston's new(ish) bridge? Our guides will let you know a few fun facts behind the design...

TD Garden

(Pass by)

Along our route, we'll ride past TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, and many a concert!

Beacon Hill

(Pass by)

Cycle through Beacon Hill, on of Boston's most famous - and photographed - neighborhoods.

Louisburg Square

Louisburg Square is famously known as a literary square, with previous residents including Louisa May Alcott and Robert Frost.

Charles River Esplanade

(Pass by)

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.

Back Bay

(Pass by)

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.

Museum of Fine Arts

(Pass by)

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.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

(Pass by)

We'll pass by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - we recommend planning a visit during your time in Boston!

Emerald Necklace

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!

Jamaica Pond Park

Ride around Jamaica Pond, a kettle pond within the Emerald Necklace.

Arnold Arboretum

We'll ride through Arnold Arboretum, the second "link" in the Emerald Necklace park system

South End

(Pass by)

Ride through Boston's South End neighborhood.

Copley Square

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.

Trinity Church

You'll see Trinity Church when we stop in Copley Plaza.

John Hancock Tower

See the John Hancock Tower during our stop at Copley Plaza.

Boston Public Library

You'll see the Boston Public Library when we stop in Copley Square.

Commonwealth Avenue Mall

(Pass by)

Ride in the bike path along Comm Ave

Boston Public Garden

(Pass by)

Ride along the Boston Public Garden, home to the famous Swan Boats and Make Way for Ducklings sculptures.

Boston Common

We'll visit America's oldest park!

Downtown Crossing

(Pass by)

We'll ride through Downtown Crossing, the original shopping district in Boston.

Freedom Trail

(Pass by)

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.

Old South Meeting House

(Pass by)

As we ride through Downtown Crossing, you'll see the Old South Meeting House.

Rose Kennedy Greenway

(Pass by)

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.

Boston Harbor Cruises

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.

Reviews

(11)

4.5 (11)

Emily_T

Bob and Caroline were wonderful tour guides. We felt like we saw a good amount of the city and stopped at some cool spots for pictures. The tour is a must do in Boston!

micheem

While this is a great mode of exercise, the tour wasn't really all that informative. We stopped just a few times in the 4 hours, so we passed by a lot of sites but didn't learn anything about them. We were quite disappointed in the value offered. We would have been better off just renting a bike for the day if all we wanted was some exercise.

maggiej859

What a beautiful way to experience Boston for the first time! Pell, our guide, knew all kinds of information and history about the many places we rode by. Our pace was comfortable and very friendly for wide-eyed tourists like me. The Emerald Necklace route took us through many different areas of the city, from the Back Bay and the Harbor to Jamaica Pond and the Arboretum. We biked through many beautiful parks and greenways. Highly recommend this for anyone going to Boston for the first time! There were only a couple of spots where we biked uphill, and they were pretty mild and brief. You don't have to be a Tour de France athlete to enjoy this ride. I didn't even drink half of my water bottle.

OksanaVR

Great overview of Boston. It was good to have a guide who grew up in Boston and knew a lot about the city and its history.

BAP617

Bob was an incredible tour-guide! Personable, safety-minded and articulate--As a native Bostonian, he had numerous anecdotes to offer throughout the ride. (We are local and got so much out of it!) The ride itself is "slow but substantial," and the scenery was beautiful. We saw corners of the city we had never seen before. In terms of terrain covered, please know that there is only one (long slow) hill (at the Arboretum), which Bob made optional for the group. We went yesterday, and I have already recommended this ride to others! Looking forward to taking another tour in the future!

courtneylund

Greg - our guide was the best part! He gave good information on the way and made it easy on me to ride the city! Completely and totally recommend this tour!,!!! Roll Tide!

Trek818527

Charles river bike path give you magical view of Boston and Cambridge. From the path you can see the magnificent building of MIT, Harvard Business School, Harvard and the skyline of Boston from Prudential to the financial district. do not miss this experience !

atgme

On our tour, it just so happened that all 8 of the participants were from Boston or a nearby suburb. All of us signed up for the tour because we wanted to learn more about the Emerald Necklace and have a chance to tour the entire length of it. We LOVED the experience! En route to and from various segments of the Emerald Necklace, our guides, Greg and Michelle, led us through the city on un-congested bike routes. Aside from experiencing the beauty of the Emerald Necklace, we also explored neighborhoods that were new to most of us (back streets of JP, new development in Forest Hills). The return route on along the Southwest corridor gave us a taste of how Boston has done a wonderful job developing safe bike routes for commuters. If you are a local who wants to learn more about your city, I can't recommend this tour enough!

sibbis

I had an excellent time riding the Emerald Necklace with Urban Adventours. Staff at the shop were very helpful in getting the bike set up and ready, and everyhing was well organized. The weather didn't start out too friendly, but our guide took care to find spots for our stops that were a bit out of the wind. Fall foliage at the parks was beautiful, and we even got to see a very cool art installation with vapor creating a mysterious atmosphere over one of the lakes. Because this was one of the longer tours, we were able to cover quite a long distance, with enough time for stops and background from our knowledgeable guide.

Ann B

I didn't like biking through so much traffic. It was supposed to be a Fall Foliage Bike ride but we had to ask Pell to stop a few times so that we could take pictures, which he did. Also, one of the bikes got a flat tire and it took 40 minutes to fix. That seemed like a long time, but I was glad that he was finally able to do it. The ride through the arboretum and the ride back to the north end was pleasant when we weren't in the traffic. I am sure that is hard to avoid in Boston but maybe a different route would have been better. I am glad that we all survived and we did see some beautiful trees that we would not have seen otherwise.
Collected by Evendo, Tripadvisor & Viator
2024-04-30 11:18
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