Staying in Boston Over Spring Break
by Noemi Arellano-Summer
photo by Geena Grant
Don’t feel like going home or on vacation over spring break? Maybe you feel like you need to study for finals? Or maybe, after a semester and a half, you feel like you have a handle on the Fenway area and now you want to go out and investigate more of Boston’s other famous neighborhoods? Whatever your reasons, the following list will help make sure you have some fun in Boston, even while buried under study guides. Whether studying or relaxing, you deserve to take a break!
1. Arnold Arboretum
The Arnold Arboretum is the perfect place to get some exercise and time away from textbooks and technology. Best of all, it’s free. Located in Jamaica Plain, the park covers 281 acres. The Arboretum is considered both a historical park and a research institution for the ongoing study of plants. It’s a major link to the Emerald Necklace, a series of parks (including the Boston Common and the Riverway) that stretch across Boston. Aside from its historical status, the Arnold Arboretum is also a great place for visitors to get in some nature walking. The park’s size makes it easy to feel as though you are separate from the city, but paths and roads help keep you on track, along with provided trail maps. The Arnold Arboretum is best seen in the spring and summer, as far as the weather goes, and spring break is a great time to visit.
2. Seaport
Seaport is a seldom-mentioned district when collecting a list of places to visit in Boston, but if you have the time, it’s definitely recommended. Seaport gives you the advantages of being both by the sea, and also in a nice shopping area, separate from more crowded places like Newbury Street. Toward the ocean, you can walk along the Boston HarborWalk, which is made nicer by the warmer weather. There are a few art galleries, as well as restaurants and the Showplace Icon movie theater to enjoy yourself with, as well.
3, Jamaica Plain
As a neighborhood, Jamaica Plain holds a lot of secrets. For example, the Footlight Club is a small community theater that has been running for over a hundred years. This area feels more residential than other areas of Boston, and that can absolutely be a reason to explore its parks, theaters, and cafes. Personally, I recommend Ula Cafe, near the Stony Brook T stop. It’s a cozy coffee shop that invites you to stay and hang out for a while. Jamaica Plain feels worlds away from the busy traffic of Commonwealth Avenue, and is definitely a neighborhood to investigate, whether you’re just planning to study with coffee and a pastry or engage in something more. Either option is open to you.
So, there you have it! A small list for your endeavours to begin to explore Boston over spring break. The university and school lifestyle can constrict you to campus and the overall Fenway and Brookline areas, so it helps to go out that bubble, and find other fun places in Boston and beyond.