Scenic Drive on Memorial Drive Along the Charles River

Memorial Drive runs the Cambridge bank of the Charles, a tree-lined parkway with the river and its sailboats on one side and the Boston skyline rising across the water.

Boston · Drive · about 20 min · 6 miles · Pleasantness: High

Why this route is pleasant

• Follows the Charles River the whole way
• Double rows of sycamores along the embankment
• The Boston skyline across the water
• Sailboats and rowers on the river
• Closed to cars on summer Sundays for the riverfront

What you'll see

• The Boston skyline and the Hancock Tower across the river
• Sailboats from the community boathouse
• The MIT dome and Harvard's boathouses
• The Esplanade and Hatch Shell on the far bank

Best time to go

A summer Sunday when the road closes to cars, or any clear evening at golden hour.

Open this route in Pleasant Routes · More Boston routes · All cities