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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Seeking the perfect skyline beyond the library roof

There's a reason every tour of Tufts' campus ends on the Tisch Library roof. The view from the top of the library offers one of the best and most convenient panoramas of Boston. But for those ambitious Tufts students who are determined to renew — and fulfill! — their yearly resolutions to "get off campus more and explore Boston before classes get too crazy," why not check out the city skyline from someplace new?

 

Peters Hill at the Arnold Arboretum

Anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city needs to visit Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. Spanning 265 acres of some of the finest shrubbery and famous woody plants around, the Arboretum is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. One of Boston's gems, the Arboretum is a beautiful green sanctuary that is the ideal spot to meander along tree-lined paths and grassy meadows.

Make the climb up to the peak of Peters Hill, which at 240 feet has one of the most interesting views of Boston. The green treetops of the Arboretum juxtaposed with the buildings of the Boston skyline make for quite a memorable vista.

Although the Arnold Arboretum at the Orange Line's Forest Hills station is about an hour from Tufts, the unbelievable landscape of Peters Hill is well worth the trip. Admission to the Arboretum is free year-round.

 

 

 

The Charles River Esplanade

With quaint sailboats bobbing along the water, the Esplanade in the Charles River Basin is the perfect place to spend a day strolling around and taking in the spectacular Boston and Cambridge skyline. Unlike some of the other places on this list, this spot offers prime people-watching opportunities.

For the more adventurous, outdoorsy types, the Esplanade is a great place to kayak, windsurf, bike or canoe around the river. While the paths along the river are always closed to cars, from the last Sunday in April through the second Sunday in November, Memorial Drive is also closed to vehicles from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Boasting hourly water-activity rentals at the Charles River Canoe & Kayak and an impressive 18-mile bike path that goes along both sides of the river from the Museum of Science to Watertown, the Charles River Esplanade has something for everyone.

To get to the Charles River Esplanade, take the Red Line to Charles/MGH and follow the footbridge over Storrow Dr. in the direction of the river.

 

Piers Park

With perfectly green grass and a scenic overlook of downtown Boston, Piers Park in East Boston puts the Boston Public Garden to shame. Situated on 6.5 pristine acres, the $17 million newly renovated Piers Park was designed specifically with the area's community members in mind. Locals always know best, so check out this neighborhood favorite and take in the incredible waterfront views of the city along the park's 600-foot pedestrian promenade.

Pack a picnic for a low-key date and check out one of the two main pavilions made for sightseeing, or relive your childhood with the entire landscape of Boston at your feet as you sit on a swing in the playground.

And what would a trip to the pier be without some sailing? The Piers Park Sailing Center offers sailing lessons every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Piers Park is open daily from 9 a.m. to sunset. To get to Piers Park by T, take the Blue Line to Maverick Square.

 

The Prudential Skywalk Observatory

Located on the 50th floor of the Prudential Center, the Skywalk Observatory offers visitors an amazing 360-degree panoramic view of the city from the second-tallest skyscraper in Boston. Spend the afternoon window-shopping in the Prudential Center and then hop on an elevator to the Observatory for some quick sightseeing.

At 749 feet, the Skywalk now offers one of the nation's highest panoramas since the observation deck in the John Hancock building closed after Sept. 11, 2001. This bird's eye view encompasses sights including Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Boston Common and Downtown Boston. Plus, for the Tufts nerd in all of us, the Pru offers a free audio tour about the sights you see as you make your loop around the Observatory. Sure, it's one of the more obvious tourist attractions, but everyone's entitled to be a tourist once in a while.

The Skywalk Observatory is open from March to October from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Nov. 1 to March 28. Tickets are $11 with a college I.D. and $13 for adults.


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