AMC Outdoors, July/August 2008
This summer, come and discover great adventures close to home
As you swelter through another workweek this summer, you might find your thoughts turning to the moment when you can escape the grating indoors for the great outdoors. Chances are, your wandering brain will take you hundreds, maybe even thousands, of miles from where you sit–until reality brings the whole happy exercise to a halt. Maybe you have kids to consider, or you’re concerned about money, time, or your oversized carbon footprint. And you get tired just thinking about sitting in traffic trying to leave the city on a Friday.
So why not set off on an adventure closer to home?
In many of the East Coast’s major metropolitan areas, 19th century planners gave fresh air and recreation a boost by creating public parks amid the hustle and bustle. And where they left off, their successors have picked up, reinventing once-industrial lands as recreation sites for all ages. Biking in Manhattan? Hiking in Philadelphia? Kayaking in Washington, D.C.? Yep, you can do all that and more–and usually at little to no cost.
This summer, consider exploring the natural wonders in your own urban backyard. Here are a few places to start.
Boston: Harbor Islands National Recreation Area What you can do there: Just a 30-minute ferry ride from Boston’s waterfront lies an urban playground like no other: the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The attractions in this 34-island chain range from Spectacle Island, a former dumping ground for the city that now boasts more than 5 miles of hiking trails and a solar-powered visitor center, to Georges Island, home of the Civil War-era Fort Warren. Hiking, nature walks, swimming, kayaking, and camping are all available at various locations, but it’s the organized events that really make this collective destination worth a visit: from ranger-led hikes to vintage baseball exhibition games, from lighthouse tours to science talks to fishing clinics, Boston Harbor is positively bustling in the summertime.
Visitors should be aware that this is a working harbor—cargo ships are ubiquitous, and if the wind blows just so, the city’s sanitation plant makes its presence known. Still, a voyage to the islands will make you feel like you’re a world away. For the last few years, the AMC Boston Chapter has run “Escape to Grape” sleepovers on Grape Island; muses Family Outings Committee trip leader Valerie Paul, “The beauty of Grape in particular is that it’s a kid-sized kingdom. It’s ideal for kids in the 7- to 10-year age bracket who can more or less run free on the grassy paths, climb trees, skip stones, pick berries, and invent games with little parental intervention or concern.” This year’s trips will be July 18-20 and August 8-10. AMC’s Youth Opportunities Program also plans regular outings to the islands, including an overnight on Bumpkin Island this July 24-25.
Fun fact: The official size of each island shrinks and grows as the tides change.
How to get there: Take the MBTA Blue Line to Aquarium station or Red Line to South Station, walk to Harbor Islands Express Dock at Long Wharf. Summer ferry ($14 adults/$8 children) departs every hour on the hour from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more options, see www.mbta.com.
For more info: Boston Harbor Islands Recreation Area: 617-223-8666, www.bostonislands.org; AMC Youth Opportunities Program: 617-523-0655, www.outdoors.org/education/yop. See trips.outdoors.org for Boston Chapter outings, or contact Paul (valerie.paul@gmail.com) for details on this summer’s Escape to Grape trips.
Hartford, Conn.: Riverside Park
What you can do there: After decades of neglect, this urban gem–originally designed by the firm of Hartford native Frederick Law Olmsted–was polished up and presented anew to residents a few years back. The revitalization was led by Riverfront Recapture, a nonprofit that has spent the last 27 years working to reconnect metropolitan Hartford to the Connecticut River.
Today, Riverside Park is a 62-acre downtown draw with a variety of family-friendly activities. Its fields, woods, and waters offer 8 miles of single- and double-track mountain bike trails, a community rowing program, fishing access, a paved riverwalk that connects to other local parks, and an adventure challenge course for groups. In partnership with Riverfront Recapture, a local canoe and kayak company offers introductory classes and guided tours throughout the summer. Regular cultural events also lend the park a lively atmosphere.
Fun fact: The Connecticut River is the longest in New England, flowing 407 miles from northernmost New Hampshire to Long Island Sound.
How to get there: Local bus routes including the N and W run nearby; for details, see www.cttransit.com. If you drive, free parking is available.
For more info: Riverfront Recapture, 860-713-3131, www.riverfront.org; Collinsville Canoe & Kayak, 860-693-6977, www.cckstore.com/programs/riverfrontrecapture.htm.
New York City: Manhattan Waterfront Greenway
What you can do there: Central Park may seem like the obvious choice for people looking to escape the summer heat in the Big Apple, and indeed, it offers many enticements. But those in the know say to not overlook the city’s bikeways. AMC Connecticut Chapter leader Eric Stones enjoys cycling the Hudson River Path from the George Washington Bridge down to Battery Park. The route—also popular for walking and rollerblading—is especially pleasant in the middle of summer “when the breeze of biking by the river keeps you so cool,” says Stones. “It’s safe for children since you don’t compete with cars.”
Stones’ route of choice is part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, a city-led effort to transform working waterfront areas into a 32-mile island loop for recreation and commuting. Other bike routes recommended by the city include Brooklyn’s Shore Parkway path, Staten Island’s Silver Lake Park, and, yes, Central Park itself. If you’ve got a little spare cash, you can even take a two-hour, family-friendly Central Park Movie Scenes Bike Tour ($49 adults/$24 children).
Fun fact: In New York City, it’s illegal to lock a bicycle to a tree, because it could damage the tree. If you do it and get caught, you have to pay a $1,000 fine.
How to get there: Take the 1/2/3 or A/C line to Chambers Street; head west along Chambers and cross West Street into Battery Park. Check www.mta.info for other options. (And yes, bikes are allowed on the subway—though you’ll want to avoid rush hour.)
For more info: Bike New York (education and events): 212-932-2453, www.bikenewyork.org; Manhattan Waterfront Greenway: www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/mwg/mwghome.shtml; Central Park Tours: www.centralparkbiketour.com. See trips.outdoors.org for New York-North Jersey Chapter outings.
Urban Escapes, cont'd >>
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