The Charles River Bike Path is an extended loop following the Charles River along the Storrow Drive bank from the Museum of Science to Watertown Square and following the Memorial Drive bank back, for a hearty 17-mile total length. Though annual events along the Charles may mean that some parts of the path are occasionally crowded or marked off, the network of bridges and optional paths means you can customize your ride as needed. Along the way, you enjoy unobstructed views of the Boston skyline and of the MIT and Harvard areas of Cambridge, without having to deal with automobile traffic.

If you feel like exploring even further, the Minuteman Bikeway is 22 miles roundtrip, leading you from Alewife in Cambridge all the way out to Lexington. Collectively maintained by the four communities it passes through (Bedford and Arlington being the other two), the Bikeway takes riders and others off-road and into green space for much of the ride, just one reason it was honored this year by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization promoting a nationwide network of public trails.