Outdoor Date Help Needed w/in Walking Distance of Davis Square

[sue-agirlnamed.livejournal.com]

So I'm going on a 4th date Sunday afternoon with someone I'm really into, and want to do something outside and fun in the beautiful weather, and within walking distance of Davis, preferably in the Teele Square-ish direction. Any brilliant hidden spots to picnic? Or other great ideas? I'm new to this.

Comments

[ron_newman]

The biggest park in the local area is Danehy Park in Cambridge. That's not really in the Teele Square direction, though. Instead, Dover St to Hollis St to Rindge Avenue to Sherman Street.

[cos]

For parks, there's also the powderhouse, that's a pretty place to hang out.

You could get ice cream and such and eat out in the square, where the statues are. Sometimes there are things happening there too.

There's a little playground on Holland St about halfway to Teele, with swings and suchness.

[ruxxell.livejournal.com]

yeah and when you go to the powderhouse park, watch out for that guy who approaches everyone in sight and like.. yells in their face about who-knows-what

[apricot3.livejournal.com]

hahaha Crazy Mike! he sure spits a lot, but i learned a trick once when i tried to avoid him after he followed me in the white hen- if you pretend to talk on your cell he won't yell (at least directly into your face) ;)

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Yup. I had a very nice first date one afternoon that consisted of crepes at Mr. Crepe and walking, sitting, and chatting at that park. It was a good enough date that I decided there had to be more dates with the same person, and indeed there have been many by now. :)

[ron_newman]

St. Paul's Cemetery, just across Alewife Brook in East Arlington, is pretty. But ... probably not the place to take a date!

[lesliet-ma.livejournal.com]

Depending on how much walking you're up for, you can walk the linear park (behind the T station) up to Alewife. If you continue on past Alewife, you get up to Spy Pond, which is nice. It's a mile to Alewife and another mile to Spy Pond.

Spy Pond!

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

although it's a bit of a trek if you're walking from Davis, you can take the T to Alewife if you'd rather get to the pretty parts faster. Spy Pond and the surrounding area is quite pretty and a perfect setting for a small intimate picnic by the water. Plus, the bike path is gorgeous this time of year, and a great spot to get outside but still be (mostly) shaded from the sun.

Otherwise, the Powderhouse park.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is kind of a stupid question... but how do you continue on the bike path past Alewife? I frequently run/walk down the bike path to Alewife but it just seems to end- do you have to go through/past the actual T stop?

And also, I'm assuming that Spy Pond is actually on the path? Thanks :)

[inahandbasket]

I had that same problem...
Go past the first subway entrance there, under the bridge, and when you get to the big parking garage in front of you go Right, putting the crappy little playground on your left side.
You'll hit a usually empty road, go left up it beside the parking garage.
After ~100 yards the road will hit a T and you'll find the bike path obvious again on your right.

[lesliet-ma.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering. I'll also add that yes, Spy Pond is directly on the path - you can't miss it.

For those with bicycles, the path continues through Arlington and Lexington, over Route 128, and ends in Bedford. It's a great ride.

[ron_newman]

And once you get to Bedford, you can take other (unpaved) paths to Billerica and Concord. See this page for more information on those.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Tufts is a great place for a picnic and the students are gone now. Plenty of shade trees on Walnut Hill and a great view of Boston from the top of the library. The academic quad at the top of the hill is flat and open and great for frisbee or catch. Plus, there are plenty of places to get out of the rain if a storm comes up.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I will put my vote in for either Powderhouse Park or the top of the Tufts Library.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I second the top of the Tufts library!!

[mistresshellena.livejournal.com]

yeah, yeah, take 'em to Powderhouse park and if you're still hanging out around sunset, take 'em up to the Tufts library to watch it go down.

;)

[m-b-w.livejournal.com]

Plus, if you go to the Tufts Library roof, you can check out "Harmony In The Age of Noise." http://www.age-of-noise.net/about.php

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I think the Powderhouse is your best bet, although it's not really Teele Square.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I suggest walking down Broadway, cross Rt 16, then turn right on Sunnyside. You can walk on the secret (public) road behind the houses on the park spare along the water, or continue until you get to the main branch of the Mystic.

[obie119.livejournal.com]

I vote for the Tufts Library - amazing view, and nice and flat for a picnic!

So much to choose from!

[sue-agirlnamed.livejournal.com]

Hi All,

Thanks so much for all of the choices. The person in question actually went to Tufts, so I'm not sure if it's cool to bring him back to his alma mater (which he'll know way better than I will), or not. Can you eat on top of the Tufts Library? Would you recommend picnicking there, or eating in Powderhouse Park (that's the one with the weird stone lookout thing on it, right?), then going to the library to check out the sound thing? That sounds pretty fun.

Alternately, I'm intrigued by the secret public road and Mystic river route. I've never been there!

By the way, you guys are great.