Northeast - Living and Riding around Boston

Hey everyone!

I'm a college student who's moving to Boston after graduation. I'm going to be working at Mass general hospital.

I'm looking for affordable places to live such that I can either commute to work or take the T to work, but also close enough so I can hit good riding roads without too much traffic or too many lights. I could also drive to work, but that seems like an unnecessary hassle in the city.

I'd really appreciate if you could help me with figuring out where these places are because I'm quite unfamiliar with the region.

Thanks!

Good luck finding a place that is affordable...

I live next to Mass General. I see a lot of people biking down Hampshire Street on to Broadway in Cambridge. If you aren't used to bike commuting, you
might not think you can live in a place like Medford or Arlington, but it is fairly doable. Basic commute is down Mass Ave.
Other places that might work are Alston and Brighton. Depending on where you live you could commute along the Charles River path. Same with Watertown.

I commute from Westwood to east cambridge (just across the river from MGH). 13 miles each way, it can be done!

Yeah I agree. Where there's a will, there's a way. I commute by bike to the North End from Melrose (North Shore) and it only takes me 30 minutes. I used to live in the Porter Square area of Somerville and the commute was just as easy (and the rent fairly cheap). Anything on the redline will ease your commute since there's a stop right at MGH. I loved Porter Square: short walk to Davis and Harvard Square areas and a short trip into Boston on the T. I went without a car for the five years I lived there and didn't miss it. My wife works at MGH and liked the easy commute while we were there. I think MGH also has a program for Charlie cards (for the T). Porter Square is also the start of the Minute Man bike trail that goes all the way up to Bedford. It's a good ride as long as you go when it's not mobbed with people. There's also a pretty good community of cyclists in the Cambridge/Arlington area. I often see groups getting together for rides at the Peet's Coffee in Harvard Square on early Sunday mornings.

I second the Cambridge/Somerville suggestion, off of Beacon and Hampshire St. Housing is relatively cheap, and it is surprisingly close to everything.

Like bikemore said, Medford is good. It puts you about 25-35 minutes from M.G.H. and if you point your bike the other way, you're about an hour from Essex county and Cape Ann.

Paul