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Arlington is a town of about 46,000 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just northwest of Cambridge and about six miles from downtown Boston. Known in colonial times as Menotomy, it sits between Spy Pond, the Mystic Lakes and the hills of Arlington Heights, with Massachusetts Avenue running through its busy center.
On April 19, 1775, retreating British troops fought some of the bloodiest skirmishes of the first day of the Revolution here, and the Jason Russell House still shows bullet holes from that afternoon. Arlington is also the birthplace of Samuel Wilson, the meat packer remembered as Uncle Sam, and was home to sculptor Cyrus Dallin, whose work fills a small museum in the town center.
Today Arlington is a leafy residential town with two historic theaters, the grand Robbins Library and the Minuteman Bikeway, which links it to Lexington, Bedford and the Alewife T station. Boston, Cambridge, Lexington and Concord are all within a short drive.
A paved rail trail that runs about ten miles from the Alewife T station through Arlington Center, Lexington and on to Bedford, following an old railroad line. It is busy with cyclists, walkers and commuters all year. Rent or bring a bike and stop at the cafes in Arlington Center along the way.
A 35-acre wooded park in Arlington Heights built around Hill's Pond, with rocky outcrops, shady trails and a small playground. It feels surprisingly wild for a town so close to Boston. Walk the loop around the pond, and come in autumn when the maples turn red and gold.
A hilltop park on a former farm with one of the best views of the Boston skyline from the suburbs. It has open lawns for kites and picnics, a playground, sports fields and a community garden. Bring a blanket at sunset, and in summer look for the outdoor concerts and movie nights.
A reservoir on the Lexington line with a supervised sandy swimming beach in a filtered, chlorinated area, plus a walking path of about a mile around the water. It is popular with families in summer and with birdwatchers the rest of the year. Beach passes are sold daily in season.
A 1740s farmhouse where Jason Russell and about a dozen militiamen were killed on April 19, 1775, as British troops retreated from Concord. Bullet holes remain in the walls. The Arlington Historical Society runs it as a museum with seasonal guided tours; check the schedule before you go.
A historic mill on Mill Brook where craftsmen made oval and circular picture frames from 1864 into the 1970s. The original belt-driven lathes still run during demonstrations, and the museum shows woodworking tools and mill life. Open on select days; check the schedule before visiting.
A small museum in the historic Jefferson Cutter House devoted to Cyrus Dallin, who lived in Arlington and sculpted Appeal to the Great Spirit and the Paul Revere statue in Boston. It displays his bronzes, medals and paintings. Admission is low cost and hours are limited, so check ahead.
A 100-acre pond next to Arlington Center with a small wooded island, a lakeside park and a playground at Spy Pond Park. Locals walk the shore, launch kayaks and watch herons and ducks. It is an easy stroll from Massachusetts Avenue and the Minuteman Bikeway, and lovely at sunset.
Arlington's main library, opened in 1892 in an Italian Renaissance building modeled on Roman palaces, with a vaulted reading room and fine woodwork. It is still a busy public library that is free to enter. Step into the historic reading room, then walk to the town hall gardens next door.
A statue in Arlington Center honoring Samuel Wilson, born here in 1766, the meat packer whose stamped barrels of army beef inspired the Uncle Sam nickname for the United States. It stands near the Minuteman Bikeway, so it makes an easy photo stop on a ride through town.
A theater on Massachusetts Avenue that opened in 1916 and now hosts live music, comedy, film screenings and touring shows. It has an intimate auditorium with good sightlines from most seats. Check the calendar online and pair a show with dinner at one of the restaurants in Arlington Center.
A 1920s movie palace in East Arlington that now shows first-run and independent films on several screens, with an ice cream counter in the lobby. Tickets are cheaper than at big multiplexes. Arrive early to explore the Massachusetts Avenue shops and cafes nearby.
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