We had an absolutely fantastic time on the Emerald Necklace Tour with UrbanAdventours. Our guide, Bob, was brilliant, knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about Boston and its history. We opted for e-bikes, which made the whole experience easy and enjoyable, even on the longer stretches. The route was perfectly planned, weaving through some of the most beautiful and peaceful parts of the city that we would never have found on our own. It was a refreshing break from the usual tourist crowds and gave us such a different perspective on Boston. A wonderful way to spend the day. Great bikes, great guide, and a great experience overall. Highly recommend!
Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour





At a glance
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Price from
- $99 / person
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 16 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 10
- Cancellation
- See policy below
- Confirmation
- Instant
Prices checked on Sep 11, 2026Things to do in Boston
Description
The Emerald Necklace bike tour is an amazing way to see Boston’s most famous green spaces in a ‘green’ way - you may forget you are in the heart of the city! Discover Frederick Law Olmsted’s famous system of parks on this bicycle tour of the historic Emerald Necklace. From the shaded boulevard on Commonwealth Avenue to the popular shores of Jamaica Pond to the winding paths of the Arnold Arboretum, this route is a fabulous way to experience Boston's park system. The route is a favorite among locals! The parks are gorgeous any time of the year, but the foliage peaks in color between mid October and early November. This tour is up to 4 hours long and covers at least 15 miles, with several hills. Riders must be comfortable spending that much time on a bike and covering that distance. This ride covers many hidden gems in Boston.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Arrive at our shop 30 minutes prior to your tour time. You'll be asked to sign a waiver and be fitted on your bike. You guide will provide an overview of the ride, what to expect, as well as our safety tips and rules of the road.
Our ride will start in the North End, Boston's Italian neighborhood. You will likely smell the garlic as we roll through. At the end of your tour, you guide will be happy to recommend a restaurant or pastry shop (mmm...cannolis!)
Curious to know the inspiration behind Boston's new(ish) bridge? Our guides will let you know a few fun facts behind the design...
Along our route, we'll ride past TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, and many a concert!
Cycle through Beacon Hill, on of Boston's most famous - and photographed - neighborhoods.
Louisburg Square is famously known as a literary square, with previous residents including Louisa May Alcott and Robert Frost.
Our route will take us along the river on the Esplanade, where we'll ride by the Hatch Shell, the outdoor concert stage which was made famous by the Boston Pops Orchestra, which performs during the Fourth of July fireworks.
We'll ride through the Back Bay Fens, one of the parks in the Emerald Necklace park system, which was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The Fens are home to Victory Gardens dating back to WWII, as well as two of Boston's art museums - the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts.
The MFA is a world class art museum. We'll stop to see one of their unique art installations outside of the museum. Banners outside will give you an idea of current exhibits, but the MFA is always worth a visit while you're in Boston.
We'll pass by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - we recommend planning a visit during your time in Boston!
During this tour, we'll ride through the famed Emerald Necklace, which is a chain of green spaces and parks. You may not even feel as though you are right in the heart of a city!
Ride around Jamaica Pond, a kettle pond within the Emerald Necklace.
We'll ride through Arnold Arboretum, the second "link" in the Emerald Necklace park system
Ride through Boston's South End neighborhood.
Copley Plaza is the heart of the Back Bay neighborhood. The John Hancock building, Trinity Church, and the Boston Public Library surround the square. Copley Plaza also marks the finish line for the Boston Marathon.
You'll see Trinity Church when we stop in Copley Plaza.
See the John Hancock Tower during our stop at Copley Plaza.
You'll see the Boston Public Library when we stop in Copley Square.
Ride in the bike path along Comm Ave
We'll visit America's oldest park!
We'll ride through Downtown Crossing, the original shopping district in Boston.
Many people ask if we will ride the Freedom Trail on tour. While it's not possible to follow the entire route on bike, we'll cross over the Freedom Trail multiple times along our tour.
As we ride through Downtown Crossing, you'll see the Old South Meeting House.
One of the city's newest parks, created during "the Big Dig". Rose Kennedy Greenway is the home of many unique art installations, gardens, splash fountains, and farmer's markets.
From Long Wharf, you can see the Old State House - the site of the Boston Massacre - the Custom House Building, the Seaport District of South Boston, and the neighborhood of East Boston.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- This tour is up to 4 hours long and covers at least 15 miles, with several hills. Riders must be comfortable spending that much time on a bike and covering that distance.
- There is street riding on this ride
- Tours rebooked within 48 hours of your tour time are subject to a $20 rebooking fee (per person)
- You MUST be at least 16 years old and at least 5 feet tall to ride an E-bike.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour take?
Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour lasts about 4 hours. The itinerary has 25 stops.
How much does Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour cost?
Prices start at $99 per person for this Boston experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour for free?
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What languages is Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 10 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Specialized infant seats are available Children must be accompanied by an adult
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Boston's Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 16 verified reviews; it is run by Urban AdvenTours. Most-mentioned highlights: Professional guide; Use of bicycle; Use of helmet.
Reviews(16)
Bob was our tour guide. He was very friendly, showing us so many nice sites and bike trails. He took us many nice photos as well.
My boyfriend and I love guided bicycle tours and this one was not the exception. Landscape was stunning and beautiful. We got to experience the last part of autumn.
We had an excellent time and bike riding experience with our Tour Guide, Gary. He was so friendly and knowledgeable and provided us some great information about Boston’s History and historical landmarks. Thank you again for all your help and a beautiful adventure. This is a great tour especially in the fall! -AnneMarie and Matt
We had a small tour with Austin. He was a great tour and went a little farther than normal. He took us to some good spots for photos and was always making sure we were comfortable and willing to keep pushing. He gave a lot of insight to the area. It was also a nice little workout to boost.
Bob and Caroline were wonderful tour guides. We felt like we saw a good amount of the city and stopped at some cool spots for pictures. The tour is a must do in Boston!
While this is a great mode of exercise, the tour wasn't really all that informative. We stopped just a few times in the 4 hours, so we passed by a lot of sites but didn't learn anything about them. We were quite disappointed in the value offered. We would have been better off just renting a bike for the day if all we wanted was some exercise.
What a beautiful way to experience Boston for the first time! Pell, our guide, knew all kinds of information and history about the many places we rode by. Our pace was comfortable and very friendly for wide-eyed tourists like me. The Emerald Necklace route took us through many different areas of the city, from the Back Bay and the Harbor to Jamaica Pond and the Arboretum. We biked through many beautiful parks and greenways. Highly recommend this for anyone going to Boston for the first time! There were only a couple of spots where we biked uphill, and they were pretty mild and brief. You don't have to be a Tour de France athlete to enjoy this ride. I didn't even drink half of my water bottle.
Great overview of Boston. It was good to have a guide who grew up in Boston and knew a lot about the city and its history.
So glad that you were able to join us, Oksana! We appreciate that you took the time to write us a review - thank you for five stars!
Bob was an incredible tour-guide! Personable, safety-minded and articulate--As a native Bostonian, he had numerous anecdotes to offer throughout the ride. (We are local and got so much out of it!) The ride itself is "slow but substantial," and the scenery was beautiful. We saw corners of the city we had never seen before. In terms of terrain covered, please know that there is only one (long slow) hill (at the Arboretum), which Bob made optional for the group. We went yesterday, and I have already recommended this ride to others! Looking forward to taking another tour in the future!
Thanks so much for recommending us to friends! We love when locals join our tour and I'm thrilled to hear that we took you to a few spots you'd not been. We hope to see you again soon
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