A historic tower with unrivaled views of the Harvard skyline, the Charles and the gleaming Boston…read moreskyscraper. It's located deep within the beautifully gothic (and annoyingly one-entranced) Mt Auburn Cemetery and stands head above their veritable collection of world trees and strange crypts. It's a stone tower with a disabled-unfriendly stone stairwell that could well induce vertigo, but please forgive it as it's 150 years old. At the top there's room for a good 10 or more to enjoy the panorama. Go on a clear warm day and earmark a good 20 minutes of your time to relax at the top and take it all in. Don't be one of the tick-it-off crowd and head down as soon as you've got your photo.

Washington Tower is noted for its great panoramic views of Boston and Cambridge. Honestly, Boston's…read moreskyline pales in comparison to other global cities. Nevertheless, as a resident of Boston for almost 4 years I knew I had to see it for myself. I would give it five stars; however there were a couple things that detracted from my visit: 1) there are no clear signs indicating where Washington tower is in relation to the rest of the cemetery 2) it was super windy when I went in to the top in May, and the wind made the view from the top almost unbearable because it would blow us left and right and made me feel cold and unnerved 3) naturally, because this is outdoors, bugs were here in swarms; there were bees and flies and even mosquitoes--yikes! Overall, I am glad I got to check it off my bucket list but I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. I would even dare say that the view from the Charles River might be better ;)

Came here b/c they validate parking and was playing The Farewell…read more Pros: - Cinema validates parking - reduces parking cost to $3; there is a machine inside that validates the ticket - Movie prices are relatively cheap compared to other theaters ($13 for regular ticket) - Comfortable seats and screen size (both are smaller compared to other theaters) - Clean bathroom stalls on the second floor - Not crowded, best part Cons: - A bit out of the way but if you have a car this is a great place in terms of parking and pricing

This is my favorite local theater located on a quiet street in Kendall Square. The reclining seats…read moreare comfy and spacious and they have showings of latest blockbuster hits as well as smaller indie films. Some parts of the theater were a bit rundown and undergoing renovations when we went, but that didn't affect the movie-watching experience. I wish they didn't play a horror movie trailer before my non-horror movie though. I paid to see the movie I chose, not for unwanted scares!

Now in all Fairness, this place should have two seperate reviews. 1 for the stores in the area and…read morethe convienience of it, and 1 for the HORRIBLE traffic that passes through it each day. We'll start with the good. Good: There is nearly every different type of store you could want in the area. Theres a 24 hour CVS (SOO AWESOME), there is a staples copy center, there is a supercuts, there is a PC repair place, there is a bank, there are more random restaurants then I can count with every different type of food you can imagine, theres even a Comicbook store a little ways down the road. But the best part of watertown square is the fact that you can catch the bus to get there and back and therefore can avoid the bad part of this review entirely. Speaking of the bad part. here it is. Bad: The Traffic. Anyone who's ever gone through this place at any time of the day knows it can be a pain. Anyone who's gone through it at rush hour knows what it feels like to want to murder someone. Namely that jackass who just cut you off to try and get into the turning lane. It has been aptly nicknamed "the center of hell" by one of my friends. I would like to paraphrase a line from Chonicles of Riddick, which in it self was paraphrased from General Sherman during the Civil war. "If I owned Watertown square and Hell, I'd Rent out Watertown Square and Live in Hell."

WOW! they mean it when they say its THE view. Wrap-around, went here for my second corporate…read morefunction and the food is pretty good. No off-limits zones or things, we just cant bring drinks past the dining area. places to sit, stand, watch a brief slide show, it was a good time. I'd recommend it for an event for a corporation. I cannot speak to the individual prices.

Very disappointing way to spend $74…read more Aside from being weirdly hard to find in the lobby, the observation area is devoid of anything that let's you know what you're looking at. Great views sure, but of what??

I run everywhere in Somerville and today's course was through the monument. Nice view during the…read morerun. Grass area someone was working out which was nice as well. Good hill training.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! I LOVE CASTLES! This is one of the Secret…read moreHidden Gems of America that most people have never heard about or been to before. The Prospect Hill Monument is a stone structure in the shape of a mini Castle & is located in Somerville, Massachusetts just outside of Boston. This is a residential area with homes. It is also a historic site & provides panoramic views of Boston & surrounding cities. There is also a small park in this neighborhood here with green grass, park benches & a good spot for picnicking & relaxing. It's great place to visit Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall with a changing natural New England landscape. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARK OTHERWISE YOU MAY GET A TICKET. Park only at the signs where it says it's OK to Park; it's a residential area. You can also visit here by Mass Transit too. This site is only a few blocks away & up the hill from the bustling heart of Union Square. There are a lot of local businesses & eateries there. The medieval fortress tower was constructed out of stone & steel. It was built in 1903 to commemorate the site's military importance during the Revolutionary & Civil Wars. The Tower stands 4 stories tall. Climb the stairs to the the first outdoor open deck, & you'll see great views of Boston, Somerville, & Cambridge. The inside of the tower & top were open pre-pandemic periodically at various times. Check the website for current info & updates. Be sure to go all around the tower on the ground level. There are plaques with lots of detailed info all around the tower. Also check out all the signs throughout the Park telling you even more info about this spot & how it was instrumental in uniting the colonies. On January 1, 1776, General George Washington himself who would later become the first President of the United States, during the Revolutionary War hoisted the very first national flag of America on this very spot. It was called the Grand Union Flag & predates The Famous Betsy Ross Flag. Our current red & white Stripes with 50 Stars flag is not flown here. Lots of people miss this. Zoom in with your camera & you will see the First Flag of America. The Grand Union Flag is still flown here on top of the tower. It has red & white stripes but with the blue British Union Jack in the corner instead of the Stars. It's Pretty Cool that they still fly our very first national flag here. To make it worth your trip be sure to visit the extremely popular Union Square Donuts which has Great Donuts & is only a few blocks away. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

Quote: Inspired by Christopher Wren's Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford, England, Sanders Theatre is…read morefamous for its design and its acoustics. A member of the League of Historic American Theatres, the 1,166 seat theatre offers a unique and intimate 180 degree design which provides unusual proximity to the stage: End Quote It feels like a warm wooden church inside, I just saw Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble there, and it was WONDERFUL! The theatre itself, is gorgeous. Walking up to the building is very scenic. However, seating wasn't ergonomic in 1922, so it's hard wooden benches and your feet will fall asleep during the show. But check it out if you would like to see a classical performance or Harvard art event, in a student, casual environment. I think it may be sometimes only available to Harvard students and affiliates.

If you're inspired by beautiful architecture, you *must* catch a performance at Sanders Theatre…read more When I walk into the space, my spirit is uplifted and can't help but gaze around me and drink in the amazing style of this place. Rich, dark woods, beautiful soaring archways and central dome, lovely tile in the entrance hall... it's just a lovely space. The acoustics in the space are quite amazing, too. I sing with the Cambridge Community Chorus, and we're performing a show there this coming Sunday... we've had two rehearsals so far in this space and the sound is absolutely amazing. The space itself serves as a natural amplifier, and the harmonics in the room are such that the tones and frequencies blend prettily in ways that other spaces just don't convey. The statements about the seating being uncomfortable are true... but regardless, if you have an opportunity to see a show at Sanders Theatre, you should do it. Uncomfortable seats notwithstanding, it is a truly magical experience.

We planned a field trip to the Jackson Homestead with our homeschool group. We had nearly 30 people…read morebetween the ages of 7 and 50, and everyone enjoyed the visit. The attraction is reasonably priced for individuals visiting at $6 per person. The field trip was also very reasonable for up to 30 children and up to 10 adults. The foyer explains the background of the owners and their involvement with the abolition movement and the underground railroad in the 1800s. The children were able to look at source documents and work in teams to make inferences on the information and draw conclusions. Next, we moved to the lower level which is professionally outfitted with plaques explaining the history and a lot of fantastic artifacts. There were several interactive and "please touch" areas, which all the children (and even the teens enjoyed). There were boxes they could climb into to show what it was like to travel across the ocean as a captured slave, and the interesting story of Henry Box Brown. There was even an excavated well (covered with a grate, of course) that may have been used to hide fugitive slaves. On the main floor, the children were able to explore some of the other areas of the house, like "Newton's Toy Box," information on stained glass, and an extensive time-line of the house and history makers. Upstairs was a small area open to the public (due to their offices being on that floor) that had a flag on display from the civil war era. and envelopes used for propaganda during that time period. There were also pictures of the original rooms and textile samples with information about the dress at the time. The main floor also has a lovely little gift shop with a good variety of souvenirs. The staff was friendly and helpful. A most wonderful trip!

What an impressive historical site. This family's home was crucial to the Underground Railroad. It…read morewas pretty fascinating to see how this historical site really believed in abolishing slavery to help those two go into freedom. I didn't realize how important this site is to history but it was really nice to see letters and photographs of that time and about Newton area that nobody really thinks about. It was pretty cool to see all the old fashioned toys and clothes of the time. There is a lot of literature posted on the exhibitions. I really recommend going here.

Sleep is for the weak, but it's also for the week, if you only sleep once a week, like me…read more It's been Weeks since I came to this beautiful Footbridge. Of course it goes over the gorgeous Charles River, and it's really nice that they actually built a bridge that is mainly for pedestrians. And of course because there aren't any bridges that are directly adjacent to this which you can drive across, then it means that students can walk across the river to school and whatnot. And there are great views of Boston and Cambridge from here. So it's just absolutely gorgeous - as is much of Boston honestly.

A bridge for people not for cars. Yay!…read more The Weeks footbridge crosses the Charles river between the Harvard Business School and Harvard proper. It's a picturesque faux-medieval bridge that appears in most postcards of Harvard with a rowing boat popping through the arches. A great place to spend a warm sunny day and the best vantage point for the Head of The Charles regatta once a year. It's nice to be able to see the lovely river without the bother of pesky cars and it's a romantic spot for any date. Hopefully one night the winter ice there will be thick enough for me to go out with a special someone to recreate the cover-scene from Eternal Sunshine.

Parking is a total disaster - if the goal was to discourage anyone from going there - they have…read moresucceeded. Only because Blick is the best art store in Massachusetts did I persist. The threatening sign at the garage entrance to the spaces that are too small and blocked by columns to the complete lack of signage on how to get to blick in the garage - there is a lot of terrible parking in boston but they win the prize!

The exorbitant PARKING SCAM has actually gotten worse...reading other reviews from fall 2019,…read morepeople were complaining about a 10 minute "free" parking window if you get your ticket validated by one of the establishments inside. Well guess what, as of this writing it's been cut to FIVE fricking minutes!!! Yep, $5 for less than 10 minutes it took me to park, wait in line at REI, pick up my online order, go back to my car and leave. These people have zero shame. I hope the pandemic economy puts these scumbags out of business ASAP. Next time I come to pick up an order from REI, I will simply park in the "Lyft drop off / pickup" area in front. Will have to dash in and out before these ingrates try to have me towed.

Great spot for the whole family. Lots of space and shaded area for those who don't like the sun…read more Just make sure to bring bug spray if you head to the creek.

What a beautiful gem in Belmont. Gorgeous views, fresh air & a lovely trail to walk through on a…read morebeautiful winter day. Not at all difficult and very family friendly for everyone to enjoy.