Charles River Dam Boston

The Musical Locks

Cris from Boston

""Charles River Dam" in Boston, with the Musical Locks, is a great place to cross on my bike the water that separates Boston and Cambridge..."

Boston and Cambridge are cities separated by water, and we tend to use that river as a figurative and literal border. Residents north of the river tend to hang out in Cambridge and Somerville and rarely visit Jamaica Plain. Those south of the river stay in the Back Bay or Allston and rarely visit their friends in Somerville. Crossing the river is challenging, at least mentally, if not physically.

If I'm in downtown Boston and looking to walk or bike from the city to Cambridge or Charlestown the obvious places to cross are at Washington St or the Museum of Science, both of which are horrible if one isn't in a car. Instead, I'll make a small detour and cross at what some of us call The Musical Locks. It's a set of locks that separate the Charles from Boston harbor, and there's a set of bells set up by the railings that anyone can play. I ride my bike through the locks everyday on my way to work, and I will watch joggers run by, hitting the bells in time with their stride and it sounds like an ephemeral symphony.

At night, North Point Park, the Cambridge side of the locks glows in the shadow of the Zakim and is lit up like the future. On a bike, I feel like I am riding light cycles in Tron, and a quiet ride over water feels a little more like an adventure.

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Boston Spotter Cris

About me I was born in the Philippines, raised in Canada, but sharpened by a couple of decades of living in Boston. My tenure in this city kind of caught me by surprise, and I was tempted with moving elsewhere (Melbourne and I had a pretty serious thing going on for a bit), but I do admit to loving this place. My wife and I own a 100 year-old condo in Jamaica Plain, but prior to that I'd lived in Cambridge, Somerville, and the Back Bay, so my picks are all over the place, but I hope you agree that they're all worthwhile. Why Boston? I love the people. Bos...

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Beverly Street

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Dec 9, 2025

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