Time Out With The T

Got that deep-down feeling you need more green in your life than the Yard can offer?

The great thing about Boston: its mass transit system leaves Boston. With some pocket change, you can go rock-climbing in the suburbs, gallery-hopping in Providence, thoroughbred-racing in East Boston and even Revolutionary-War-reenacting in Lexington.

Just remember not to bring your problem sets.

Minuteman National Historical Park

Lexington, Concord, Lincoln

Go to South Station and take the Fitchburg line of the commuter rail out to Concord. From there, head north on Sudbury Road and take a right on Main Street. Stay with Main as it turns into Lexington Road, and follow it to the park. The walk should only take about 20 minutes.

Ever curious about how the guy on the $1 bill got famous? Find out by visiting the spot where the Revolutionary War started, and see if you can figure out if it was the British or the Americans who actually fired “the shot heard round the world.”

Suffolk Downs

East Boston

Take the Blue Line to Suffolk Downs.

The perfect place for a slightly uneasy first date, Suffolk Downs showcases solid, but not spectacular thoroughbred racing. The big event of the year is the Massachusetts Handicap—or Mass. Cap to those in the know—which runs in mid-June. Recently the track has managed to bring in some equine celebrities, including race champion Cigar.

Providence

Providence, R.I.

Take the Attleboro/Stoughton Commuter Rail line from South Station or Back Bay, and get off at the Providence stop. The train will stop a couple of blocks west of downtown.

Affectionately referred to as Boston’s kid brother by most Bay Staters, Providence lies just a couple miles south of the Massachusetts border. Long under the control of Vincent “Buddy” Cianci, Rhode Island’s state capitol has found a new mayor in David Cicilline, a former defense attorney who has revitalized the city. One of Cicilline’s initiatives is “destination Providence,” a magazine published twice a year to showcase the city’s arts scene. Also worth checking out are Providence’s many museums, art galleries and exhibitions. (Rumor has it that there’s also some Ivy school there, but FM was unable to confirm these leads.)

Blue Hills Reservation

Milton, Canton, Quincy, Braintree, Dedham, Boston and Randolph.

Take the Red Line to Ashmont, and then the high speed line to Mattapan. The Canton and Blue Hill Bus will then take you to the Trailside Museum and Great Blue Hill. For more information, call (617) 698-1802.

Straddling over seven different cities, 22 hills and 7,000 acres of green space, Blue Hills provides a green oasis just a few minutes outside of Boston. The views from most of the summits provide great views of the ocean, Boston and its suburbs, especially on top of Great Blue Hill. The area offers lots of other outdoor activities, including mountain biking, rock climbing and a rudimentary form of skiing.