Overview
Cambridge is a city in Massachusetts, across the Charles River from Boston. It is renowned as the home of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both widely considered to be among the best universities in the world. The city's population was 118,000 in 2020; the fourth largest in the state.
19 sights · 16 things to do · 26 places to eat · 9 bars & cafés · 13 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Cambridge
Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Washington made his headquarters here during the siege of Boston from July 1775 through April 1776. From 1837 until 1882, it was the home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow while he taught at Harvard. The site's collecti…
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Yes, it's a cemetery. It just happens to be the first landscaped cemetery and in fact the first large-scale designed landscape in the U.S. The tower provides visitors with a breathtaking panoramic view of the cities of B…
Washington Elm
On July 3, 1775, George Washington officially took command of the Continental Army at ceremonies taking place beneath this Elm tree, which stood at the edge of the training grounds used by the troops. While this tale may…
List Visual Arts Center
Harvard Yard
The center and oldest part of the Harvard campus. An enclosed grassy yard including picturesque buildings dating as far back as 1720. While somewhat architecturally uninspiring, the freshman undergraduate dorms are locat…
Harvard Lampoon building
Home of the Harvard Lampoon, a student humor publication. The west end of the building, fittingly, resembles a cartoonish face wearing a spiked helmet. The building was finished in 1909.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 23°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Mar. (climate data from nearby Boston)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BOS Boston Logan International Airport, Boston — 5 mi away (major hub). Directions
- BED Laurence G Hanscom Field, Bedford — 11 mi away. Directions
or (about one hour away):
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $90–$320 a night (typical $255), from 14 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $13 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$120, mid-range ~$320, comfortable ~$450.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Washington Elm, The Brattle Theatre
- Lunch Lizzy's Homemade Ice Cream
- Afternoon Harvard Yard, Putnam Gallery
- Dinner Harvest
- Evening Charlie's Kitchen
Day 2
- Morning List Visual Arts Center, Stata Center, MIT Great Dome
- Lunch Pagu
- Afternoon Harvard Bridge, Charles River Canoe & Kayak
- Dinner Craigie on Main
- Evening Flour Bakery
Day 3
- Morning Cambridge Arts Council Gallery, MIT Museum
- Lunch Veggie Galaxy
- Afternoon African American Heritage Trail
- Dinner Aleppo Palace
- Evening Lamplighter Brewing
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
With a dizzying array of options, and slightly less stringent liquor laws, Cambridge is every bit as much a dining destination as Boston. Sometimes more so. Many restaurants cluster around Harvard and Central Squares, and finding standbys like Anna's Taqueria and Clover Food Lab is a piece of cake. If you're willing to stray a bit beyond the subway stops (and you should be), you'll quickly discover many less-travelled neighborhood gems. Consider this simply a brief overview of current trends and old standbys. By all means follow your instincts, just don't make any rash decisions due to an empty stomach!
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Tourists, new residents and students may see Cambridge as part of Boston, but in fact, it is a separate city with many neighborhoods (called “squares”).
It is closely connected with nearby Somerville you may hear the phrase "Camberville" used by locals although each has its own distinct personality.
History
The first European settlers were English Puritans in 1630. Cambridge developed as an agricultural town and was not really convenient to travel to Boston until bridges were built over the Charles River in 1793 and 1809. The latter of these opened up East Cambridge for industrial development led by furniture and glass factories. A major influx of penniless Irish immigrants fleeing the potato blight in 1845 increased the Irish population to 22 percent in the next ten years. Toward the end of that century they were followed by immigrants from Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Germany. French Canadians and Russian Jews also came at this time. A small African American population had been growing from colonial times, attracted by the integrated schools. Harvard University, the oldest university in the United States, and one of the most prestigious universities in the world, was founded during the colonial era in 1636.
The result today is a highly diverse population augmented and further diversified by brilliant men and women drawn to Cambridge over the years by Harvard, Radcliffe and MIT, and later by the local high technology companies. "Cantabrigians" (from the city's Latin name, Cantabrigia) are regarded as progressive and tolerant. Decline of the industrial base in the early 1900s led Cambridge to become an intellectual center. Universities are the major employers, but cutting edge companies in information technology and biotechnology such as Akamai Technologies, Google, Genzyme, Biogen Idec, and Novartis are located adjacent to the MIT campus in the Kendall Square area.
Cambridge now advertises itself as "a city where counter-culture still lives, classic culture thrives, and multicultural is a way of life." "Boston's Left Bank: A little funkier, a little spunkier and definitely spicier than Boston."
Visitor information
Get in
By plane
- Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston. This is the closest option and is served by the MBTA public transportation. The Silver Line 1, a special bus route come every ten minutes during the day, and every 15 minutes early morning and late evening. Free of charge, it takes you directly to South Station (20 minutes travel time), where there is a free connection to the Red Line, which goes to Cambridge (trips towards the airport require paying the $2.40 fare). Free shuttles also provide service to the Blue Line Airport station; one may take the Blue Line in from the airport to the Green Line (transfer at Government Center), which serves Lechmere station in East Cambridge. A taxi to Cambridge will cost you about $28–35, including tolls and tip, and take about 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic.
or (about one hour away):
- Manchester - Boston Regional Airport (MHT), in Manchester, New Hampshire.
- T. F. Green Airport (PVD), Warwick, Rhode Island.
- [Worcester Regional Airport (ORH), in Worcester, Massachusetts.
By train
Amtrak train service is available from nearby Boston from many east coast cities as well as other cities in New England, including Portland Maine and Providence Rhode Island. The Amtrak stations in Boston are connected to the MBTA subway system (see below), which has direct links to Cambridge via the Red Line and Green Line.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority - MBTA or "the T":
Subway:
- The Red Line stops consist of Kendall/MIT, Central Square, Harvard Square, Porter Square, and Alewife.
- The Green Line in Cambridge consists of Lechmere station, near Lechmere Square in East Cambridge.
Commuter rail:
- The Fitchburg line has a stop at Porter Square. This line serves the northwestern suburbs and ends in Boston's North Station, where you can connect to other northbound commuter rail lines.
By car
Interstate 90 to Exit 18, or Interstate 93 to Exit 27, "Storrow Drive" to Monsignor O'Brien Highway (Rt. 28) to Cambridge.
Route 2 comes into Cambridge from Interstate 95 to the northwest.
Cambridge has a great many one-way streets and most streets and roads are not on a grid system. Drivers unfamiliar with the area are well advised to have a GPS device as one wrong turn can easily result in getting lost.
By bus
The MBTA has local regional bus service. For intercity buses, see Boston.
Get around
By public transportation
Public transportation is provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority ("MBTA"), which serves the entire Boston Metro area (including Cambridge.) The local subway system is called the "T" and can take you to most points of interest. The T's Red Line has Cambridge stations in Kendall Square, Central Square, Harvard Square, and Porter Square. The Green Line has one station in Cambridge: Lechmere.
Directions are often marked "inbound" and "outbound", with reference to downtown Boston, where all four lines converge at four stops: State (Blue and Orange), Park Street (Red and Green), Government Center (Blue and Green), and Downtown Crossing (Orange and Red).
The MBTA does not operate 24-hour service. Service begins for the day after 5:30AM and ends before 12:15AM on weekdays. Weekend schedules are slightly different and do not open until 6:30AM on Sundays. Transport still runs for a short time after this — stated times are "first train leaves the station" or "last train leaves the station" — and thus, to complete the route, will actually be in service for as much as an hour longer or an hour before, but it is imperative to find out when last service is scheduled to the stations you need, and allot time for early or late arrivals.
MBTA employees can offer information on scheduling, but are not always available at all stations. Paper schedules for all MBTA bus and subway routes are available in the Harvard Station. Communication between stations is complex and while significant changes will be announced, often T employees themselves are not informed of delays or minor changes. Bus stations that are not also subway stations are unstaffed.
Subway fare is $2.40 and includes transfers between all four subway lines (Red, Green, Orange and Blue) and bus fare varies between $1.70 (local bus) and $4.25 (express bus; none in Cambridge) and also includes transfers. The most seemless way to pay is to tap with a credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay while boarding a vehicle. If a tapable card is not available, stored value tickets (called CharlieTickets) and cards (called CharlieCards) are available at fare machines in all MBTA stations within Cambridge, where they can be loaded by cash or credit/debit card. The CharlieCard can also be obtained 7-11 convenience stores or Star supermarkets.
Unlike bus and subway fares, the commuter rail at Porter does not accept CharlieCards or contactless payments while boarding. Buy a ticket at the machine in Porter station, online with the mTicket App, or onboard for an additional fee.
Information on fares, routes, delays and schedule changes is available at the MBTA's web site.
- Parking at the Alewife station on the Red line is ample and costs $8 per 24 hour period.
- MBTA Commuter Rail (color-coded purple) leaves from Porter Square, serving one of the twelve commuter rail lines. This should not be confused with
- Amtrak, the US national rail service, departs from South Station, Back Bay Station, and North Station, all of which are in Boston.
By taxi
A taxi trip of a mile or less costs $5, excluding tip. Most of the major tourist areas will be a $10–25 fare. A trip to Logan Airport can cost up to $55, including tip, tolls and any waiting time. Flat rates are set for trips to Logan Airport from each hotel in Cambridge, which include all but luggage handling and gratuity.
Taxis are abundant in Harvard Square and Central Square, with many being queued up waiting for fares. The places that they will queue are designated as cab stands by street signs. Taxis are less abundant in Porter Square and rare near Alewife and Lechmere.
It is possible to signal a taxi from the sidewalk by waving an arm or a hand — a taxi cruising for fares is watching the crowds for this — and have it stop for you; however, taxi drivers from towns and cities other than Cambridge are heavily penalised if they accept passengers flagging them down on the street. This rule is not always rigorously followed, but taxi drivers from Boston, Brookline, Somerville and other towns will be wary of street pick-ups.
Taxis are regulated by the Cambridge License Commission, which sets fares and handles complaints.
The two primary taxi companies in Cambridge are:
Place Brattle Taxi
Place Checker Cab
By bicycle
Cambridge is perhaps the most bicycle-friendly city in the Greater Boston area and probably has the most people who use bikes to commute and just to get around. While there are few bike routes, most major streets have bike lanes, and many minor streets do too. Car drivers tend to be aware of bike riders and generally respect bike riders' right of way. All of these features make Cambridge the safest place to ride a bike in Greater Boston.
Lock your bike when you park it! Bike thieves are skilled and quick. Be sure to lock your front wheel in addition to your frame, and your back wheel too if it is a quick-release.
Place Bluebikes (formerly Hubway)
A bike sharing service that offers use of 1,300 bikes from 140 kiosks around Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and beyond. Visitors can purchase a single 30-minute trip ($3.00) or a 24-hour ($11.99) pass which allows unlimited 2 hour rides. Exceeding the time incurs an additional charge of $0.33/minute. Electric bicycles are also available for an additional fee. A credit or debit card is necessary to use the system.
See
See Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site (Longfellow National Historic Site)
Washington made his headquarters here during the siege of Boston from July 1775 through April 1776. From 1837 until 1882, it was the home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow while he taught at Harvard. The site's collections deal mainly with Longfellow, but there are some Washington letters as well.
See Mount Auburn Cemetery
Yes, it's a cemetery. It just happens to be the first landscaped cemetery and in fact the first large-scale designed landscape in the U.S. The tower provides visitors with a breathtaking panoramic view of the cities of Boston and Cambridge, as well as the surrounding countryside to the north. The fact that it's the final resting place of some of the area's most influential figures (Sumner, Gardner, Eddy, and Longfellow) cements its status as a National Historic Landmark.
See Washington Elm
On July 3, 1775, George Washington officially took command of the Continental Army at ceremonies taking place beneath this Elm tree, which stood at the edge of the training grounds used by the troops. While this tale may be a myth, clearly the tree has remained a symbol of patriotism in Cambridge for generations. The tree finally succumbed to old age and disease in 1923, and today a small bronze plaque marks this historical spot.
See Harvard Yard
The center and oldest part of the Harvard campus. An enclosed grassy yard including picturesque buildings dating as far back as 1720. While somewhat architecturally uninspiring, the freshman undergraduate dorms are located in Harvard Yard, which means that a long list of famous intellectual and political figures have lived here. Near the center is a statue of John Harvard, for whom the university is named. Tour guides will tell you that students rub the statue's left foot for good luck before exams, and the foot is indeed rubbed shiny. But in reality, most of the rubbing is probably done by tourists rather than students. It is also school tradition of some secret societies at Harvard to pee on the boot of the foot, but this may also be a lie.
See Harvard Lampoon building
Home of the Harvard Lampoon, a student humor publication. The west end of the building, fittingly, resembles a cartoonish face wearing a spiked helmet. The building was finished in 1909.
See Stata Center
Likely the most striking building on MIT's campus, built in 2004 in a very modern architectural form. Contains a small branch of the MIT Museum (see below).
See Harvard Bridge
The bridge connecting Cambridge to Boston across the Charles river. Located at the edge of MIT, not Harvard University. It's well known in the nerdy folklore of MIT: the distance across the bridge is marked in "smoots" (1 smoot = 5 ft ) after Oliver Smoot, an MIT student who allowed himself to be laid end-to-end to measure the distance across the bridge, as part of a fraternity prank.
Museums
See Harvard Art Museums
This collection of museums includes three once separate entities. The Fogg Museum, known for western art from the Middle Ages to the present, with particular strengths in Italian early Renaissance, British pre-Raphaelite, and 19th-century French art. The Busch-Reisinger Museum, which is devoted to promoting the informed enjoyment and critical understanding of the arts of Central and Northern Europe, with a special emphasis on the German-speaking countries. Finally, the Arthur M. Sackler Museum holds a superb collection of ancient, Islamic, Asian, and later Indian art.
See Harvard Museum of Natural History
Drawing from the University's vast natural history collections, the HMNH displays the famous Blaschka 'Glass Flowers' collection, dinosaurs (the world's only mounted 42 ft long Kronosaurus), minerals, meteorites, gemstones (a amethyst geode), and hundreds of 'stuffed' animals and birds. Fun for the whole family. It's an 8-minute walk across the historic Harvard Yard from Harvard Square (Red Line MBTA). Lectures & educational programs for all ages.
See MIT Museum
Has a huge collection of holography, rotating exhibits, and showcases some of the best "hacks" performed by students. Hacks at MIT are practical physical jokes taking place around the institute. For example: installing a somewhat functioning police car (complete with instructions for how to remove it) atop the great dome. This museum is great for kids and many exhibits are hands-on, including moving sculptures and a shadow room.
Do
Music
Do The Cantab Lounge
A Cambridge staple since the early days of the American folk music revival. Small, old-school feel with live music 7 nights a week, focusing heavily on American roots music. The Cantab hosts a folk music open mic on Monday nights and jams other nights, as well as small- to medium-sized acts every night. A must for those interested in the Boston folk music scene.
Do The Middle East
This legendary Cambridge institution consists of an art gallery, 4 live music venues, 4 full bars, and no less than 3 dining areas (including the upscale Zuzu, below). Sample a large variety of Lebanese dishes served in a vibrant, artsy setting. The "Corner" dining area (enter at 480) features live music every night, often free, with belly dancing on Su and W. Extensive vegetarian menu.
Events
- Cambridge Carnival
- Oktoberfest
- Head of the Charles Regatta
Learn
Many visitors to Cambridge are there to see its two major universities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, either as tourists or as prospective students. Both universities have extensive information for visiting prospects. As this typically varies with type of student (graduate, undergraduate) and program of study (for graduate students), prospectives are best advised to visit the school websites that interest them.
Place Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Building 10, room 100)
The MIT Office of Admissions requests that prospective students make tour reservations beforehand. At 10AM and 2:30PM information sessions take place, and after the presentation a student-led campus tour will get underway.
Place Harvard Events and Information Center (Smith Campus Center)
Student-led free tours of campus originate from here. It also has interactive computer displays, a print library, a video room, and you can pick up flyers for all of the free lectures, films, and classes at University museums, such as the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the Harvard Art Museum.
Harvard Yard, located right by the Harvard stop on the Red Line subway, is the center of Harvard College (the university's undergraduate arm) and a favorite of tourists, who can often be seen taking pictures of each other at the statue of John Harvard, located in front of Massachusetts Hall.
In the shadows of these two giants are other fine schools.
Buy
Shop CambridgeSide
From American Eagle to TJ Maxx, a thorough mall experience. Come for the fluorescent lighting, stay for the recycled air. 120 stores with low, low prices on all consumer electronics and also tube socks. The mall runs a free shuttle here from Kendall station. See website for coupons.
Shop The Garage
Actually a garage once upon a time, today the Garage is a mini-mall in the heart of Harvard Square. A bit run down, it's got all the things a young person could want. Music at Newbury Comics, a few rotating clothing stores, body piercing, tattoos, jewelry shops, and last but not least: pizza. There is also a public restroom in the basement, but consider it for emergency use only.
Bookstores
Shop MIT Press Bookstore
Some books here are somewhat academic in nature; however, many are written to appeal to a wider audience, and there is a dedicated children's section. Don't skip it! You can find some really fantastic literature here relating to technology, the future, and how humans will adapt to it all. The MIT Coop is also at Kendall station.
Eat
With a dizzying array of options, and slightly less stringent liquor laws, Cambridge is every bit as much a dining destination as Boston. Sometimes more so. Many restaurants cluster around Harvard and Central Squares, and finding standbys like Anna's Taqueria and Clover Food Lab is a piece of cake. If you're willing to stray a bit beyond the subway stops (and you should be), you'll quickly discover many less-travelled neighborhood gems. Consider this simply a brief overview of current trends and old standbys. By all means follow your instincts, just don't make any rash decisions due to an empty stomach!
Budget
Eat Pinocchio's Pizza
Well-known longtime spot for Sicilian pizza. Also known for steak and cheese subs. Has colorful mural of Pinocchio and other fables on walls of dining area. Located on a small street between Harvard Yard and JFK Park, just off JFK Street.
Eat Aleppo Palace
Located in a tiny "castle", this inexpensive Middle-Eastern restaurant serves up delicious shawarma, kebab, and their namesake falafel.
Eat Basta Pasta
Gourmet Italian food, at fast food prices. The owner, Altin, used to work in high-end Italian restaurants, but decided to strike it on his own. By appearances it ain't much (formica booths, no table service), but the food is spectacular. Fresh homemade pasta daily. The major drawback is they have no liquor license, and since the Cambridge constabulary eats there nightly, won't let you bring your own.
Eat Veggie Galaxy
Veggie Galaxy cuisine focuses on a fresh and modern take on the classic American diner, serving breakfast all day, additional options during lunch and dinner, and offering bold and bright versions of traditional diner fare. Veggie Galaxy is a from-scratch vegetarian diner where everything can be made vegan if it isn't originally, and most things can be made gluten-free.
Eat Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage
A Harvard Square landmark, Bartley's serves practically any kind of hamburger you can imagine, most named after individuals. A favorite - The Ted Kennedy - "a plump, liberal amount of burger with cheddar cheese, mushrooms, cole slaw and french fries." Don't miss the raspberry lime ricky here! Owners/Menu leans right to the dismay of many customers.
Eat Yume Wo Katare
A fulfilling experience in several ways. Those finishing a bowl of ramen here (including the broth) should receive a "perfect!" and a hearty cheer from the crowd. Noodle finishers get a "good job!", while those whose eyes were bigger than their stomachs will get an "almost!". Don't feel bad, there's always next time. You'll also be invited to tell your dreams to fellow patrons; just anything that's on your mind, like if you want to visit France or give up sugar and so on.
Eat Christophers
A great place if you need both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. They are very vegetarian friendly, but also have good burgers and beer, and some more yuppie-ish options.
Ice cream
Eat Christina's Homemade Ice Cream
Eat Lizzy's Homemade Ice Cream
Home-style ice cream.
Eat Toscanini's
An extremely popular ice cream shop in the Boston area, rated as "best ice cream in the world" by the New York Times and also has been highly rated by Gourmet magazine. Popular flavors include burnt caramel, salted saffron, and B3 (brown sugar, brown butter, brownie). New location at also available at 159 First Street in Cambridge (T:Lechmere).
Mid-range
Eat Muqueca
Serves Brazilian food cooked in clay pots. Don't miss the fried plantains, the shrimp bobó, and the muqueca itself.
Eat Oleana
Oleana's inspired and exquisite offerings span the Mediterranean from Spain to Turkey and Armenia to North Africa, yet everything comes together superbly. Mezze will run you anywhere from $3-14, while omnivorous entrees are $26-28. Or come just for dessert to sample their exceptional baked Alaska with coconut ice cream & passion fruit caramel, $15.
Splurge
Eat Harvest
Regional contemporary American cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. A wonderful outside dining terrace and one of the best Sunday brunches (prix fixe, $33) in Greater Boston.
Drink
Drink A4cade (Roxy's Central)
Beer, grilled cheese, and arcade games, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, there's pinball too.
Drink Charlie's Kitchen
In business since 1951, Charlie's is considered one of the last remaining businesses from the Harvard Square of old, before the big box chains moved in. It may be a dive, but it's an eco-friendly one; and boasts a great jukebox and three season patio to boot.
Drink Grendel's Den
Serving basic American bar food, this dark and crowded Harvard tavern would be unremarkable, if it weren't for their incredible happy hour special, the quirky staff, and its proximity to the Harvard campus. From 5-7:30PM everything on the menu is half price with a beverage purchase of $3 or more. Skip the burgers... if you can get a table. Non-happy hour entrees $5-12.
Drink Lord Hobo
A wide selection of interesting independent draught (pints in the $5-8 range) and bottled beers, wine and upscale bar food (entrees in the $10-20 range).
Drink Miracle of Science
Popular with MIT grads, professors, and local tech company programmer types. Order off a slightly skewed periodic table of elements.
Breweries
Drink Lamplighter Brewing
Get ready to wait in line! Once you cross the threshold, sample some of these sought after craft beers that are the talk of the town. Brewers will often use Brettanomyces in their brews which produces a "funkier" flavor. They don't go overboard with it, but still, it's not everyone's cup of tea.
Coffee
Drink 1369 Coffeehouse
Coffee shop and arthouse combined. You'll probably visit the one in Central square, however.
Drink Flour Bakery
A delicious sandwich, coffee, and desserts shop constantly rated in Boston magazine in the "Boston's Best" rankings that also has its own nationally-available cookbook. Another location at the end of Albany Street, one in Harvard, and several more in Boston.
Drink Petsi Pies
Fantastic local bakery and coffee shop. One other location north of the square near Porter.
Sleep
One budget option is to peruse craigslist.org Boston for temporary listings for people who are gone for a week or a month and trying to rent out their apartment. In the summer, you might find a bedroom for $200–300/week, which will be a lot cheaper than a hotel.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safe
Cambridge is generally very safe, though it is a city and the standard precautions should be observed. The neighborhood of East Cambridge, which is near the Charlestown border and on the Charles River, usually has the city's highest crime rate (of course, this observation is relative to the Cambridge's low crime rate overall).
Emergency services can be contacted by dialing 9-1-1.
As a rule, most crime in Cambridge that might affect a traveller is property crime. Parked vehicles with electronic equipment visible — laptops, mobile phones, GPS units, iPods, and the like — are the most likely to be targeted.
Pepper spray is considered a weapon in Massachusetts, and is sold only by licensed dealers to persons who have obtained a firearms identification card. Massachusetts does not honor firearms licenses from other states.
For more information, visit the Cambridge Police Department online.
Go next
- Head just across the town line and get a taste of one of the many squares of Somerville.
- Head over to South Boston and decide if you prefer the ambiance of the contemporary Seaport district, or Fort Point's charming bricks.
- Stroll past stately Victorian architecture along scenic Newbury Street, Boston's preeminent shopping and dining destination.
- On weekends find treasures you didn't know you were looking for at SoWa Open Market, the biggest open air marketplace around.
- Enjoying the museums? Don't miss the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner, both found in Fenway.
- If there weren't enough music options here for you, try your luck with scene in Allston Rock City.
- Explore more of Massachusetts' revolutionary history in nearby Lexington and Concord.
- Seek out early American history on itineraries such as From Plymouth to Hampton Roads or American Industry Tour.
Nearby
Somerville
City / town · 66 listings · 1 mi away
Medford
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Boston
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Brookline
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Everett
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Arlington
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Watertown
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