Bedford area? (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville: apartments, rental, neighborhood)

[tchemgrrl]

Hi:

I'm a soon-to-be-finishing grad student, mostly applying to jobs in the northeast to be fairly close to my family. There are a few places I've applied that I've had positive feedback from (but no definite offer yet!) and one of them is in Bedford. Any opinions on places to live in/near the area? I know very little about the greater Boston area.

My husband and I are in our 20's, no kids, we'll probably be renting at first, and we'd really like to live someplace that's very walkable/bike-able. It doesn't need to be super-urban, but I'd really miss not being able to walk to the grocery store, the hardware store, a restaurant or two, etc, and suburban sprawl makes me itchy.

Thanks for your help!

[airedaly]

Bedford is very nice - but seems more suited for a family with kids than a young couple. Mostly large colonials with acre lots. It is very car-oriented. It is at the end of the Minuteman Bike Path, so if you like to bike everywhere, that's great.

Arlington is also on the Bike Path but it has more rental units and is closer to Cambridge and Boston. You can walk everywhere and take the "T" or ride a bike. Great restaurants in Arlington, too. Arlington Heights has a hardware store and a trader joe's, plus ice cream shops, post office, gym, pizza shops, hairdressers, spice shop and a great bus system.

Belmont also has a lot of rental housing and is a walking-friendly town. Very convenient to Cambridge and Boston. Nice, safe town with lots of shopping.

I guess it depends on where you'll be working. Good luck with the job.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by tchemgrrl

Hi:

I'm a soon-to-be-finishing grad student, mostly applying to jobs in the northeast to be fairly close to my family. There are a few places I've applied that I've had positive feedback from (but no definite offer yet!) and one of them is in Bedford. Any opinions on places to live in/near the area? I know very little about the greater Boston area.

My husband and I are in our 20's, no kids, we'll probably be renting at first, and we'd really like to live someplace that's very walkable/bike-able. It doesn't need to be super-urban, but I'd really miss not being able to walk to the grocery store, the hardware store, a restaurant or two, etc, and suburban sprawl makes me itchy.

Thanks for your help!

Try neighboring Lexington. They have several apartments including Avalon, Katahdin Woods, and several off Mass. Ave. It is right next door to Bedford but very walkable with bike trails, shops, grocery stores, small movie theater and very close to Arlington,Belmont, Burlington for major shopping. Just a suggestion.

[tchemgrrl]

airedaly: That description of Bedford was the impression I got from poking around. Perfectly nice, but not really for me right now.

Puffle: Thanks for the specific recommendations! I'll definitely look them over.

Lots of fun stuff to think about on study breaks now. Thanks for your help!

[wheelz]

There are also some area's in Burlington that would live up to your requirements.

[wheelz]

Oops, sorry, I just now saw that Puffle mentioned Burlington as well.

[Katezli]

I also think Arlington would be a nice choice for you. You also might want to consider Cambridge around Porter Square or Inman Square or Somerville's Davis Square. Both areas would be great for a young couple-- very walkable to everything, fun, great public transportation, but still a do-able commute out to Bedford. There are other fun parts of Cambridge, but the closer you get to downtown the longer your commute to Bedford would be. Good luck!

[tchemgrrl]

Actually, thanks for mentioning that, wheelz, I somehow missed Burlington on that list.

And thanks for the specific neighborhood areas, Katezli. We love Boston, but you're right, it'd be a bit far for a commute. It'll be nice to be close enough to spend an afternoon, at least.

[ogre]

Arlington jumps out at me, out of any towns fairly close to Bedford. It's in the transition zone between urban and suburban, so you get some of each, but it's definitley urban enough for those walkable areas you'd like. Puffle mentioned some apartments in Lexington. More suburban than Arlington, but still with a decent-sized downtown. Lexington is pretty expensive, so be aware of that. However, I'm not sure what the apartments go for if that interests you. Arlington really has the location closest to midway between Bedford and Boston. Cambridge has been suggested here. It's definitely closer to Boston than Bedford, but, depending on the desired commuting time, it could work out well, if work hours are a typical daytime schedule, since you'd be going out toward the suburbs while most of the traffic would be inbound, and vice versa. Cambridge is mostly urban. There are lots of residential areas, but urban residential. There is a subway line that runs from Cambridge directly into downtown Boston, and there are also lots of small shops and eateries right in Cambridge. Lots of college students as well. Some would like this a lot, while others would dislike it intensely, and others would be neutral. I'd guess it's likely that an urbane young couple, such as you seem to be, would be in the positive, or at least neutral, category. Something to be aware of about Cambridge, though, since the college presence very much define's the city's character.

[DreamworksSKG]

Actually bedford is a nice area. there's a bike path you can bike right into Boston! the minuteman bike path ! its about 10 miles and connects with the alewife t station (red line) not far away is the minuteman national historic park in Lexington and a bike/walking trail along that. Lexington has miles of side roads that are suitable for biking as well as bedford ....bedford has excellent schools and its right on the 128 highway and close to route 2 as well. Route 2 you can take right into the boston area if there's traffic on 93...or the mass pike. you can take into medford and then take the back roads into sullivan square vicinity to connect up with the city. You can take route 2 to the Alewife Red line stop if you want to park and take the subway into the city.
Burlington and Lexington are other areas that are nice that are right near bedford. Also Lincoln