BestBenches.net

-- A list of good places to sit and read a book --

Syd Allan's home page is at www.SydAllan.net

See also: my photos of Walden Pond

Click an image to see a larger version.

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts -- Oak Bluffs Harbor

 

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts -- Gay Head Cliffs, Aquinnah

 

Blue Hills Reservation, Boston, Massachusetts -- Great Blue Hill Lookout

 
 

Blue Hills Reservation, Boston, Massachusetts -- Ponkapoag pond, south shore ...the tower on the hill in the third photo is about 300 yards from the Great Blue Hill lookout

 

Newport, Rhode Island -- Cliff Walk

 
 

Providence, Rhode Island -- Roger Williams Park

 

Ogunquit, Maine -- Marginal Way paved walkway ...go in October, or you'll end up reading your book at the Wells train station just to get away from the tourists (as I did)

 

Cambridge, Massachusetts -- John Fitzgerald Kennedy Park

 

Cambridge, Massachusetts -- Charles River, north shore

 

Boston, Massachusetts -- Museum of Fine Arts Japanese Garden ...closed during the fall and winter

 
 

Salem, Massachusetts -- Forest River Park

 
 

Marblehead, Massachusetts -- Fort Sewall

 
 

Marblehead Neck, Massachusetts -- Massachusetts Audubon Society Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Marblehead Neck, Massachusetts -- Chandler Hovey Park

 
 

Chicago, Illinois -- Buckingham Fountain (Grant Park) ...not great if you want to be alone, but very nice otherwise

 
 

Chicago, Illinois -- Art Institute (North and South gardens) ...the north garden (top row of pictures) has more comfortable benches

 
 

New York City -- Brooklyn Bridge ...pedestrians stay on the south side of the yellow line, and cyclists stay on the north side

 

New York City -- Central Park Mall

 

New York City -- Central Park, Strawberry Fields

(John Lennon memorial, at 8th and 72nd, near the Dakota building where he and Yoko lived, and where he was shot by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980)
See also: www.bagism.com/library/nyc-sf-dakota.html and www.geocities.com/laughtershock/dakota.html and Google )

 

New York City -- Central Park, Alice in Wonderland Statue (Margarita Delacorte Memorial)

 

Google Maps Links

 Blue Hills Reservation: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=42.207327,-71.080513&spn=0.049780,0.084629&hl=en
 Martha's Vineyard: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=41.456622,-70.597458&spn=0.402941,0.677032&hl=en
 Newport Cliff walk: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=41.460996,-71.303887&spn=0.024217,0.042315&hl=en
 Roger Williams Park: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=41.782961,-71.411047&spn=0.024097,0.042315&hl=en
 Ogunquit, Maine: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=43.244734,-70.598488&spn=0.023540,0.042315&hl=en
 JFK Park / Charles River: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=42.370784,-71.123171&spn=0.011937,0.021157&hl=en
 Boston MFA Japanese Garden: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=42.339419,-71.094246&spn=0.005972,0.010579&hl=en
 Salem / Marblehead: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=42.499694,-70.864906&spn=0.047651,0.084629&hl=en
 Chicago Art Institute / Grant Park:http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=41.880664,-87.624231&spn=0.024061,0.042315&hl=en
 New York City: http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=40.747907,-73.984509&spn=0.097927,0.169258&hl=en

Maps ...from Microsoft Streets & Trips

Rhode Island

 
   

Ogunquit

 
       

Boston/Cambridge

 
   

Salem/Marblehead (Massachusetts North Shore)

 

Chicago

 

New York City

 
       

Syd Allan's home page is at www.SydAllan.net