A Cool Dip on a Hot Summer Eve

No better treat on a hot summer night than a quick swim or dip in a refreshingly cool pond or lake. And it's a much better bargain and much cheaper deal than installing a pool ($75K because installation requires blasting through alot of ledge , renting a Chatham beachhouse ($3K/wk), joining the Westford swimclub ($700/year),or snagging a day pass to use at Stonehedge Inn to use their spa's pool ($20). And there's no maintenance to be done, so you always save time and money. Net, net - Your local public lake or pond may be your best bargain for a cool dip on a hot summer eve.

Springs Brook Park, Bedford MA. - The swimming hole by which all others should be judged by. This place must be one of greater Boston's best kept secret. Fantastic man-made pond with underwater filtration system that keep the water clear and the muck away from the sandy bottom, aqua slides and water parks for the kids, basketball & volleyball courts, picnic areas and a snack bar. Well-staffed with lifeguards and a super clean bathhouse to boot. $7 per person (all day); $3 after 4 p.m., Free after 5PM. Truly paradise has been found in suburbia.


Other great swimming holes (though none as delightful as Springs Brook Park) include: (1) Walden Pond, Concord MA ( $9 /person daily) and (2) Crystal Lake, Newton MA. ($10/person daily)

And after cooling off at Spring Brook Park, end your day with an ice cream at Bedford Farms Ice Cream Stand. Delicious!