Cambridge Sports & Outdoors

The Head of the Charles Regatta is the world's largest rowing event. Competitors, and fans, come from all over the world to compete in rowing. The regatta is held every October, and the shores of the Charles are packed with spectators the weekend of the competition.

The photo shows folks rowing on the river, training for the competition later that year. (It's probably hard to make them out...they're right under the left span of the bridge.)

The Head of the Charles Regatta, held every October, is the biggest rowing festival in the US, and marks the end of the rowing season for most people.

It's an unusual event, since you can see everyone from club rowers to recent Olympians (including medal-winners) on the water. Sunday is the big day, with most of the championship races.

Almost everyone seems to congregate on the Cambridge side of the water, as well as on the many bridges over the Charles. Races go upriver, so the end-points are especially crowded, with lots of potential for boat-crashes.

The races are all timed, with boats released every few seconds, so it's nearly impossible to tell who's actually winning. Even the rowers don't know.

There are all kinds of stalls selling sporting paraphernalia and food, and there's a very festive atmosphere - as well as thousands upon thousands of people wearing 'crew' shirts, often from their college days decades before!

Red Sox baseball game at historic Fenway Park. Fenway is one of the few old baseball parks left in America and has not changed much since it opened in 1912. With such an incredible history, a game at Fenway takes one back to early days of baseball and great players like Ted Williams, Cy Young and Babe Ruth.

In 1947, the legendary “Green Monster” was created when the all the advertisements on the left field wall was painted over with green paint. The official Red Sox website has a great narrative on the history of Fenway. Over the past few years there has been a lot of talk around Boston about replacing Fenway Park with a new ballpark as so many other cities have done. So, Fenway’s time may be limited as well as your chance to experience this truly great old ballpark.

If possible, try to catch a Red Sox - Yankees game. The heckling the Boston crowd gives their New York counterparts is an experience in and of itself and one that demonstrates just how old the rivalry is between the Boston and New York baseball clubs.

Equipment: Bring your liver and some cash for beers and italian sauages.