Roads to Avoid During Head of the Charles

CAMBRIDGE, MA — This weekend is one of the most fun of the year for many people, but it can be a tricky one for drivers (to say nothing of folks trying to park anywhere near the river).

The 52nd Head of the Charles Regatta is this Saturday and Sunday.

Here's what you should know if you want to get anywhere near it in Cambridge:

The Road to Avoid

Memorial Drive. Just avoid it from the Cambridge Boat Club to Western Avenue on both days, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where to Park

First of all... don't, if you can help it. Take some kind of car service or public transit. Walk. Bike. And if you must make use of what the Regatta organizers call "extremely limited" parking, try to carpool.

Here are the options (again, only if you reallly gotta):

Birmingham Parkway

Free, on-street parking. Parkway runs next to I-90 and is accessible from Market Street off Soldiers Field Road or from Soldiers Field Road and Route 20 intersection near Community Rowing. Additionally, a shuttle runs from Birmingham Parkway to the FALS/Rowing and Fitness Expo area. However, there is no parking after 6 p.m.

Alewife T Station

Accessible from Route 2 off of I-95. Garage with parking for 2,733 cars and Red Line T service to Harvard Square, a short walk to the river and the Weld Exhibition/Reunion Village area. It is 24-hour parking, with a $7 per day, $8 overnight cost.

Harvard Stadium, Gate 14

Accessible off of Soldiers Field Road heading East. Parking will be available for approx. 500 cars. Location is across from the FALS/Rowing and Fitness Expo area. It's available both days of the Regatta, but comes with a $30 per day fee.

The Regatta organizers say they will update parking information here.

Read more from the organizers regarding places to watch, and more, here.

Photo by Christopher Schmidt, Flickr/Creative Commons