Skate @ Canal District Kendall: 9/10

Price: $4
Rentals: $10
Location: 30 Athenaeum St., Cambridge

After this, I headed close by to Kendall Square’s ice skating rink, only a six-minute drive from the Commons.

I was immediately enchanted by the views; surrounded by artfully draped lights and tall glass buildings reflecting their light, the rink felt like a quick little escape from being confined in office buildings. The rink had a small section for warming up off to the side, and skaters could stay separated without collisions even though its squiggly oval shape created the illusion that the rink was larger than it actually was.

Although it’s only a 15-minute drive away from the high school, I rarely visit Kendall Square; it tends to escape my mind when I think about attractions in the Greater Boston area with all of its biotech companies and start-ups. However, the rink stands out from all the buildings and doesn’t deserve to be thrown aside as a skating option.

Without much distraction from the city around it, the music commanded the attention in this little nook between buildings. The only clear downside was the cars frequently driving by and, it felt as though two steps would bring me directly into a conference room.