Getting Around Somerville
Tips for traveling to and around Somerville Open Studios
If you live in Somerville, we recommend leaving your car at home. Visitors arriving by car, please park your car and leave it parked and use other modes to get from studio to studio.
Mix it up
At just over 3 miles long, the City of Somerville is remarkably walkable. Walk to a studio, catch a trolley up hill to the next, and pick up a BlueBike to ride the flat or coast down to the next station.
Plan your visit in advance, plot a course, and leave room for serendipity!
MBTA Subway
Arrive in Somerville by T to Porter or Davis (Red Line), or Sullivan (Orange Line), or any of the city’s five Green Line stations, then connect to a crosstown bus or the nearby free SOS trolley.
MBTA Bus
An MBTA bus can be a quick way to go straight from one end of the city to the other. Routes 80, 83, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 94, 95, 96, 101, and 109 may be of use. Arrive in Somerville by T to Porter or Davis (Red Line) or Sullivan (Orange Line) or any of the city’s five Green Line stations, then connect to a cross town bus or the nearby free SOS trolley. For more information on routes (including helpful mobile apps!), see mbta.com, the MBTA Trip Planner, or Google Maps.
SOS Trolleys
Look for the Old Town Trolleys. New this year, the trolleys will run in two counterclockwise loops every 35-40 minutes, meeting at the Armory. SOS will provide a route map with live tracking of trolley locations.
PLEASE NOTE: If at the end of the day you need to be at a specific place and are using the trolleys, please note that the trolleys begin their last route around 5:15pm. The trolleys finish their route at the Armory (Stops A and N) by 6pm.
TROLLEY STOPS
Check the SOS map for details and look for the SOS Trolley banners at the following stops.
WEST LOOP
A. Arts at the Armory, in front of building.
B. Highland Ave. @ Cedar St. Bus stop after the intersection
C. Willow Ave. @ Broadway. Near Ball Square Station. Stop before intersection.
D.Nave Gallery, Powderhouse Blvd. @ Curtis St. Stop before intersection.
E.Broadway @ Curtis St, Teele Square. Bus stop before intersection.
F. Holland St. @ Davis Square Station. Bus stop before intersection.
G. Elm St. @ White St. Near Porter Square Station. Bus stop before intersection.
H. Somerville Ave. @ Lowell St. Bus stop before the intersection. A pedestrian tunnel under the train tracks leads to 11 Miller Street Studios
I. Somerville Museum (First Look Show) and Central Street Studios. Central St. @ Westwood Rd.
EAST LOOP
N. Highland Ave. @ Benton Rd, across from Arts at the Armory
O. Dane St. @ Tyler St, near SomerNova and Milk Row Studios
P. Washington St. @ Bowdoin St., opposite Washington Street Studios
Q. Union Square, Bus Stop @ Buk Kyung Restaurant
R. Brickbottom Studios. 1 Fitchburg Street
S. Joy Street Studios. 86 Joy Street, near East Somerville T station
T. Mudflat Pottery. Bus stop before Broadway @ Illinois Ave
U. Mad Oyster Studios. Bus stop on Pearl St. after Bradley St.
V. Vernon Street Studios. Opposite 20 Vernon St.
Bicycle
Riding between artist sites is a fantastic way to get around, but if you want to park your bike and walk, look for large bike corrals in most business districts. The Somerville Community Path runs from Davis Square all the way across Somerville to East Cambridge.
Remember: Lock up! Never lock up to a handicap parking sign. Your bike may block a disabled person from getting to the curb.
Parking
Thanks to the support of the City of Somerville, resident-only parking restrictions are lifted during SOS hours. Parking on side streets is still limited. Never block hydrants or driveways. Remember: meters are in effect on Saturday.