The Charles River is a centerpiece to the city of Boston. It runs from its headwaters at Echo Lake in the area near Milford and Hopkinton and angles its way through the watershed surrounding metropolitan Boston. It winds through several communities and doubles back onto itself as it touches the areas surrounding Watertown and Waltham, but it is best recognized for the patch of current that flows through Newton and into the city itself.
It's there, sandwiched between both Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive, that the legend of the river gains its cultural experience. The Charles is one of the busiest recreational rivers in the world, and the central location offers a sweeping scenery for runners, scullers and motorists.