Cambridge Center Roof Garden

A hidden gem of tranquility in Kendall Square. If you are in the area definitely check it out.

Shh no one tell anyone how great this place is by posting about it on the Internet or anything.

Beautiful view of Cambridge! There were a lot of construction going on when I visited so it was a bit confusing to get here. At first we tried to go through the Marriott through the 4^th floor but it turns out it was connected to the gym which you needed a hotel key card to get through.
After that we tried through the parking garage which you have to climb the stairs (or take the elevator) of the parking garage and go to the highest floor. Tons of little picnic tables and places to sit! Beautiful hidden rooftop garden :)

Beautiful! I felt so proud of myself for finding my way to the top of the parking lot, but then with the construction there are signs everywhere about how to get to the garden. Now I’m sure it’ll be more crowded :(lots of flowers, greenery, and a bunch of tables to sit and eat lunch, talk with friends, or just read /​think.
Whenever I tell people about it, they think there’s food up there — there isn’t! But grab lunch and come up to sit.

Hidden gem! (literally)
Step 1: Act like you’re not sneaking into the hotel (.I guess now I realize there was an entrance on the other side of the building)
Step 2: Take the stairs to the roof of the garage (because you are the only one wearing sneakers in Kendall Square)
Step 3: Feast your eyes on some greenery and proceed to lay in the grass like your five years-​old self would have. (no one could possibly take their dog up here, right?)
Step 4: Enjoy. —And once again, reaffirm that your fellow Unilocalers have your back.

This is my first time visiting the park. They do a great job if blocking out the sounds of the city and creating a calming peaceful greenery. However, I was disappointed in the lack of view. I expected since it’s on a rooftop that’s we’d be able to take advantage of watching the city below but the design if the garden prohibits any viewing of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Plenty of picnic tables and benches for resting and lush grass for sunbathing.
Because it’s a little inconvenient for me, I think I’ll stick to lounging and my neighborhood park but I’m glad I came and saw the rooftop.
(Written in 2011)

Love love love this hidden gem. Very cool and unique. The fact that it’s on the roof of a parking structure is just that much cooler! Good job to the city and the land owners on this one. It’s the definition of hidden gem!

A friend showed me this place and it was strange at first because we went up an elevator in a parking structure! But walking onto the rooftop garden was exquisite! It was a chilly day when I went so when we first arrived there was nobody else there but some little birds. It was very pretty and relaxing to walk around. I enjoyed just sitting on a bench and looking at the scenery. Only one other person came while I was there and it looked to be a college student who started doing his homework. This little garden is a nice and quiet place to come relax and it feels like you are in your own little nook of Boston.

Beautiful and quaint rooftop garden on the Cambridge Center parking garage. Definitely stop by with your lunch for a peaceful afternoon.

An inner city oasis. Just a block from work lies a zen garden on the roof of a parking garage connected to the Marriott Hotel. Somewhat odd yes but a much loved destination for lunch. Great place to tune out for an hour and recharge before putting the nose back to the grindstone for the latter half of the day.
I didn’t give it 5 stars because there are not enough places to sit for the volume that it gets. Yes everyone is willing to share a table but capacity is limited. Plus the building connected to the garden is under construction intruding on my zen-​ness.

Concierge… parking garage… side elevator… ominous clouds… no one there… except the people I assume peer down from the multiple, much taller offices surrounding you in most directions… embarrassed at my AreaIV-​induced gluttony… could almost hear faint, appalled applause once I’d polished off a panoply of sweets.

I’m hoping not too many people discover this. Really cool roof garden on top of a parking garage in the middle of the strange dystopia that is Kendall Square.
In response to everyone who say it gets packed during lunch time, it’s been empty every time I’ve been there on Saturday.
Enjoy while it lasts.

Get up here soon before Google takes over some of this roof top space. Soon it will be much smaller…

Whenever I am right about to tell my boss what I really think of him– a trip to the roof garden will calm me down.
In the high stress, sterile, think tank that is Kendall Square it is a welcome surprise to find this hidden oasis on top of a parking garage. I don’t think I would have my job without it!
This beautiful patch of nature, with birds, flowers, grass, shady trees and picnic tables is just what I need to lift my spirits to the «sane» operating level I need to finish my day with my job intact.

I stayed at the Kendall Hotel and this lil park is right across the street from it. It really feels like you’re on ground level the park is so well built. The grass is green and lush, the flowers are colorful, and there are some good shade trees/​buildings.
I never came here during a work day, but was here on a weekend and my group were the only people up here.

Not so secret garden.
How cool is this?
Unilocal showed me the way.
Trees, shrubs, brick walkways, and the occasional tulip at the end of May on the first 75 degree sunny day. On the roof of a parking garage. Only drawback: having to gather enough motivation to get back to work.

I had heard wonderful things about the Cambridge Center Roof Garden and ventured up there with a friend a few months ago. It’s very easy to find. Go to the elevator connected to the Marriott parking garage and hit the «garden» button.
The grounds are very well kept. When we went, everything that had been planted was in season and bright, colorful flowers cascaded along the brick walk ways. There were plenty of benches and picnic tables around to take in all the sights, but the grass is gorgeous enough to sit down on its own.
It offers beautiful panoramic views of both Boston and Cambridge.
Bring a blanket and some lunch and spend your afternoon catching some sun.

It took me nearly 3 years to finally get around to taking a real lunch and going up here, but it was worth it :)
A few weeks ago, I, with my sammich from Damon’s and a copy of Spare Change in tow, decided to check out the upstairs option. Climbing the 6 floors of stairs (no elevators for me :-D), I made my way to the garden itself. With its spaced out chairs and tables, it’s a perfect stop for those people who don’t want to eat inside, or just outside on the ground. It’s also convenient to the Marriott Hotel, always a good thing if you happen to be staying there.
A few caveats: it can get a little windy, so look out for your newspaper (or in some cases, your food). Also, based on when you get up here, you may not be able to find a seat. But overall, it’s a great place, and a nice respite from the concrete and brick monotony of Kendall Square.

I’m glad I had seen the reviews for the Roof Garden before my recent trip to Boston. We spent the day exploring Cambridge, and when I saw the sign for the garden, a light bulb went off in my head, and I told BF we had to check it out.
Being that it was a Saturday, the only other people up there were a maintenance crew and some photographers working with a model. I would love to see this place when everything is in bloom. What a great spot! I’d definitely be a regular if I worked in the area.

I admit I was skeptical when I was first informed about the roof garden. Not by the tantalizing name, since, what better invention than that of an aerial garden getaway (or, most simply, roof garden.), but more so by the dirty glass ghetto doorway, more specifically, the entranceway from Broadway.
But alas, on a gorgeous sunny day, I persuaded our superior co-​op to join me on the roof during lunch. I hesitantly led her across the street, narrowly avoiding wild taxi drivers, to the sketch-​o door just beyond the parking garage entrance/​exit. We entered and pushed the up button.
Five floors later, the doors open to the marvelous green space that is the roof garden. I almost dropped my pants so I could roll on the ground, luscious green grass on bare skin … ahhh, itchy. Needless to say, I was wowed.
Flowers, greens, walks, benches, stainless steel picnic tables and very few trees (though trees nonetheless) were blanketing the roof of this five-​story concreation. Though we boiled under the hot sun, the occasional breeze kept us from catching fire.