Another excellent day-trip is one of the harbor cruises. A wide variety of inner and outer harbor tours are available.

Choose one that lets you get off and tour the islands--some were used for military operations in the Civil War and George's Island, the site of fort warren which held about 2000 Confederate prisoners during the war, contains a network of damp, dark tunnels which you can explore. The islands comprise Boston Harbor Island State Park.

Beaches are another good getaway. Local revere Beach, Carson Beach and Castle Island offer a chance to beat the heat.

(For more destinations outside Boston, see the story on page B-3.)

These Are the Days

However you spend your time here, summer in Cambridge is quite a different scene from the winter months. Cambridge's cold, dreary season doesn't bring street performers or outdoor concerts, and, even if it did, most Harvard students would be too busy to attend.

The slower summer pace allows students to take advantage of many things they would not have time for during the year.

For those arriving in Cambridge as the weather heats up and those staying on while others flee to more hospitable climates, there is a lot to enjoy.

For a summer in the city, it's pretty much ideal.