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Seeing Boston from the water gives you a sense of the city's storied maritime history - and confirms that the water is cooler than the land. On a sweaty summer day, a breezy cruise makes an enjoyable break from a march along the tourist track. The new viewpoint will help you remember that the city remains an active port, and the sheer number of sailboats will make you wonder if every office in the city is empty.
The season for narrated cruises runs from April through October, with spring and fall offerings usually on weekends only. If you tend to get seasick, check the size of the vessel before you pay; larger boats are more comfortable.
Boston Harbor Cruises, ( 617-227-4321), operates 30-minute lunchtime cruises ($2) on weekdays at 12:15 p.m. Ninety-minute historic tours of the Inner and Outer Harbor begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. (the sunset cruise). Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children under 12. The 45-minute Constitution cruise takes you around the Inner Harbor and docks at the Charlestown Navy Yard so you can go ashore and visit "Old Ironsides." Tours start every hour on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and leave the navy yard on the hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children. Trips leave from Long Wharf, off Atlantic Avenue between the New England Aquarium and the Marriott.
Massachusetts Bay Lines ( 617-542-8000) offers 55-minute harbor tours on the hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You'll get a sailor's-eye view of the waterfront, harbor islands, and airport; the sunset cruise also passes the Charlestown Navy Yard in time to hear the cannon salute that signals day's end. The price is $8 for adults, $5 for children and seniors. The 90-minute sunset cruise, at 7 p.m., costs $15 for adults, $10 for children and seniors. Cruises leave from Rowes Wharf, off Atlantic Avenue behind the Boston Harbor Hotel.
The Charles Riverboat Company ( 617-621-3001), operates out of the CambridgeSide Galleria mall, on First Street in East Cambridge. From the Charles, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Boston (including the towers of the Back Bay) and Cambridge (the landmark dome indicates that you're approaching MIT); the harbor cruise traces the Boston waterfront. Its 55-minute cruises around the lower Charles River basin depart on the hour from noon to 5 p.m. Once a day at 10:30 a.m., a 55-minute tour goes in the opposite direction, through the Charles River locks to Boston Harbor. Tickets for either tour are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $6 for seniors, $5 for children 2 to 12.
The cheapest "cruise" is the $1.25 ferry ride from Long Wharf to the Charlestown Navy Yard to Lovejoy Wharf, behind North Station. The MBTA visitor pass covers the ferry, which makes a great way to finish the Freedom Trail.
Duck tours
The most unusual excursions in town are 80-minute Boston Duck Tours ( 800-226-7442), which operate from April through November. They're relatively expensive, but you're paying for novelty, and it's worth the money. The vehicles are reconditioned World War II amphibious landing craft known as "ducks" - and like the real thing, they move easily between land and water. The duck cruises around Boston, passing most of the major sights, and then heads to the Charles River dam and right into the water for a turn around the basin.
Tickets, available inside the Prudential Center (also known as the "Pru"), are $21 for adults, $18 for seniors and students, $11 for children 4 to 12, and 25 cents for children under 4. Boarding is on the Boylston Street side of the Pru. Tours run every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to one hour before sunset. Reservations are not accepted (except for groups of 16 or more), and tickets usually sell out, especially on weekends. Try to buy same-day tickets early in the day, or ask about the limited number of tickets available two days ahead. No tours operate from December through March.
Whale watching
The waters off New England are choice whale-migration territory. The magnificent mammals seek out the feeding grounds of Stellwagen Bank, whichextend from Gloucester to Provincetown about 27 miles east of Boston. The most common species are the finback and humpback, and you may see minke whales and rare right whales. These aquatic mammals often perform for spectators by jumping out of the water, and dolphins sometimes join in. Trained naturalists serve as tour guides, identifying animals and interpreting their activities.
The trip to the bank is long. (If your children aren't accustomed to immediate gratification, they may not appreciate the journey.) The tedium vanishes in an instant when the first whale appears.
Dress in plenty of layers to fend off the cool sea air, and sunglasses, a hat, and rubber-soled shoes. Don't forget sunscreen and, of course, a camera. If you tend to get motion sick, take precautions before you leave the dock.
Boston Harbor Whale Watch ( 617-345-9866) promises more time watching whales than trying to find them. Trips run Friday through Sunday in late June, then daily from July through early September. Tours depart from Rowes Wharf (behind the Boston Harbor Hotel, off Atlantic Avenue near Northern Avenue). Tour times are 10 a.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends. Expect to spend about 4-1/2 hours at sea. Tickets are $21 for adults, $18 for seniors and children under 13. Reservations are suggested. |
