When taking a Boston Duck Tour, travelers may be reminded of native son Paul Revere's famous cry of "One if by land, two if by sea." The Ducks are a chance to see the city in a WWII-style amphibious landing vehicle. On land they take in the main sites of the city, and then the Ducks splash down into the Charles River for the sea portion of the journey. Duck Tours are very popular, so it is wise to make reservations in advance, especially in summer and on spring and fall weekends.
Boston Duck Tours
3 Copley Place, Suite 310
Boston, MA 02116
617-267-DUCK (3825)
bostonducktours.com
Charles Riverboat Company has distinctive-looking flat white boats that take regularly scheduled public tours as well as private charter groups. The classic "Charles River Tour" around the river basin takes in sites like Beacon Hill, Esplanade Park, Back Bay, Boston University, M.I.T., and Harvard. The "Harbor and Locks Tour" goes down the river and into Boston Harbor to view the Old North Church, USS Constitution, and the Bunker Hill Monument. There are also sunset cruises.
Charles Riverboat Company
100 Cambridge Place, Suite 320
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-621-3001
charlesriverboat.com
Boston's Italian North End neighborhood has long been a popular tourist destination, so the addition of gondola tours adds another dimension to the city's Italian heritage. Gondola di Venezia's boats are authentic Venetian gondolas, built and shipped from Venice, Italy. The gondoliers dress in the Venetian style, and boaters can look forward to a champagne-filled musical serenade. All tours are private for up to six people. The special fall "Harvest Moon Gondola Tour" features homemade pumpkin bread, apple cider, and live accordion music while admiring the fall foliage along the river banks. Tours depart from the Esplanade in front of the Hatch Shell, famous for its riverside Boston Pops concerts.
Gondola di Venezia
617-876-2800
bostongondolas.com
Charles River Canoe & Kayak rents canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, and row boats that customers may take out independently at four different locations along the river. They also sponsor several escorted tours of the river and the harbor. The "Barbeque Tour" ends with a tasty meal from a well-known local restaurant. The "Barking Crab Tour" paddles down the river and into the harbor, docking for a meal at the legendary Boston waterfront clam shack. The popular "Moonlight Canoe Tour" departs from the city of Newton's boathouse, located in the flatwater Charles Lakes District, and includes light refreshments under the stars.
Charles River Canoe & Kayak
1071 Soldiers Field Rd.
Boston/Allston, MA
617-462-2513
Charles River Canoe & Kayak
Newton Boathouse
2401 Commonwealth Ave.
Newton, MA 02466
617-965-5110
617-965-7696
paddleboston.com
Boston Harbor Cruises specializes in tours of the harbor itself, including a lighthouse cruise, weekend brunch cruises, whale watch journeys, and trips to Provincetown on Cape Cod. They also, however, offer a "Charles River and Locks Cruise," a narrated tour of the inner harbor and the river in a double decker boat with an enclosed lower deck and an open-air upper deck. The tour transports visitors alongside the major riverside colleges and historic sites.
Boston Harbor Cruises
One Long Wharf
Boston, MA 02110
877-733-9425
bostonharborcruises.com
