Amphibious Duck, River Splashdown

Ride an amphibious duck vehicle through the streets of Boston, then splash down into the river for the cruise portion of the tour. The tour runs 1 hour 20 minutes and covers the city from land and water.

Overview

The vehicle is the main event here: a restored World War II amphibious craft that spends most of the trip rolling through downtown Boston and then drives straight into the Charles River for the final stretch. The full outing runs 1 hour 20 minutes, with about 20 minutes of that on the water. Along the way a narrator, the ConDUCKtor, runs a live commentary mixing history with jokes, and the driver handles both Boston traffic and the boat.

The land route passes a long list of the city's best known spots: Boston Common and the Public Garden, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market area landmarks, the Old State House, the Massachusetts State House, Newbury Street, Copley Place, TD Garden and the Zakim Bridge, among others. Nothing requires getting off. The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is passed but not entered, and its admission is not part of the ticket.

Departures are offered from three locations: the Museum of Science, the New England Aquarium and the Prudential Center. Travellers pick one at checkout and meet there on the day. This setup suits short visits, since one reviewer with only a single day in the city found it an efficient way to cover most of Boston without walking. The boat caps at 30 travellers per departure.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your departure pointChoose one of three departure locations at checkout: Museum of Science, New England Aquarium, or Prudential Center. The exact address arrives with the confirmation after purchase.
2. Board the duck boatClimb aboard a renovated World War II amphibious vehicle with your ConDUCKtor narrating and a driver at the wheel. Admission to the tour itself is included.
3. Drive through downtown BostonPass Boston Common, the Public Garden, the Old State House, the Massachusetts State House, Newbury Street, Copley Place, TD Garden, the Zakim Bridge and other central landmarks, all from your seat.
4. Pass the Tea Party Ships and MuseumThe route passes this site, but admission is not included in the tour ticket.
5. Splashdown into the Charles RiverThe vehicle drives into the river for a 20-minute cruise on the Charles River, with skyline views from the water. No extra admission is charged for this portion.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape how this tour goes, from departure logistics to what the narration is actually like.

• Pick your departure point. One reviewer chose a departure location within walking distance of where they were staying. Decide before checkout, since the meeting point on the day must match the one selected when booking.
• Dress for the weather. One reviewer explicitly advised dressing for the conditions. The experience also requires good weather, and poor conditions can lead to a rescheduled date or a full refund.
• Comedy by design. Several reviewers described their narrators as funny and entertaining, with jokes running alongside the history. Go in expecting humour rather than a dry lecture.
• Bring your own headphones. A GPS activated app offers narration in Spanish, German, Mandarin, French, Japanese, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean and Cantonese, but headphones are not provided and the phone must have its own cellular connection. The app is available for download from all departure locations.
• No walking required. Everything is seen from the vehicle, which reviewers appreciated as a way to cover the city without long stretches on foot. Wheelchair and pushchair access is available, though wheelchair users must contact the operator ahead so seats can be pulled to fit the chair.
• Short and dense. At 1 hour 20 minutes the tour packs in a large number of landmarks, and reviewers with limited time repeatedly called it efficient.

Common issues. One reviewer reported that the French audio app failed to track the route despite GPS being on. Gratuities are not included, and neither is hotel pickup or drop-off. The tour needs good weather, and cancellations within 24 hours of the start time receive no refund, though weather cancellations by the operator come with a new date or a full refund. Confirmation can take up to 48 hours and depends on availability.

Common Questions