The Original Duck Tour

Ride a duck vehicle on the original Boston duck tour and take in city sightseeing from land before the vehicle goes onto the water. The tour runs 80 minutes.

Overview

Eighty minutes, one vehicle, and a route that switches from asphalt to open water halfway through. The Original Duck Tour runs on a World War II-style amphibious landing vehicle that drives past Boston's landmarks and then rolls down a ramp straight into the Charles River, giving passengers a view of the city and Cambridge skyline from the water that street-level tours cannot match.

The ride starts at either the Museum of Science or the Prudential Center, depending on the option booked. From there a guide, billed as a ConDUCKtor, narrates the whole loop. The route passes the gold-domed State House, heads toward Bunker Hill, and continues past Boston Common, Copley Square, Newbury Street and Quincy Market, with commentary on the city's revolutionary history and its many claimed firsts. The river splashdown comes late in the tour and is the moment most passengers remember.

This suits first-time visitors who want a fast, entertaining sweep of the city rather than a deep history lecture. The guides lean heavily on jokes, which several travellers found hilarious while a few history-minded visitors found too silly. A multilingual audio app is available if the live English commentary is a barrier.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Board the DuckMeet at the Museum of Science or the Prudential Center, depending on the option selected, and climb aboard the amphibious vehicle.
2. Roll through downtownDrive past the golden-domed State House and continue toward Bunker Hill while the guide narrates.
3. Pass Boston Common and Copley SquareContinue along the streets past Boston Common, Copley Square and fashionable Newbury Street, with commentary on the Big Dig along the way.
4. See Quincy MarketDrive by historic Quincy Market and other central sights as the guide shares facts about the city's heritage.
5. Splash into the CharlesThe vehicle enters the Charles River for the water leg of the tour, with views of Boston and Cambridge from the river.
6. Return to shoreThe tour finishes back on land after roughly 80 minutes of combined street and river travel.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape the experience before the vehicle even leaves the curb.

• Bring headphones. The foreign language narration runs through a downloadable app, not through a headset provided on board. Travellers must bring their own headphones and use a phone with its own cellular connection.
• Come for comedy. Reviews again and again single out the guides' humour, with several travellers calling their guide the highlight of the day. Anyone wanting a dry, lecture-style history tour should know the commentary leans toward jokes and trivia.
• Use it as an opener. One traveller specifically recommended doing the duck tour first thing on a stay.
• Traffic can reroute. The listing states plainly that traffic conditions can alter the route and not all sites are guaranteed. The order and completeness of the sights may vary from departure to departure.
• No food or drink. Food and drinks are not included and alcohol and drugs are not allowed on board. The tour runs as one non-stop journey.
• Kids need tickets. Every passenger needs a ticket, including infants aged two and under. Plan the headcount accordingly when booking.

Common issues. The most frequent complaint in the reviews is value: one traveller felt the price was too high and would pick a hop-on hop-off bus next time. Another reviewer was disappointed their departure never entered the water. The humour is also divisive, as some visitors would prefer more history and fewer jokes. Gratuities, food and hotel transport are all excluded, so budget for a tip if the guide earns one.

Common Questions