Help with tours - Boston

3 of us will be in Boston for one day in early October 2018. Would appreciate any suggestions for private companies/small group tours of the city and surrounding area. Have seen the HOHO tours, and we can go that way, but would like to see what more experienced travelers suggest first...thank you in advance!

Boston is nothing but history and things to do. I lived in Boston for many years. You could spend a week touring and still not hit all the high points. A few things beside museums, sporting parks, etc would be: Boston Freedom Trail Walking Tour, Boston Duck Tour, Boston Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour, Harbor Cruise Tours, USS Constitution, Cruise, Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall, Boston Public Garden.

Cambridge just across the Charles River, Lexington & Concord 30 to 45 minutes away, Salem 45 Minutes, Plymouth 1.5 hours away. maybe if you posted what interest you it would be better.

Boston is nothing but history and things to do. I lived in Boston for many years. You could spend a week touring and still not hit all the high points. A few things beside museums, sporting parks, etc would be: Boston Freedom Trail Walking Tour, Boston Duck Tour, Boston Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour, Harbor Cruise Tours, USS Constitution, Cruise, Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall, Boston Public Garden.

 

Cambridge just across the Charles River, Lexington & Concord 30 to 45 minutes away, Salem 45 Minutes, Plymouth 1.5 hours away. maybe if you posted what interest you it would be better.

Wonderful suggestions, and thank you! Is there a tour company you could recommend for our day in Boston?

Lots of the things mentioned are on the Freedom Trail, which is walkable, and self-guided. My usual suggestion is to take a cab to the Charlestown Navy Yard, see the Constitution early before the crowds, and then do the Freedom Trail backwards towards the Common. Boston as a whole is a very walkable city, and a good guide book will show you where to walk.

HOHO trolleys can be problematic in high season, as there is no fixed schedule, and if a trolley is full passing by where you are waiting, it will just pass you by.

I would never recommend a Duck tour to anyone, as these things are not safe on land or water.

I have lived in Boston as well as visited I like the HOHO tours as they got all the spots and let you spend more or less time at each location. If you have the time do a full loop then decide where to get off and start.

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I would never recommend a Duck tour to anyone, as these things are not safe on land or water.

I would recommend them, they are fully coast guard approved and inspected. Boston Duck Tours only use them within the Charles River, which is freshwater and flat, never more than a few hundred meters from shore.

In the 1990's I kept my boat at Cashman Marine in Boston Harbor, the duck tours have the service and storage location at Cashman. I saw how they went through the Ducks bring them back to new or better condition. Until this year no deaths involving Boston Ducks, one this year, a girl run her motorbike into the duck on land. Traffic accidents do happen.

I would recommend them, they are fully coast guard approved and inspected. Boston Duck Tours only use them within the Charles River, which is freshwater and flat, never more than a few hundred meters from shore.

 

In the 1990's I kept my boat at Cashman Marine in Boston Harbor, the duck tours have the service and storage location at Cashman. I saw how they went through the Ducks bring them back to new or better condition. Until this year no deaths involving Boston Ducks, one this year, a girl run her motorbike into the duck on land. Traffic accidents do happen.

First off, there are more duck tours than Boston, and there have been many accidents. Second, the girl did not run her motorbike into the duck, the duck did not see her when stopped at a traffic light (due to poor visibility when on land), and when the traffic light changed, it ran her over.

And, unfortunately, despite USCG inspection, there have been incidents where the equipment has been found in poor condition resulting in water ingress to the boat. Finally, the boat does not have any positive flotation, but could have if the voids were filled with foam, but USCG doesn't allow this in order to be able to inspect them.

First off, there are more duck tours than Boston, and there have been many accidents. Second, the girl did not run her motorbike into the duck, the duck did not see her when stopped at a traffic light (due to poor visibility when on land), and when the traffic light changed, it ran her over.

 

And, unfortunately, despite USCG inspection, there have been incidents where the equipment has been found in poor condition resulting in water ingress to the boat. Finally, the boat does not have any positive flotation, but could have if the voids were filled with foam, but USCG doesn't allow this in order to be able to inspect them.

Never said that other places do not offer duck tours. I said no deaths in Boston with Duck Tours until this year. As for the girl on the motorbike her responsibly to stay clear of the duck. No charges against the duck tour company and no one on the duck hurt.

Positive flotation is not required on a boat or ship, some have it many do not. Again the Ducks in Boston meet all current USCG requirements and are inspected and approved. You want to fill the voids with foam but the USCG says no so case closed, the opinion of the USCG is what matters here, you have no standing.... If you do not want to use them or to recommend them that is your right, as it is my right to recommend them. Sorry but the truth.

Let's see. She was sitting on her motorbike at the stop light, with this huge thing behind her, and it is her responsibility to get out of the way when it starts moving? Sorry, but from my learning the rules of the road, when hit from behind, the vehicle behind is always at fault. While true that no criminal charges were filed, the driver, who had a long record of traffic violations, has been barred from driving for the duck boat company. I'm not sure if a wrongful death suit (and I know you are a fan of litigation) has been filed or not.

Lots of the things mentioned are on the Freedom Trail, which is walkable, and self-guided. My usual suggestion is to take a cab to the Charlestown Navy Yard, see the Constitution early before the crowds, and then do the Freedom Trail backwards towards the Common. Boston as a whole is a very walkable city, and a good guide book will show you where to walk.

 

HOHO trolleys can be problematic in high season, as there is no fixed schedule, and if a trolley is full passing by where you are waiting, it will just pass you by.

 

I would never recommend a Duck tour to anyone, as these things are not safe on land or water.

I totally agree with this plan with one twist. I like to recommend taking the MBTA Charlestown ferry from the Constitution back to Long Wharf for $3.50 and walking along the waterfront to the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail to walk back to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. This gives you a mini cruise through the upper harbor to see the city from the water. IMO the Freedom Trail from the Constitution to the North End is the least appealing section of the Trail. I have done this twice with friends who are spending a port day in Boston.

Downtown Boston is a maze of mostly narrow one way streets that make it very difficult for any kind of tour bus to negotiate let alone park anywhere. This is why the Hoho is so popular, but even the Hoho bus route cannot negotiate many streets in the North End or Beacon Hill, so you just get dropped off somewhere nearby to walk to the tourist attractions.

If you end up back at the Boston Common, it is very easy to take the MBTA Red Line Subway (any train direction Braintree/Mattapan) two stops to South Station to do a free transfer to the Silver Line SL2 bus back to Black Falcon Terminal for $2.75/pp.

Thank you all for your help!

I totally agree with this plan with one twist. I like to recommend taking the MBTA Charlestown ferry from the Constitution back to Long Wharf for $3.50 and walking along the waterfront to the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail to walk back to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. This gives you a mini cruise through the upper harbor to see the city from the water. IMO the Freedom Trail from the Constitution to the North End is the least appealing section of the Trail. I have done this twice with friends who are spending a port day in Boston.

 

 

Downtown Boston is a maze of mostly narrow one way streets that make it very difficult for any kind of tour bus to negotiate let alone park anywhere. This is why the Hoho is so popular, but even the Hoho bus route cannot negotiate many streets in the North End or Beacon Hill, so you just get dropped off somewhere nearby to walk to the tourist attractions.

 

 

If you end up back at the Boston Common, it is very easy to take the MBTA Red Line Subway (any train direction Braintree/Mattapan) two stops to South Station to do a free transfer to the Silver Line SL2 bus back to Black Falcon Terminal for $2.75/pp.

Hi Carol! We will be in your area for the first time ever next October (2019) as we are taking the Snowbird Migration cruise from Quebec City to Tampa with a stop in Boston. We may even fly to Boston, spend a couple of days and then drive to QC as it looks as if Boston has too much to see than is possible in one port day! I am thinking that if we can do that we may spend our port day in Salem, which is supposed to have a lot of fun stuff going on during Halloween month! If not, we will spend our one day on the Freedom Trail for sure. Thank you for your input. It is very helpful.

Hi Ginny! You should have my email address. Please feel free to ask me questions.

I did a port day in Boston and we just made it through half the Freedom Trail!

If you decide to spend some precruise time in Boston, your priority will be trying to find some reasonable accommodations. You need to start this process about a year out. I can help you with this. Don't book any air until you see how expensive the hotels are here. I would consider flying in, renting a car, doing Salem, staying in a less expensive out of town hotel, and driving to Quebec. The fall foliage should be gorgeous that weekend. You can walk the Freedom Trail on your port day.

Hi Ginny! You should have my email address. Please feel free to ask me questions.

 

I did a port day in Boston and we just made it through half the Freedom Trail!

 

If you decide to spend some precruise time in Boston, your priority will be trying to find some reasonable accommodations. You need to start this process about a year out. I can help you with this. Don't book any air until you see how expensive the hotels are here. I would consider flying in, renting a car, doing Salem, staying in a less expensive out of town hotel, and driving to Quebec. The fall foliage should be gorgeous that weekend. You can walk the Freedom Trail on your port day.

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Check and see if they still do that guided walking tour which starts at Faneil (SP?) Hall. We did that 4 years ago and our guide was great!