Considering adding a Boston duck tour to your upcoming trip, and not sure if it’s worth it?
We hope our experience can help you decide!
After almost a decade of repeated visits to Boston (including one idyllic summer spent living there), I finally boarded my first duck boat in June 2026.
For years, I strolled past Boston’s amphibious vehicles (trucks that turn into boats, basically) full of tourists, and thought to myself, “one day, I’ll have a kid who will think that is so cool, and I’ll take one then.” And now, with a 2.5-year-old in tow, it was finally time.
As usual, we paid for our duck tour out of our own pocket and told no one there that we were travel bloggers.
Here’s exactly what going on a duck tour in Boston was like for us, plus travel tips you should know before you go!
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What’s Going on a Boston Duck Tour Like?
Are you looking for a quick, general overview of Boston’s highlights, with a bit of time spent on the river and a literal splash?
If so, a duck tour like the one we took might be right for you!
Our group of four included Jeremy and me, our toddler, and my stepmom who is a Massachusetts native with 30+ years worth of living in Boston behind her.
We found our duck tour through Boston to be very general and light in terms of the “tour” aspect: the facts shared were interesting, but felt somewhat random.
This isn’t a historical deep-dive, but if you’d like to drive past a collection of Boston’s landmarks and perhaps learn some less-iconic facts about the city, it’s a great choice! Even my stepmom remarked that she had picked up a couple of new things.
A fair bit of the tour focused on modern-ish aspects of the city, including current events (the World Cup was going on during our tour!) and quite a bit of sports trivia that felt very on-brand for Boston.
The narration was solid, though not our absolute favorite (a few too many Beatles references that felt out of place, though the number of duck puns was great), but the narrator and driver were both very friendly and kind.
Most of the tour is spent driving through the city, with the final 20 minutes taking place on the Charles River.
The biggest highlights are both within those 20 minutes: the “splash down” into the water that is a highlight of every tour, and sometimes, a chance for kids (including ours) to “drive” the boat.
Unsurprisingly, driving the boat was a big hit with our little one!
10 Things to Know Before Your Duck Tour in Boston
Traffic makes a difference in your experience.
This is a rookie mistake, so I can’t believe it didn’t cross any of our minds, but keep in mind Boston is (in)famous for its traffic, and that includes on duck tours!
Most of your duck tour will take place on public streets, so traffic will definitely impact your trip. Our tour ran over by 10 minutes (90 minutes instead of 80) due to traffic.
In retrospect, I would’ve picked something like a 10:00 AM slot instead of the 4:15 PM slot we opted for.
The tour is mostly on land, but the river is the highlight.
A duck tour is designed to last 80 minutes, with 60 of those being on land and 20 on the Charles River.
This is easy to overlook, as the splash down and boat ride are a huge part of the appeal of the tour, but it does only make up about 25% of the total tour time!
… but don’t confuse the river with the harbor.
The Charles River is a lovely place, and you’ll enjoy some great views (including of Cambridge) during your ride.
However, if you’re looking for those iconic views of the Boston skyline with sailboats in the foreground and skyscrapers rising up behind them, you won’t find that here.
For that, you’ll want to sign up for a harbor cruise instead.
Kids (or kids at heart) may get a chance to “drive” the boat.
Do you have a kid who wants to “drive” a boat on the river? They just may get to!
I’m sure it’s not guaranteed, but based on other Boston duck tour reviews, this seems to be a pretty standard offer when it makes sense. The experience even came with an “I drove a duck” sticker at the end!
It was a huge hit with our toddler and the others kids on board, and while no adults opted to give it a try, it was an option on the table.
… but the tour itself isn’t targeted at children.
With something as quirky as a vehicle that operates on both land and water, you might be wondering if this is a tour designed for kids, and the answer is no.
Adults are the primary audience of the tour and who the narration is for, and less than half of the groups on our duck had kids with them.
Jeremy and my stepmom have both enjoyed duck tours in the past that were part of corporate outings, with no kids in sight!
There are multiple starting points (and they book up at different rates).
When booking your duck tour, you’ll have a choice of starting at the Prudential Center, at the New England Aquarium, or at the Museum of Science. All of these are tourist attractions in their own right, of course!
Based on our experience, it seemed like the New England Aquarium departure books up the fastest. It was our first choice of departure points, but we couldn’t get a time slot that fit our schedule when we were looking.
We ended up leaving from the Museum of Science, which worked out very well (and the fact that the Museum of Science has public restrooms accessible before the ticket counter came in handy, too).
Each departure point follows a slightly different route (the aquarium departure’s tour is the most distinct of the 3), but they all include the splash down and the ride in the Charles River!
For best results, book in advance, especially in the summer.
Boston is a highly seasonal travel destination, so it’s no surprise that duck tours are known to sell out a day or two in advance in the summer!
The less flexibility you have in your schedule and departure location, the earlier you should book (up to 30 days in advance).
If you are open to different departure points and times, booking a couple days ahead is probably plenty.
Check availability for duck tours in Boston during your trip today!
Plan (and dress) around the weather if you can.
Duck tours are a rain-or-shine activity, and Boston is not a city known for its perfect weather!
If you’re booking your duck tour close to your travel date, I’d recommend opting for a sunny day if you can. If not, plan to bring extra layers with you, depending on the season!
(And if you do take your ride on a hot and sunny day like we did, sunglasses, sunscreen, and an ice-cold water bottle are all great ideas.)
Boston’s duck boats are based on decommissioned military vehicles.
While the quirky “duck” name for the vehicles seems to write itself (happy on land and water!), it’s actually based on something else: DUKW transport vehicles from WWII.
While the current fleet is all new, the ducks are heavily based on the original DUKWs!
Our Duck Tour Experience With a Toddler
Wondering if your kid is old enough for a duck tour? We heavily debated the same thing before signing up!
Our son was almost exactly 2.5 years old when we took our duck tour, which felt a bit like a gamble: would it hold his attention?
In the end, it worked out great.
He listened attentively to a decent chunk of the narration, and spent much of the rest of the time admiring the ever-changing views out of the windows (especially when they involved construction equipment).
He did get a bit antsy in the last 15 minutes or so of our time on land, especially because we were stuck in traffic and getting hot. It was manageable, though, with water, snacks, and parent involvement.
Once we got onto the river, he was smitten again, and the look on his face when he got to “drive” the boat made the whole gamble worth it.
Boston duck tours definitely aren’t for children, but they’re obviously going to appeal to lots of kids… ours included.
Final Verdict: Was Taking a Boston Duck Tour Worth It?
For us, taking a Boston duck tour was definitely worth it!
It was lots of fun to see the city from a new perspective, to try out a different kind of tour, and to get to ride in an amphibious vehicle.
The “splash down” into the river was a crowd pleaser for all ages, and spending some time on the Charles River was definitely a highlight (and not just because the breeze from the water cooled us off a bit).
It’s definitely not the right experience if you’re looking to dive deeply into Boston’s history, but it’s a fun introduction to the city that takes place in a memorable form of transportation.
We definitely won’t rush to sign up for one every year, but for a one-time event, it made for a memorable afternoon downtown!
Other Popular Ways to Tour Boston
Know that you want to get introduced to Boston via a fun tour, but not sure a duck tour is the right option for you?
Here are a few more popular options based on what component of the duck tour is most appealing to you:
- Boston Harbor Sightseeing Cruise (also gets you out on the water, but in a tall ship and with arguably better views!)
- Freedom Trail History Walking Tour (for a deeper dive into Boston’s story)
- Hop-On/Hop-Off Trolley Tour (for a high-level overview of the city, without needing to walk much)
Read More About Visiting Boston & Beyond
Traveling to Boston soon… and maybe further afield in the northeast?
If you found our Boston duck tour review helpful, we’d love to continue to be part of your Boston trip planning here on Our Escape Clause!
You can browse all of our New England blog posts here, read more about who we are here, or check out these guides:
- How to Spend One Perfect Day in Boston, MA (Itinerary + Tips!)
- 19 Cool Cities Perfect for Weekend Getaways in the USA
- 15 Wicked Fun Quotes About Boston
- Planning Your First Trip to NYC: Bucket List + Travel Tips!
- 15 Amazing Things to Do in Acadia National Park
About Kate Storm
Kate is the founder and primary author of Our Escape Clause. Since 2016, she has been following her curiosity across the globe and turning her experiences into detailed trip planning advice for you. Her travels have taken her to 50+ countries, most regions of Italy, and most US states. After 4+ years of full-time travel, she enjoyed chapters calling Lisbon, New York City, and Texas home before deciding to base herself in North Carolina (between trips). She lives with her husband and business partner, Jeremy, their son, and their fluffy sidekick, Ranger.