Choose a Charles River Cruise

Enjoy touring the city by water on these Boston cruises

A Charles River cruise shows you Boston sites from a completely different perspective.  On these small boat cruises, you'll see nature and city - close up!

Some Charles River cruises even let you experience the Charles River Locks.  For extra fun, you can tour in style on an old-fashioned riverboat or relax on a romantic gondola.

On the Boston side of the river, you'll see Beacon Hill, Back Bay, and more.  And on the north side of the river, you'll see Cambridge, MIT, and Harvard. 

Several cruise operators offer excursions along the Charles.  Will you find big differences among the offerings?  Yes, you actually will.  Here's an overview of what 3 cruise companies offer - and why you might like each of them.

Have you already been on a Charles River cruise?  Tell us all about it!

Here's an overview of Boston cruises on the Charles River that you'll enjoy.

Charles Riverboat Company

The riverboats used in these Charles River cruises feature panoramic windows - a good thing, because you'll see spectacular sights along both banks of the river. 

Cruises depart from Cambridge, behind the CambridgeSide Galleria shopping mall.  You can choose from 3 options:

The Charles River Tour (60 minutes) takes you west along the river past Beacon Hill, the Esplanade, Back Bay (check out the backs of fabulous mansions!), and all the way down to Boston University.  On the right side of the boat, you'll see Cambridge biotech buildings, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Harvard.  There are several departure times from late morning through the afternoon.

The Sunset Cruise (60 minutes) version of the Charles River Cruise covers basically the same area at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm in the evening. 

The rays of the setting sun rippling across the river is lovely.  Traveling west, you see the sunset and then traveling back east, you see the last rays of sunlight reflected on the arches of the Longfellow Bridge - quite gorgeous!   If you enjoy watching the sunset with a cocktail in your hand, you'll appreciate the cash bar on this cruise. 

The Boston Harbor Locks Tour (75 minutes) departs at 10am.  If you're interested in river navigation (or if your children are along and you want them to have a hands-on experience of how locks work), going through the locks at the Charles River Dam is a fascinating experience.  You'll then cruise into the Inner Harbor, where you can see famous historical Boston sites, such as the Bunker Hill Monument and USS Constitution in Charlestown and Old North Church in the North End.

Details about Charles Riverboat Company's Charles River Cruise options

Departure location:  CambridgeSide Galleria, Memorial Drive across from the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge.  Once you're in the mall, go to the Food Court.  The pier with the boats is directly outside the back of the Food Court, in an area called Canal Park.
Open:  May through October (varies slightly for each cruise)
Cost (2009):   Adults $14, Seniors, $11, Children $7 
For more information:  617-621-3001; website .
Nearest T:  Green Line/Lechmere
Nearest parking:  CambridgeSide Galleria parking garage

Boston Harbor Cruises (BHC)

In addition to BHC's regular Boston Harbor excursions, they also offer a Charles River and Locks Cruise.  It's very similar to the Charles Riverboat Company Locks cruise in terms of what you'll see. 

The biggest difference is in the details.  The BHC cruise is 90 minutes long, you board the cruise boat at Long Wharf in the Downtown Boston Waterfront, and the cruise boat has a more traditional style. 

How do you decide between the 2 options? 

You'll be pleased with either one - but probably one location is more convenient than the other.  If you're staying in Boston, the BHC cruise is probably most convenient.  If your hotel is in Cambridge, opt for the Riverboat cruise.  If you're staying elsewhere, you can get to both of these cruises easily by T (Boston's subway).

Do keep in mind that while the BHC cruise is 30 minutes longer, it costs proportionately more.  Although part of the reason for the longer length is the additional transit time from Long Wharf to the locks, you'll get some nice city skyline views.

Details about Boston Harbor Cruises' Charles River cruise

Departure location:  Long Wharf, near the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in the Downtown Boston waterfront
Open:  Late June through early September
Cost:  $21 Adults, $19 Seniors, $17 Children 4 - 12 
For more information and tickets:  Boston Harbor Cruises: 617-227-4321; website;  or buy tickets at BHC's kiosk at Long Wharf .
Nearest T:  Blue Line/Aquarium
Nearest parking:  Boston parking garages near North End attractions

Gondola di Venezia - Boston Gondola Tours

The private tours along the Charles River and its canals and lagoons offered by Boston's only gondola tour operator are in a class by themselves.  The authentic Venetian gondolas accommodate up to 6 passengers, plus the gondolier and optional musician - but the 50-minute cruises are really designed as romantic interludes for 2.

Four cruise options are offered, with plenty of customization options.  Just to give you an idea, the Il Bacio Cruise includes a cheese and cracker basket, fabulous chocolates, and recorded classical Italian music.  You can bring your own champagne or wine - appropriate glasses, ice, and an ice bucket are provided as part of the tour. 

The Harvest Moon Cruise, offered only during the autumn, is a fabulous fall foliage tour, with the reds and golds of the leaves intensified by the blues of the sky and water.  And the other 2 cruise options are even more wonderful!

These romantic gondola tours do give you an unforgettable Charles River Cruise.  But depending on who you're with, you may not be paying that much attention to the Cambridge and Boston sites that you're passing. 

Details about Boston Gondola Tours

Departure location:  Hatch Shell (near Arlington St), on the Boston Esplanade
Open:  Mid-May through early November, Wednesday - Sunday, 2pm - midnight
Cost:  $99 plus tax and up 
For more information and reservations:  Gondola di Venezia: 617-876-2800; website; you must make reservations in advance.
Nearest T:  Green Line/Arlington - walk down Arlington Street toward the river (north), and use the Fiedler Footbridge to cross Storrow Drive to the Esplanade.  Alternately, Red Line/Charles-MGH - go left when you leave the station, cross Cambridge St (be very careful - cars can zoom at you from several points), cross Charles St, and Mugar Way to get to the Charles Street Footbridge.  Once you cross Storrow Drive on the Footbridge, go left.  Walk past Community Boating, and continue to the Hatch Shell, where you'll see Boston Gondola Tour's green and white poles.
Nearest parking:   Boston Common Garage