Original Boston Duck Tour Land and River Sightseeing

The amphibious Duck and the Back Bay

The vehicles used on this tour are modelled on the amphibious trucks of the Second World War, nicknamed ducks, which carried troops and supplies from ships to beaches. Restored and fitted with comfortable seats, they now carry visitors through the streets of Boston and straight into the river, making the Boston duck tour one of the best-known sightseeing experiences in the United States.

Your default departure is from the Prudential Center in the Back Bay, a neighbourhood built on reclaimed tidal marshland in the nineteenth century. Its grid of elegant streets is lined with brownstone townhouses, and Newbury Street is famous for its boutiques, galleries and cafes. The guide also points out Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library, two of the city's architectural treasures.

The State House, Beacon Hill and Boston Common

Climbing towards Beacon Hill, the Duck passes the Massachusetts State House, completed in 1798, with its dome covered in gleaming gold leaf. Around it, Beacon Hill is one of the most charming neighbourhoods in America, with narrow brick pavements, gas lamps and Federal-style houses that have barely changed in two centuries.

Below lies Boston Common, established in 1634 and the oldest public park in the United States. Once used for grazing cattle and military drills, it is now a green space for picnics, skating in winter and summer concerts. Next to it, the Public Garden features a lagoon with its famous swan boats. Your guide shares stories of the Revolution that began in these streets.

Bunker Hill, the North End and the historic marketplace

The tour crosses the river for a view of the Bunker Hill Monument, a granite obelisk about 67 metres high that commemorates one of the first major battles of the American Revolution in 1775. Nearby, the historic navy yard is the berth of the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, a wooden frigate launched in 1797.

Back in the centre, you pass the edge of the North End, Boston's oldest residential neighbourhood, known for its bakeries and narrow streets, and the eighteenth-century market hall known as the Cradle of Liberty, with its lively marketplace of food stalls and street performers. The guide also tells the story of the Big Dig, the vast project that buried an elevated highway and created a ribbon of parks through downtown.

Splashdown in the Charles River

The highlight comes when the Duck rolls down the ramp and splashes into the Charles River, to cheers from everyone on board. On the water, the vehicle cruises across the river basin, giving you views of the Boston skyline, the Back Bay and the leafy Esplanade on one side and Cambridge, with its famous universities, on the other.

From the river you also see the elegant stone bridge whose towers locals compare to salt and pepper shakers, and the sailing boats that fill the basin on summer days. This is the most photographed part of the tour and the best answer to whether a Boston duck tour is worth it: few other tours let you see the city from both land and water.

Planning your Boston duck tour

Tours from the Prudential Center leave every half hour from 9:00 to 16:30. Arrive at least 30 minutes early to check in. Each tour lasts about 80 minutes, and traffic can alter the route, so not every sight is guaranteed. The vehicles are open-sided with a roof, so you enjoy fresh air with shade from the sun.

The best time to take the tour is a sunny morning or late afternoon, when the light on the river is beautiful. Children usually love the splashdown. If you prefer commentary in another language, choose the Museum of Science departure, which offers an audio app in many languages; bring your own headphones and a phone with mobile data.