Latest news with #BostonDuckTours
Boston Globe
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Pint-size summer in the city: Fun things that kids will actually want to do
We recently revisited a sampling of local family-friendly attractions with a rotating posse of children under the age of 10. Here are some highlights. Of course, your results — with your kids, little buddies, or grandkids — may vary. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Kids are often pretty entertained by the squirrel action in the Public Garden, and it's easy to see why. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Fun freebies Attractions aren't cheap. Happily, Boston is full of fun freebies that score high with small fry, like the splash fountains on the Rose Kennedy Greenway ( Advertisement The chaos that is the Haymarket? The child in your party may well be entranced; ours was. But plan to carry that tot — this is not the place for a stroller. (For more tips, see Cyclists, runners, and walkers don't have to worry about cars on a section of Memorial Drive on Sundays. Vincent Alban For The Boston Globe How much fun is it to ride your bike in the street when there are no cars around? It's a blast. Our tester kids — old enough to ride two-wheeler bicycles — enjoyed Memorial Drive Recreation Sundays ( A pool of sprinkles at the Museum of Ice Cream. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff New and topped with sprinkles We asked an 8-year-old if she wanted to go to a museum. 'Yes! The ice cream one!' she replied. We should have seen that coming. Boston has its own outpost of the Museum of Ice Cream (timed entry; weekday tickets from $25; weekend tickets from $33; Advertisement View Boston, the observatory on top of the Prudential tower, is where Top of the Hub used to be. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Room with a view We were eager to check out View Boston ($34; ages 6-12, $15; "Back Bay Bertha" splashes into the Charles in 2020. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Duck, duck, boat Hard to believe the duck boats, a.k.a. Boston Duck Tours (adult tickets, $55; 3-11, $40; under age 3, $11; The jokes come fast and furiously, and will go right over the kids' heads. For them, the fun comes with that splash into the Charles River, and the chance to pilot the vessel for a minute or two. Our take: Out-of-town adult guests and older kids will enjoy this most, while little ones get antsy. (Tip: If your party includes two adults and two kids ages 3-11, ask about their Family 4 Pack; it's $165, good at the Museum of Science location only. Not valid on Saturdays.) Advertisement Martin's Park was officially opened in June 2019 with a celebration of music and family-friendly programming. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Awesome twosome Yep, the bubble exhibit is still there. And the Japanese House. The Boston Children's Museum ($22; under 12 months free; Visit on a nice day and make it a two-fer with a visit to Martin's Park Boston ( Legal Sea Foods gives little diners some options on their kids' menu. Of course, ours chose chicken fingers, along with rice pilaf and slaw. Diane Bair Best kids' menu If we never saw another chicken finger, we'd be fine. Legal Sea Foods ($10, for kids age 12 and under; Advertisement Maelynn Munro, 8, watches a penguin feeding session at the New England Aquarium. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Sea creatures? Yes please Harbor seals. Parading penguins. Seahorses. Sharks. Opened in 1969, New England Aquarium (adults, $39; ages 3-11, $30, We're running out of space and didn't have a chance to share the details of the Boston Public Library's ( Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum ( Sugar Factory Boston ( Advertisement See you on the Greenway Carousel — and in line at Cookie Monstah.
Boston Globe
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
City set to host first Duck Boat Pull competition at the Boston Common
The Participants must be 16 or older and The Boston Parks and Recreation Department partnered with Boston Duck Tours to establish the 'uniquely Boston' competition, Mayor Michelle Wu said in an announcement. Advertisement 'We're grateful to our amazing Parks and Recreation team and partners for constantly innovating in creating family-friendly, engaging activities for our residents,' she added. Teams are required to make a $1,000 donation – $100 per person – to compete. Proceeds will fund Boston's free youth sports and fitness programming, include leagues, tournaments, and fitness initiatives that encourage young people to get active. In 2024, the free sports programs served more than 20,000 young people in Boston, according to the city. 'Every pull directly supports vital youth sports programs that keep our kids healthy, active, and engaged in their communities,' said Liza Meyer, interim Boston Parks and Recreation commissioner. Alexis Beckett, a WCVB Channel 5 sports reporter and producer, will emcee the event. Advertisement Handout illustration of the Duck Boat Pull event provided by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Boston Parks and Recreation Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
CBS News
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Boston's Duck Boats are back for a new season as 2025 tours begin
It's officially springtime, which means Boston's duck boats have defrosted and are ready to waddle and wade through the city. Tours began on Friday at 9 a.m. and will run seven days a week through November. The iconic boats take visitors and residents alike through Boston's streets, showing off locations like Newbury Street and the Boston Public Library, before diving into the Charles River. "I can't believe that after 30 years in Boston, the start of our season is still as exciting as ever," Cindy Brown, CEO of Boston Duck Tours said in a statement. "Working in a world-class city is an honor and privilege that we take seriously. Our goal is to show the history, beauty, diversity and culture of Boston to locals and visitors alike." The boats are stationed at three locations across the city: the Prudential Center, the New England Aquarium, and the Museum of Science. The company says it shows the city to more than 520,000 people each season. There are 28 boats, each with its own Boston theme and name, like Haymarket Hannah, Fenway Fanny, and Prudence Center. The tour narration is available in ten different languages. You can buy tickets online or in person at their three locations. Tickets for children ages three to 11 are $39.99, and a ticket for an adult is $54.99. The company also offers discounted tickets for active military members and seniors. For more information about tours and to purchase tickets, click here. The iconic boats are well known as a key part of Boston's championship parades. The Boston Celtics rode 25 of them through the city during their championship parade last June . Some adjustments had to be made to the boats to get them ready for the parade, like raising the roofs for taller players such as Kristaps Porzingis, who is 7 foot 2. The boats also had championship banners for the parade. One of the iconic boats came to the rescue of a father and son who had fallen into the Charles River in August last year. A 2-year-old boy fell into the water after slipping through a railing, which led to his father jumping in after him. The duck boat was able to reach the two before police arrived and pulled them safely onboard. "I was thinking, just hold on to this kid," narrator and captain Kevin O'Neill said. "Get them up onto the Duck safe." The child and father were okay.
