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Adventures Out

Cruisin' Down the River

Take your family out on a river cruise to see the world in a whole new way. Your kids will enjoy pointing out plenty of marvels, from landmarks to wildlife, and you can enjoy a break from driving.

Skyscrapers and History

Docked outside the CambridgeSide Galleria, the Charles Riverboat Company’s Charles I and Henry Longfellow offer 60-minute excursions along the Charles River. These 75-passenger riverboats cruise past sailboats and rowers, Boston’s Esplanade and Hatch Shell, the M.I.T. and Harvard University campuses, and Boston’s Back Bay. The captain points out some of the landmarks along the way. Or, take the separate Boston Harbors and Locks tour, where you’ll see the U.S.S. Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), Bunker Hill monument, and the Old North Church. Navigating the locks with their changing water levels is fascinating for kids and adults alike.

Clams and Boat Builders

Away from the hum of the city, explore a saltwater marsh and the sheltered North Shore Essex River coastline on the Essex River Queen. These 90-minute narrated tours highlight the natural beauty and wildlife of the area, as well as the history of boat builders, fishermen, and clam diggers. The 100-passenger boat passes by the Essex Shipbuilding Museum, the famous Woodman’s restaurant, Clamshell Beach, the estate at Crane Beach, and several Hollywood movie sets.

Birds, Beavers and Butterflies

If you consider yourself a naturalist, birder, adventurer, or sit-back-and-relax type, set out on the 150- minute Plum Island Ecotour on a converted 28-passenger Navy vessel, the Joppa Flats. You’ll explore the estuaries and the Great Marsh within the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, home to 300 species of birds and an abundance of other animals, such as deer, coyotes, beavers, butterflies, and fish. Bring your binoculars and cameras for best viewing. You can also book an Audubon-sponsored tour with a naturalist (at no extra cost) through the Joppa Flats Educational Center.

Or, for a different adventure, take a 45-minute narrated cruise on the Merrimack River and into Newburyport Harbor aboard the 49-passenger Yankee Clipper. This cruise highlights the region’s natural, economic, and maritime history.

(BPP, 9/09)

Side Streets

Before your next night on the town, visit Restaurant.com for big savings at local eateries. 

 Bypass theater ticket lines. Buy movie tickets in advance at Fandango.com. Read reviews and find showtimes for any movie in the U.S.

© 2003-2009 Robin C. Mason, WordsWorth2
Email Robin with calendar event listings, suggestions, and corrections.