Boston Duck Tours

By Kim Knox Beckius

Updated 05/16/17

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    Red Sox Nathan

    Boston Duck Tour - World War II-Era Amphibious Duck Red Sox Nathan
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery The two dozen World War II-era amphibious vehicles in the Boston Duck Tours flock all have clever names, like Faneuil Holly and Red Sox Nathan. Our butterscotch-colored Duck, Symphony Hal, was christened by Boston Pops maestro Keith Lockhart. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Laugh and Learn as You Tour Historic Boston on Land and Water

    What's a Duck Tour? Good question! You'll tour Boston's roads and waters in a "Duck," a World War II-era amphibious craft. Your tour guide, a.k.a. the ConDUCKtor, will teach you a thing or two about this historic city and tell a few jokes that will quack you up, too.

    We learned, for example, that the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest and most prestigious race: the only marathon that requires participants to qualify. Chief Petty Officer Duck Pin also explained that "Boston baked beans are a huge part of Boston's culinary history," and each can of Boston baked beans has exactly 239 beans. "If we add one more bean, it would be too fahty," he quipped in his Boston accent.

    Boston Duck Tours (Book Now) depart daily mid-March through November and Friday through Sunday in December from the Prudential Center, daily year-round from the Museum of Science and daily April through October from...MORE the New England Aquarium.

    These photos from our June 2007 Boston visit provide a sense of the Boston Duck Tours experience.

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 02 of 14

    South End Sara

    Boston Duck Tours Picture - South End Sara
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery This rainbow-painted Duck is named South End Sara. Most of the Boston Duck Tours Ducks were built in 1944 and 1945 but were never deployed overseas. Sara is one of four new "stretch" Ducks that accommodate up to 37 passengers. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 03 of 14

    Cheers Boston

    Cheers Boston Photo
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery As your Duck rumbles along Boston's busy streets, your ConDUCKtor will point out famous sights like Cheers Boston (inspiration for the TV show "Cheers"), share interesting historical tidbits and regale you with jokes guaranteed to quack you up. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 04 of 14

    Copley Square

    Copley Square Picture - Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery As we motored past Trinity Church in Copley Square, our ConDUCKtor told us about the Back Bay neighborhood's 19th-century architecture and about Newbury Street's legendary shopping. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 05 of 14

    Old South Meeting House

    Old South Meeting House - Photo of Old South Meeting House from Boston Duck Tour
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery Colonists gathered at the Old South Meeting House before boarding British ships and dumping tea in the harbor. "Take that, Philadelphia!" our ConDUCKtor had us shout. "The guys from Philadelphia were doing the paperwork" while Bostonites took bullets. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 06 of 14

    New England Holocaust Memorial

    New England Holocaust Memorial Photo - Holocaust Memorial in Boston
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery Our Duck Tour also took us past the glass towers of the New England Holocaust Memorial, which was dedicated in 1995. The symbolism of the memorial is better appreciated up close, but the 54-foot towers were still a moving scene. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 07 of 14

    Into the Charles

    Charles River Scene with Sailboats Boston - Photo of View from Boston Duck Tour
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery After lumbering along the convoluted streets of Boston, which, we learned, follow the routes of cow paths blazed in the 1600s, our World War II-era amphibious Duck plunged right into the Charles River. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 08 of 14

    Sailboats and the Citgo Sign

    Sailboats and the Citgo Sign - View from the Charles River Aboard a Boston Duck Tour
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery Boston Duck Tours' ConDUCKtors are Coast Guard licensed captains, so you can feel confident in their ability to steer your Duck through sailboat traffic on the Charles River while you look for sights, such as the famous Citgo sign outside Fenway Park. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 09 of 14

    Museum of Science

    Museum of Science Boston Photo - Boston Duck Tour Pictures
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery The Museum of Science is a popular departure point for Duck Tours. Here, we see the museum from the water. It's easy to understand why these versatile amphibious cargo vehicles--officially named DUKWs--were useful to the U.S. military during World War II. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 10 of 14

    The Prudential Center

    Prudential Center Boston Picture
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery The Prudential Center at 800 Boylston Street is another departure point for Boston Duck Tours. You'll spy the Prudential Center once again after your Duck splashes down into the Charles River. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 11 of 14

    Old Enough to Drive a Duck?

    Boston Duck Tour Picture - Steering Duck in Boston's Charles River
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery For our four-year-old daughter, the highlight of the Duck Tour came when our guide, Duck Pin, invited her to steer Symphony Hal on the Charles River. A Gloucester native, Duck Pin said, "I was born with saltwater in my veins.". © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 12 of 14

    The Lessons Continue

    Duck in the Charles River - Boston Duck Tours Photo
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery Duck Pin kept up the history lesson and monologue while we were afloat, which was surprising considering my daughter is not an experienced driver! We learned that there's no such fish as scrod. Scrod is an acronym for "select catch received on the dock.". © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 13 of 14

    Shake a Tail Feather

    Boston Duck Tours - Picture of Duck on the Charles River
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery A Duck on our tail in the water was a signal that it was time for our Duck to return to dry land. Duck Tours of Boston afford passengers an opportunity to appreciate the workings of these amazing DUKW vehicles, designed by General Motors in 1942. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.

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  • 14 of 14

    An Entertaining Ride

    Boston Duck Tour Photo - Two Ducks Passing in the River
    Boston Duck Tour Photo Gallery A fellow passenger waves to a passing Duck as we head back to shore. Whether you're visiting Boston for the first time or looking for a new way to experience a city you know well, a Duck tour is definitely entertaining. © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius

    Boston Duck Tours are a fun way to see this historic city.