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Your Boston Harbor Islands guide for the 2025 season
Island activities this summer include hiking, camping, and sunset clam bakes.
Boston is a city with a unique island escape.
The Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, comprised of 34 islands and peninsulas, is a short ferry ride from Boston and stretches over 50 square miles. It attracts half a million visitors annually.
“It’s really special to be in an urban city and then also be able to take a public ferry to a national park,” said Rebecca Smerling, director of programs at Boston Harbor Now. “There’s only a few of those in the country.”
The islands are full of adventures, Smerling said, and visitors can explore everything from beaches to historic sites to trails with sweeping harbor views. The islands with public activities are Georges, Spectacle, and Peddocks.
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2025 summer programming on the islands includes daily free activities such as ranger-led tours, hiking, art and science programs, and nature-based scavenger hunts. Events that require a ticket or reservation include camping, sunset clam bakes, and lighthouse cruises. A new ticketed event this year is Prosecco Picnics on Spectacle Island.
Programming has been expanded this season to include free activities every day, Smerling said.
“Each day we’ll feature something different,” she said. “So it could be fishing, it could be a big scavenger hunt program that we have. And we have a whole series of different science programs for people to connect in different ways with the natural resources out there.”
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This season will bring restaurant pop-ups, Smerling said, and community organizations will also host activities such as cultural festivals, dance parties, and more. Information about those events will be released as it becomes available, she said.
There is no food service on the islands except during special events, Smerling noted.
“We really encourage people to go to Boston Public Market or local vendors and pick up some of the great food that Boston has to offer and bring it on board,” she said. “The ferry also has food.”
Another option: Luke’s Lobster just opened a shack at the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park Welcome Center on The Greenway, a 5 minute walk from the ferry at Long Wharf. Travelers can order lobster, crab, and shrimp rolls for pickup using this link (just make sure your pickup time is at least 30 minutes before your ferry departure).
Visitors should know that the islands have a carry-on carry-off policy to protect the environment and wildlife, so trash must be disposed of off island.
Ahead, discover what’s happening on the Boston Harbor Islands this summer, how to get there, and tips for saving money on the ferry.
Spectacle Island
The 114-acre Spectacle Island offers five miles of hiking and walking trails, a beach, picnic areas, and ranger-guided programs, Smerling said. Visitors can hike to North Drumlin, the highest point in the harbor for panoramic views. A Visitor Center includes exhibits and a short educational video.
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“Up there you can see all the way out to Boston Light,” Smerling said. “It has really amazing views.”
A brand new offering this season on Spectacle Island is Prosecco Picnics, happening July 17 and 31. Guests will enjoy Prosecco, a bento box meal (guests preorder meals of chicken, steak, shrimp, or a vegetarian option), Prosecco, and island activities. The event includes a cash oyster bar.
This summer, guests can also attend Spectacle Summer Nights featuring beverages by 67 Degrees Brewing. The after-hours event includes live music, games, hiking, and the opportunity to roast s’mores on the beach while enjoying the sunset. The themed events will take place on the following dates:
July 12: Berklee Summer in the City
July 26: Nerd Night
Aug. 9: Jazz Night
Aug. 23: Caribbean Night
“It’s just a nice way to be out on the island after hours,” Smerling said. “You do get to catch the sunset. People love the s’mores and being on the harbor at night is pretty spectacular.”
Spectacle will also host a Sunset Lobster Clam Bake on July 24 and Aug. 7 and 21.
“You can have a New England-style lobster dinner with harbor views,” Smerling said. “It’s kind of like a great be-a-tourist-in-your-own-city experience.”
Spectacle Island is currently open Thursday through Sunday until June 16, after which the island is open seven days a week.
Georges Island
The 53-acre Georges Island has a completely different vibe than Spectacle, said Smerling. Guests can explore the island on a ranger-guided tour and learn all about its history through exhibits and a short educational film at the Welcome Center.
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The island’s main attraction is Fort Warren, a historic fort constructed between 1833-1860 and used by Union soldiers as a training area during the Civil War. It was decommissioned in 1947.
“There’s signage to show you what the different rooms were used for,” said Smerling. “So, for example, you can go into the bakery and see where the bread was made or into the hospital where soldiers would go if they were sick.”
A parade ground on the island is great for playing games, Smerling said, and there are picnic areas with grills and a new pavilion. Swimming is not allowed on the island.
A free Juneteenth celebration will take place on Georges Island on Jun 19, which will include live music, immersive historical tours, and explorations of Black history in Boston.
Georges Island opens on June 16.
Peddocks Island
The 210-acre Peddocks Island is known for its rich biodiversity and is one of the largest of the Boston Harbor Islands. Guests can explore Fort Andrews, built in 1900, which once served as an active Coast Artillery Post and was decommissioned in 1946. There is also a restored WWII-era chapel.
Guests can go camping, hiking, fishing, swimming and take part in ranger-guided programs. There is a Visitor Center and charcoal grills on the island.
Campers on Peddocks Island sleep in tents or rent a yurt.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it glamping, but it’s definitely a step up from sleeping in a tent,” said Smerling. “Every yurt has electricity, it comes with a grill, there’s beds inside and a table. It’s definitely a nicer experience for people who are new to camping.”
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Peddocks Island opens on June 16 and camping begins on June 18.
Campers can book their campsite on ReserveAmerica. Campsite fees are $8 for Massachusetts residents and $20 for non residents. Yurts can be rented for $55 for Massachusetts residents and $140 for non residents. Pets are not allowed on the Boston Harbor Islands.
How to get there
Ferry service to the islands is provided by Boston Harbor City Cruises and tickets can be reserved online, by calling 617-227-4321, or in person at the ticket center at Long Wharf North. All ticket purchases are round-trip.
Visitors can take a ferry from Boston to Georges Island and Spectacle Island and board at Long Wharf North at 66 Long Wharf in Boston. From Boston to Spectacle Island is a 30 minute ferry ride and Boston to Georges Island is a 45 minute ferry ride.
Those traveling to Peddocks Island must get the ferry from the Hingham Ferry Terminal at 28 Shipyard Drive. From Hingham to Peddocks Island is about a 30 minute ferry ride.
Service from Hingham to Georges Island is also offered by the MBTA and is first-come, first-served. These tickets cannot be bought online.
The ferry costs $24.95 for adults, $22.95 for seniors/students/military, and $17.95 for children (kids under age 3 are free), and discounted fares are available.
View the ferry schedule and purchase tickets here.
Find out how to get to the islands via private boat here.
How to save money on the ferry
There are several ways that visitors can save money on ferry tickets to the Boston Harbor Islands this season, Smerling said.
Massachusetts residents can save $10 on ferry tickets for trips on Monday through Friday. Boston-area libraries provide a discount code to cardholders that takes 50% off ferry tickets for up to four people. Also, EBT and Wic program participants can get ferry tickets for $4.
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Smerling said it’s well worth securing a ferry ticket this season and exploring all that the Boston Harbor Islands has to offer.
“It’s a totally unique, different way to spend your day,” she said. “You get to be outside, you get to be on a boat. I think its super playful and people can have a great outdoor experience.”
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