Boston Harbor Islands: Ferries, Camping and What to See

Boston Harbor contains dozens of islands, a substantial number of which are part of a national and state park area, reachable by ferry from downtown. It is the most underused amenity in the city.

What is out there

The islands vary enormously. Some have historic fortifications, some have beaches and walking trails, some have camping, and some are essentially undeveloped.

Georges Island holds Fort Warren, a granite fortification from the 19th century that served as a Civil War prison. It is the island most visitors see first, and the fort is genuinely worth exploring.

Spectacle Island has beaches, walking paths and high points with views back at the Boston skyline. Its history is unusual even by harbour standards: it was a dump for decades and was capped and landscaped into a park using material excavated during the Big Dig.

Several smaller islands offer camping in season, by reservation, with facilities that range from basic to very basic.

Getting there

Ferries run seasonally from downtown Boston, with Long Wharf the usual departure point. Some islands are served directly; others are reached by an inter-island shuttle from a hub island, which is a detail worth understanding before you plan a day.

The season is limited. This is a summer and shoulder-season activity, and service is reduced or absent outside it. Check the current schedule rather than assuming a boat will be running.

What to bring

More than you think. Several islands have limited or no food service, limited shade and limited fresh water. Bring water, food, sun protection and a layer, because it is cooler and windier on the water than in the city.

Wear real shoes. Fort Warren and the island trails involve uneven ground, and the granite inside the fort is dark and slick in places.

Bring a light and check the return schedule. Missing the last ferry from an island is a memorable and entirely avoidable experience.

Camping

Camping is available on certain islands, seasonally and by reservation. Sites are primitive: no cars, no shops, no arriving late because you can only reach the island when a boat is running.

The reward is a night in a national park area within sight of a major city skyline, which is a rare combination. Reservations for the good weekends go early.

Why the harbour is clean enough for this

For much of the 20th century Boston Harbor was notoriously polluted, to the point that it was a national political talking point. The cleanup, driven by a court order and executed over decades at enormous expense, transformed it.

That history is the reason the islands are a park worth visiting rather than a place to avoid, and it is one of the more successful environmental remediation stories in the country. Worth knowing while you are swimming off Spectacle Island.