A Summer Escape to the Boston Harbor Islands

Ferries start rolling away from Long Wharf the moment school lets out for summer. Their wakes spread into the harbor, carrying passengers toward Spectacle, Georges, and a handful of quieter islands that sit just beyond Boston Light. Fifteen minutes later, pavement is gone; crab shells crunch underfoot, and meadow grass bends in an easy wind. A pair of kids stake out the best picnic table, someone unpacks a portable radio near the old fort wall, and the skyline hovers on the horizon like a distant postcard rather than the place everyone left half an hour earlier.

Weekends bring more than scenery. Rangers lead history walks past crumbling gun batteries, while local naturalists guide tide-pool “safaris” at low water. On warm afternoons, paddleboards for rent line the dock; by evening, casual concerts echo across the anchorage. Ferries observe a tight schedule, so planning around fixed departure times matters as much as sunscreen.

Many visitors begin the outing long before the gangway. Reaching Long Wharf from suburbs such as Waltham, Brookline, or Winchester can require two trains or expensive parking near the waterfront—small hassles that grow when coolers, folding chairs, and restless kids enter the picture. A pre-arranged car solves the puzzle: one pickup, no transfers, gear stowed neatly in the trunk, arrival synced with the chosen ferry slot. The same ride home turns an hour-plus return into a quiet recap of the day while the skyline slips by outside the window.

For travelers who value that seamless edge—doorstep to dock and back again—Boston Town Car offers point-to-pier transfers, hourly availability for groups, and optional meet-ups after the final ferry. The harbor may steal the spotlight, yet a smooth ride on land frames the entire island adventure.