Spring has finally (almost) arrived in Boston, enabling its residents to emerge from their wintry cocoons and once again enjoy the outdoors.
If you are thinking about spending the day feeding the ducks in Boston Common or playing Frisbee on the Boston University Beach, you many want to consider another option. Boston Duck Tours provide 80-minute jaunts around many areas of the city both by land and by sea, seven days a week, April through November.
Soon after boarding your Duck, an authentic World War II jeep converted into an amphibious landing vehicle, you will be greeted by your conDUCKtour. Always out to have a good time, they dress in everything to “Quack Costeau” in a sailor suit to a suit and tie with purple-tinted Elvis glasses. No matter the attire, all guides are very knowledgeable about many different aspects of Boston’s history. They accept questions throughout the tour and will even throw some back at you to make sure you are paying attention.
You may be wondering what the value of a Duck Tour would be if you already live in Boston. The tour covers an extensive area from the Back Bay through the Boston Common and the North End, all the way to Charlestown. Historical sites and buildings abound, although there are a good deal of modern additions included such as the 12-foot teddy bear greeting everyone who passes by FAO Schwartz.
Many unknown and overlooked sights are also part of the tour. Did you know Boston used to have a West End up until the 1950s when an urban renovation project took place? Just ask Leonard Nimoy of “Star Trek” fame — he grew up there. Have you seen the purple panes of glass in some of the windows of the houses in Beacon Hill? They are pieces of the original glass used that has turned purple due to sun exposure.
The tours operate rain or shine, so dress appropriately. Even though all tours are supposed to be heated, wind is always blowing through the Ducks, especially during the water portion of the tour. The tour also provides a virtually non-stop photo opportunity, although the plastic windows lining the Duck greatly diminish visibility even on a sunny day.
The water portion serves as a leisurely cruise around a stretch of the Charles River. Very leisurely, in fact, since the Duck’s top speed is only six miles per hour in the water and 45 mph on land. Here, in addition to getting some of the best views of the city, you can even drive the Duck yourself, with a little help from your friendly conDUCKtour who eagerly takes volunteers.
Back on land, you’ll be able to see such Beantown staples as the Bull and Finch Pub, also known for its famous facade on the television show “Cheers,” the State Houses, both old and new, the Boston Public Library and the FleetCenter. Of course, a tour of Boston would not be complete without mentioning the Big Dig, everyone’s favorite attraction, currently set to be completed in 2005, so it will certainly be a fixture on the tour for years to come.
Duck tours depart every half-hour from 9 a.m. to one hour before sunset, and begin and end in front of the Prudential Center on Boylston Street. Tickets can be purchased inside the Prudential Center and cost $21 for an adult ticket and $19 for students. This is a bit pricey for an area which can mostly be covered in a single day by riding the Green Line to each stop from Copley to Lechmere and doing some walking on your own. However, if you have relatives visiting or if you are not too familiar with Boston yourself, this is a great way to see a large portion of the city in a short amount of time while learning about its history.
Instead of sleeping the entire day away in your non-air-conditioned dorm room, why not get some fresh air and take a Duck Tour? Take a study break from tomorrow’s big test and come learn all about why Boston is such a historically important city — as well as how to always tell what the weather is going to be by looking at the syringe-like point at the top of the John Hancock building. Just remember there is nowhere else in Boston where will people quack at you, you will quack back and no one will think twice.
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