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Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

Designation: National Recreation Area

Location: Massachusetts

Visit Official Park Website

📘 Park Overview

. . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, view historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming—all within reach of downtown Boston. Youth programs, visitor services, research, wildlife management, and more are coordinated on the park's 34 islands and peninsulas by the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership.

🌤 Weather Information

The Boston Harbor Islands have a humid maritime climate characterized by slightly cooler temperatures than the mainland, so dress in layers. Typical summer conditions feature air temperatures approximately 5-10 degrees cooler than the mainland, winds of 0-15 knots and waves of 1-3 feet.

🚗 Directions

There are many ways to enjoy Boston Harbor Islands and many ways to get there. For more information on how to get to the park by ferry, car, or private boat, please visit www.bostonharborislands.org.

Images

A child dancing on the beach at dusk

A child dancing on the beach at dusk

Credit: NPS Photo

A man on a kayak in Boston Harbor

Kayaking in Boston Harbor Islands National Recreational Area

Credit: NPS Photo

An image of the sun setting over the Boston skyline from the Islands

Watch the sunset from Boston Harbor Islands

Credit: NPS Photo

Children looking out at Boston from the Harbor Islands

Looking out at the city from the Boston Harbor Islands

Credit: NPS Photo

Historic Fort Warren on Georges Island

Visit historic Fort Warren on Georges Island in Boston Harbor

Credit: NPS Photo

Activities

Topics

Operating Hours

Sunday
All Day
Monday
All Day
Tuesday
All Day
Wednesday
All Day
Thursday
All Day
Friday
All Day
Saturday
All Day

Entrance Fees

No entrance fees listed.

Entrance Passes

No entrance passes listed.

3-Day Weather Forecast

Saturday, Jul 18

Sunny

Sunny

High: 89.2°F | Low: 60.6°F

Humidity: 66%

Wind: 18.6 mph

Rain Chance: 57%

UV Index: 4.4

Sunrise: 05:23 AM

Sunset: 08:16 PM

Moon: Waxing Crescent (23%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 65.8°F

Cloud Cover: 57%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Sunday, Jul 19

Sunny

Sunny

High: 78.6°F | Low: 67.5°F

Humidity: 59%

Wind: 17 mph

Rain Chance: 36%

UV Index: 7.6

Sunrise: 05:24 AM

Sunset: 08:16 PM

Moon: First Quarter (33%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 64°F

Cloud Cover: 36%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Monday, Jul 20

Sunny

Sunny

High: 81.1°F | Low: 61°F

Humidity: 47%

Wind: 13.4 mph

Rain Chance: 2%

UV Index: 7.9

Sunrise: 05:24 AM

Sunset: 08:15 PM

Moon: First Quarter (43%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 60.2°F

Cloud Cover: 2%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Weather Alerts (1)

⚠️ Small Craft Advisory (Minor)

Small Craft Advisory issued July 18 at 1:36AM EDT until July 19 at 12:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA

Effective: Jul 18, 2026 1:36am
Expires: Jul 18, 2026 8:00pm

* WHAT...Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and
waves 2 to 4 feet expected.

* WHERE...In Massachusetts coastal waters, Boston Harbor. In
Rhode Island coastal waters, Narragansett Bay.

* WHEN...From 11 AM this morning to noon EDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

Park Alerts

High Heat Index Procedures Information
Due to the expected high temperatures, Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park is closely monitoring the heat index for the safety of visitors. This may result in the modification or cancellation of outdoor programming and site operations.
Sail Boston: Ferry Access to Spectacle Island Information
There will be limited ferry access to Spectacle Island during Sail Boston (July 11-15, 2026). On Saturday, July 11, there is ferry service from Hingham for the Parade of Sail (advanced ticketing only). There is no ferry service on Sunday, July 12. From Monday, July 13, through Wednesday, July 15, reduced ferry service to Spectacle will run from Boston. Regular ferry operations resume on Thursday, July 16.
Weather Alert May 30, 2026 - Free Ferry Day Postponed Park Closure
Due to inclement weather, public ferries have been cancelled for Saturday, May 30. Free Ferry Day has been postponed to Saturday, June 6. Free Ferry Day on Sunday, May 31 will continue as planned with regular scheduled departures to Georges Island.
Sail Boston: Ferry Access to Peddocks Island Information
There will be an amended ferry schedule from Hingham to Peddocks Island for the Tall Ships Parade of Sail on Saturday, July 11. There will be two departures from Hingham (11 am and 4 pm) and two departures from Peddocks Island (11:30 am and 4:30pm). Service resumes to regular summer schedule on Sunday, July 12.
Contact Us Information
We continue to experience issues with our phone lines, please contact us via our email address: boha_information@nps.gov
Suspended Programs Due to Heat Park Closure
Due to excessive heat, several public events and island programs from Thursday, July 2, through Saturday, July 4, have been suspended. Visit the calendar on bostonharborislands.org for up-to-date information.

More Info

Weather Alert - Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center Closed Park Closure
Due to the high heat, the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center has CLOSED for Thursday, July 2.
Sail Boston: Ferry Access to Georges Island Information
There will be limited ferry access to Georges Island during Sail Boston (July 11-15, 2026). Due to the Parade of Sail, there are no public ferries running to Georges Island on Saturday, July 11. From Sunday, July 12, through Wednesday, July 15, MBTA ferries will run to Georges Island via Hingham. Regular ferry operations resume from downtown Boston on Thursday, July 16.
Sail Boston: Rose Kennedy Greenway Welcome Center Hours Information
The Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center on the Rose Kennedy Greenway will be open during Sail Boston (July 11-17, 2026). Hours are as follows: Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, 9:30 am to 1 pm (normal hours); Monday, July 13, 9:30 am to 2:30pm; Tuesday, July 14, through Wednesday, July 15, 9:30 am to 1 pm.
Excessive Heat Warning Caution
The City of Boston has declared an excessive heat warning from Wednesday, July 1, through Friday, July 3. Please stay well hydrated, dress appropriately, and take breaks from the heat.

More Info

Park Events

Stewardship Saturday: World's End

Join park stewards and our partners The Trustees to help with landscape and ecosystem management atop the beautiful drumlins of World's End! As we work together to enhance habitat for native birds, insects, trees, and wildflowers, we'll explore the local flora and fauna and discuss the ecology, natural history, and cultural significance of the landscapes within Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.

Registration is required for this event. See "Day as a Park Steward" for what it's like to join us!

Directions: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA). Parking is available, but carpooling is strongly encouraged to reduce the number of cars in the lot. The entrance is also a one mile walk from the Nantasket Junction stop on the Greenbush commuter rail line. We will send more information to registrants about parking and carpooling prior to the event. Please reach out to the site contact from this listing if you have any concerns or questions about getting to the worksite from the greater Boston area.

What to wear: Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, closed-toe shoes, and layers for the weather. Conditions can be unpredictable so please monitor the weather in the days leading up to the event and dress appropriately. 

What to bring: Please bring a lunch and plenty of water in a reusable water bottle. Sunscreen and a hat are always recommended. Tools, gloves, and PPE will be provided. 

Please note: This event will run rain or shine, however, it may be cancelled due to severe weather. Location is subject to change. Information will be shared immediately about any changes.  

If you are under 18 and interested in volunteering, please contact me directly (Kristina_Bergquist@nps.gov) as we have special guidance and volunteer.gov does not allow minor applications

Location: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA)

Date: Feb 7, 2026 12:00am to Feb 7, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Winter Wildlife Cruise
Winter Wildlife Cruise

Join National Park Rangers and local naturalists to discover how alive the harbor is in the winter!

Learn about and observe the animals who make their wintertime home in the Boston Harbor on this year’s Winter Wildlife Cruise! Grab your camera, binoculars, and hop aboard the ferry with local naturalists on this curated 3-hour cruise. Naturalists include representatives from the National Park Service and more!

The adventure begins at Long Wharf, just steps from the New England Aquarium, the North End, Faneuil Hall and other popular Boston landmarks.

BOARDING: 10:30am
DEPARTURE: 11:00am

*Ferry departs promptly at 11am. Late boarding is not permitted.*

What to expect
  • Professional, knowledgeable naturalists on board
  • Outdoor viewing decks and indoor spaces with large windows
  • Ample indoor seating
  • Light snacks & refreshments available for purchase
  • High-speed heated ferry
Important weather note

This program will be held rain or shine, unless weather is inclement or severe enough to threaten visitor safety. We encourage all visitors to watch the weather closely, plan ahead to come prepared for potentially rainy or windy conditions. In case of postponement, the Winter Wildlife cruise will take place on Saturday February 21, 2026, operating on the same schedule.

Location: Long Wharf, Boston

Date: Feb 14, 2026 12:00am to Feb 14, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Revolutionary Harbor Lectures: 250 Years Later – The Siege and Its Impacts on Boston’s Harbor Front Communities
Revolutionary Harbor Lectures: 250 Years Later – The Siege and Its Impacts on Boston’s Harbor Front Communities

Come learn about the siege and its impacts on the harbor front communities of Boston!

This program is presented by the National Park Service and Boston Harbor Now as a part of our three-part Revolutionary Harbor lecture series.

Following the battles at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, Boston became the center of a quickly developing war between rebelling colonists and the forces of the British government. Colonial militia from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island formed an Army of New England to surround and contain the British forces occupying Boston. Over the course of the next 11 months, both sides engaged in what became known as the Siege of Boston. Join the National Park Service’s Savannah Rose as she explores the impact of the Siege on Boston’s harbor front communities and the city’s collective memory and memorialization of those historic months.

Location: Atlantic Wharf (Fort Point Room) 290 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210

Date: Feb 19, 2026 12:00am to Feb 19, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Winter Wildlife Cruise
Winter Wildlife Cruise

Join National Park Rangers and local naturalists to discover how alive the harbor is in the winter!

Learn about and observe the animals who make their wintertime home in the Boston Harbor on this year’s Winter Wildlife Cruise! Grab your camera, binoculars, and hop aboard the ferry with local naturalists on this curated 3-hour cruise. Naturalists include representatives from the National Park Service and more!

The adventure begins at Long Wharf, just steps from the New England Aquarium, the North End, Faneuil Hall and other popular Boston landmarks.

BOARDING: 10:30am
DEPARTURE: 11:00am

*Ferry departs promptly at 11am. Late boarding is not permitted.*

What to expect
  • Professional, knowledgeable naturalists on board
  • Outdoor viewing decks and indoor spaces with large windows
  • Ample indoor seating
  • Light snacks & refreshments available for purchase
  • High-speed heated ferry
Important weather note

This program will be held rain or shine, unless weather is inclement or severe enough to threaten visitor safety. We encourage all visitors to watch the weather closely, plan ahead to come prepared for potentially rainy or windy conditions. 

Location: Long Wharf, Boston

Date: Feb 21, 2026 12:00am to Feb 21, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Stewardship Saturday: World's End

Join park stewards and our partners The Trustees to help with landscape and ecosystem management atop the beautiful drumlins of World's End! As we work together to enhance habitat for native birds, insects, trees, and wildflowers, we'll explore the local flora and fauna and discuss the ecology, natural history, and cultural significance of the landscapes within Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.

Registration is required for this event. See "Day as a Park Steward" for what it's like to join us!

Directions: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA). Parking is available, but carpooling is strongly encouraged to reduce the number of cars in the lot. The entrance is also a one mile walk from the Nantasket Junction stop on the Greenbush commuter rail line. We will send more information to registrants about parking and carpooling prior to the event. Please reach out to the site contact from this listing if you have any concerns or questions about getting to the worksite from the greater Boston area.

What to wear: Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, closed-toe shoes, and layers for the weather. Conditions can be unpredictable so please monitor the weather in the days leading up to the event and dress appropriately. 

What to bring: Please bring a lunch and plenty of water in a reusable water bottle. Sunscreen and a hat are always recommended. Tools, gloves, and PPE will be provided. 

Please note: This event will run rain or shine, however, it may be cancelled due to severe weather. Location is subject to change. Information will be shared immediately about any changes.  

If you are under 18 and interested in volunteering, please contact me directly (Kristina_Bergquist@nps.gov) as we have special guidance and volunteer.gov does not allow minor applications

Location: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA)

Date: Mar 7, 2026 12:00am to Mar 7, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Boston Harbor Islands Partnership Meeting

This is a regular meeting of the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership, which includes representatives from a range of federal, state, city, and nonprofit agencies. All members of the public are welcome to attend and provide input.

MEETING AGENDA

Date: March 17, 2026
Time: 3:00- 4:30 pm
Location: Virtual via videoconference
Meeting Agenda
3:00 Call to Order, Fred Laskey, Chairman
3:02 Videoconferencing and Meeting Information, PhuongDuy Tran, Boston Harbor Now
3:05 Approval of Meeting Minutes – November 18, 2025
3:06 Boston Harbor Waterfront Resiliency Planning- Jackson Plumlee and Brie Hensold,
Agency Landscape + Planning, Delaney Morris-Landry, Boston Planning
3:30 Partner Roundtable Report-Out
4:00 Public Input
Adjourn

Date: Mar 17, 2026 12:00am to Mar 17, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Revolutionary Harbor: Coastal Community Resilience in Boston
Revolutionary Harbor: Coastal Community Resilience in Boston

Come learn about coastal community resilience in Boston!

Join Elisa Guerrero, the Stone Living Lab’s Community Engagement Manager, to learn about coastal community resilience in Boston. Elisa will explore the work being undertaken at the Stone Living Lab and at local and state levels to create resilient waterfront communities throughout Boston. She will offer context on how Boston’s coastline has changed over time and some of the factors, like major storms and sea level rise, that continue to impact the changing coastline and communities today.

Coastal Community Resilience in Boston
April 16, 2026 – 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Leventhal Room (Boston Harbor Hotel)
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston MA 02210

The Leventhal Room is accessible by walking through the hotel’s large exterior arch (passed 50 Rowes Wharf and 30 Rowes Wharf) and turning left. The room is not accessible from the lobby or the interior of the Boston Harbor Hotel.

Registration is required for this event.

This program is presented by the National Park Service and Boston Harbor Now as a part of our Revolutionary Harbor lecture series.

Location: Leventhal Room (Boston Harbor Hotel) 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston MA 02210

Date: Apr 16, 2026 12:00am to Apr 16, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Boston Harbor Islands Partnership Meeting

This is a regular meeting of the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership, which includes representatives from a range of federal, state, city, and nonprofit agencies. All members of the public are welcome to attend and provide input.

Agenda to come

Date: May 19, 2026 12:00am to May 19, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Stewardship Saturday: World's End

Join park stewards and our partners The Trustees to help with landscape and ecosystem management atop the beautiful drumlins of World's End! 

As we work together to enhance habitat for native birds, insects, trees, and wildflowers, we'll explore the local flora and fauna and discuss the ecology, natural history, and cultural significance of the landscapes within Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.

Registration is required for this event. See "Day as a Park Steward" for what it's like to join us!

Directions: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA). Parking is available, but carpooling is strongly encouraged to reduce the number of cars in the lot. The entrance is also a one mile walk from the Nantasket Junction stop on the Greenbush commuter rail line. We will send more information to registrants about parking and carpooling prior to the event. Please reach out to the site contact from this listing if you have any concerns or questions about getting to the worksite from the greater Boston area.

What to wear: Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, closed-toe shoes, and layers for the weather. Conditions can be unpredictable so please monitor the weather in the days leading up to the event and dress appropriately. 

What to bring: Please bring a lunch and plenty of water in a reusable water bottle. Sunscreen and a hat are always recommended. Tools, gloves, and PPE will be provided. 

Please note: This event will run rain or shine, however, it may be cancelled due to severe weather. Location is subject to change. Information will be shared immediately about any changes. 

If you are under 18 and interested in volunteering, please contact me directly (Kristina_Bergquist@nps.gov) as we have special guidance and volunteer.gov does not allow minor applications

Location: Please meet staff at the entrance to World's End (165 Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA)

Date: May 23, 2026 12:00am to May 23, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Free Ferry Weekend
Free Ferry Weekend

Celebrate Boston Harbor Islands opening weekend with a FREE trip to Georges Island!

Explore Georges Island’s expansive fields and the historic Fort Warren. Catch the ferry to Georges right from Downtown Boston’s Long Wharf North… for free!

  • Saturday, May 30
  • Sunday, May 31

Getting Tickets:

  • Tickets are first come, first served, and can be picked up at the Boston Harbor City Cruises Ferry Center at Long Wharf North  beginning at 8:00 AM. No advance reservations. Arrive early, as this event will sell out fast!
  • This event cannot accommodate groups – 5 tickets allowed per adult

Ferry Schedule: Ferries depart from Gate 5 . Ticketed passengers should plan to be in line at least 15 minutes before their ferry departure time.

Boston to Georges Island:

10:00 AM  |  12:00 PM

Ferries from Georges back to Boston depart the island at 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM

Location: Boston Harbor City Cruises Ferry Center at Long Wharf North

Date: May 30, 2026 12:00am to May 30, 2026 12:00am

Paid Event

Visitor Center & Contacts

📍 Physical Address:
Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park
21 Second Ave
Charlestown, MA 02129

🏤 Mailing Address:
Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park
21 Second Ave
Charlestown, MA 02129

📞 Voice Phone: 6178193587

✉️ Email: BOHA_Information@nps.gov

Park Location


👏 Fun Fact
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