Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
... 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.
About under an hour from Boston and 1 hours from Providence by car.
Alerts
- InformationContact Us
We continue to experience issues with our phone lines, please contact us via our email address: [email protected]
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Boston Harbor Islands | Daily · All Day |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | All Day |
| Oct 15, 2026 to May 17, 2027Winter | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Boston Harbor Islands Welcome CenterPassport stamp
Located on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center offers visitor information and serves as a waypoint before beginning your journey to the Boston Harbor Islands.
- Georges Island Visitor CenterPassport stamp
The Visitor Center on Georges Island occupies a 1906 historic brick building that originally stored and serviced mines for the minefield located in Boston Harbor.
- Spectacle Island Visitor CenterPassport stamp
The Spectacle Island Visitor Center has a staffed information desk, a small island exhibit and informative island movie, and restrooms.
- Peddocks Island Visitor Center
The former Guardhouse for Fort Andrews, the Peddocks Island Visitor Center is located near the dock. An information desk and seating are available with restrooms located on the lower level.
Explore
Things to do
- Hike Spectacle Island's Drumlins
Hike one of the drumlins of Spectacle Island to catch beautiful views of the city and harbor.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit One of the Boston Harbor Islands
Made up of 34 unique islands and peninsulas, the Boston Harbor Islands have something for everyone. Choose an island and plan your adventure!
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike with a Ranger on Spectacle Island45 Minutes
Join a ranger for a hike on Spectacle Island!
Opens on the Park Service site - Fort Tours on Georges Island45 Minutes
Join a ranger for a tour of Fort Warren on Georges Island!
Opens on the Park Service site - Take a Lighthouse Cruise90-120 Minutes
Cruise Boston’s outer harbor to learn about navigational aids in Boston and the uses of the islands over time.
Opens on the Park Service site - Learn about Boston's "Wicked" High Tides20-40 Minutes
Learn about Boston's coastlines and King tides by taking the High Tide Trail audio tour or joining a high tide program hosted by our partners, the Stone Living Lab.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Camp on the Boston Harbor Islands
Experience the ultimate urban escape with an overnight camping stay on the Boston Harbor Islands!
Opens on the Park Service site - Art in the Park at the Boston Harbor Islands15-30 Minutes
Join our volunteers on the Boston Harbor Islands to create your very own piece of artwork!
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit a Mainland Park
Made up of 34 unique islands and peninsulas, the Boston Harbor Islands have something for everyone. Choose a mainland park and plan your adventure!
Opens on the Park Service site - Join a Stewardship Saturday Program
Join us for a Stewardship Saturday program! Work alongside park staff clearing invasive species, improving trails, and protecting important habitat areas.
Opens on the Park Service site - National Parks of Boston: Find Your Park Anywhere30-60 Minutes
Find your park anywhere, from your home to your backyard, with activities spanning the National Parks of Boston.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore Fort Warren
Travel back in time and explore Fort Warren on Georges Island.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Little Brewster - Boston Light Looking South
Little Brewster - Boston Light Looking East
Little Brewster - Boston Light Looking North
Little Brewster - Boston Light Looking WestCamera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Events
- 09:00 AM · free · registration requiredDeparture will be from EDIC pier.
- Veterans Cruise11/1411:00 AM · registration requiredShip departs from Fan Pier and visits Georges Island.
- Boston Harbor Islands Partnership Meeting11/1703:00 PM · free · registration required
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for New England
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthMute Swan 25× · Bald Eagle 12× · Coyote 12× · Belted Kingfisher 8× · Barred Owl 7× · Great Horned Owl 7× · Greater Yellowlegs 5× · Red Fox 4×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 75 birds, 11 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Barn Owl · Great Horned Owl · Osprey · Red-tailed Hawk
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Black Duck · Black-crowned Night Heron · Canada Goose · Double-crested Cormorant · Glossy Ibis · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Green Heron · Mute Swan · Snowy Egret
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Oystercatcher · Black-bellied Plover · Common Tern · European Herring Gull · Great Black-backed Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Killdeer · Least Tern · Ring-billed Gull · Ruddy Turnstone · Spotted Sandpiper
Gamebirds & dovesCommon Pheasant · Common Pigeon · Mourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Blue Jay · Bobolink · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Common Eider · Common Grackle · Common Starling · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Wood Pewee · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Mallard · Northern Cardinal · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-throated Diver · Red-winged Blackbird · Savannah Sparrow · Scott's Oriole · Song Sparrow · Tree Swallow · Warbling Vireo · White-breasted Nuthatch · Willow Flycatcher
Small mammalsBrown Rat · Common Muskrat · Eastern Gray Squirrel · European Rabbit · Meadow Vole · White-footed Deermouse
PredatorsCross Fox · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
Also on the checklistDomestic Cat
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 18 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
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.
Questions people ask
Does Boston Harbor Islands charge an entrance fee?
No. Boston Harbor Islands is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Boston Harbor Islands open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Boston Harbor Islands right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Contact Us.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Boston Harbor Islands?
4,276 recreation visits in 2025, number 375 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Boston Harbor Islands?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE. No reported coverage for AT&T and T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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