Gliding across the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden, the Swan Boats are one of the city’s most beloved and enduring attractions. They have been operated by the same family, the Pagets, since 1877, when Robert Paget designed the foot-pedal-powered craft and concealed the pilot’s bicycle-style mechanism behind a graceful swan, inspired by the opera Lohengrin. Today his descendants still run the fleet, making it one of the oldest family-operated attractions in the United States and a fixture of generations of Boston childhoods.
The leisurely ride circles the willow-lined lagoon, passing under the garden’s miniature suspension bridge and past resident ducks and live swans, while a pilot pedals from the stern. It is a gentle, low-key experience well suited to families, and pairs naturally with a stroll through the Public Garden’s Victorian plantings and a visit to the famous Make Way for Ducklings bronze statues nearby. The Swan Boats operate seasonally, typically from spring into early fall. Check swanboats.com for the current season dates, daily hours, and ticket prices.
Good to know
- Operates seasonally (roughly spring through early fall); confirm dates, hours, and fares at swanboats.com.
- Inexpensive, family-friendly ride; tickets are bought at the dock.
- Pair it with the adjacent Make Way for Ducklings statues and a walk through the Public Garden.
- An easy walk from the Arlington Green Line stop; paths around the lagoon are level.
Getting there
- Address: Boston Public Garden, 4 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02116
- Neighborhood: Boston Public Garden (Back Bay / Beacon Hill border)
- Nearest T: Arlington (Green Line), about a four-minute walk to the lagoon dock