Boats leave Central Wharf, right beside the New England Aquarium downtown, and run out to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary — some of the richest whale feeding grounds on the East Coast. Humpbacks are the headliners, breaching and tail-slapping close enough to hear, with fin whales, minkes, dolphins, and seabirds rounding out the cast. Aquarium naturalists ride along on every trip, identifying species and narrating the behavior as it happens.

The round trip takes roughly three to four hours aboard a high-speed catamaran with open-air decks plus climate-controlled cabins and a snack bar, and the season runs from mid-spring into late fall. Bring layers even in high summer — it’s dramatically cooler offshore — plus sunscreen and, for the queasy, motion-sickness backup. It’s a reliable wow for kids and out-of-town guests alike, and an easy add-on to an Aquarium day.