Long Wharf is a historic pier extending from the edge of downtown Boston into Boston Harbor. Built in the early 18th century, beginning around 1710, it once reached nearly half a mile into the harbor and was the busy commercial heart of colonial Boston’s maritime trade, allowing large ships to unload directly to adjacent warehouses. Much shortened over the centuries by landfill and development, the wharf today is a public waterfront landmark and a stop on Boston’s Harborwalk.
Now the wharf serves as a hub for passenger ferries and sightseeing cruises, with open views across the harbor toward the airport and islands. It sits beside the New England Aquarium and within easy reach of Faneuil Hall and the North End, making it a convenient launching point for harbor excursions or simply a scenic place to take in the waterfront. Check ferry and cruise operators directly for schedules.
Good to know
- A historic pier dating to the early 1700s, once a major commercial wharf
- Free to walk; part of Boston’s Harborwalk
- A departure point for harbor ferries and sightseeing cruises
- Located next to the New England Aquarium
Getting there
- Address: 1 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
- Neighborhood: Downtown Boston Waterfront
- Nearest T: Aquarium (Blue Line), directly adjacent