Visit Long Wharf to see what was once North America’s busiest commercial center. Today the wharf is better known for the cruises that depart the dock, bound for the Boston Harbor Islands or whale-watching tours of the North Atlantic. Built in 1710, the wharf made Boston the largest commercial port in the Americas, with furs, silks, spices and tea passing to and fro.
Long Wharf got its name from its extreme length, which once spanned from near Faneuil Hall to a half-mile into Boston Harbor. Landfill has shortened the dock and a distinctly more relaxed atmosphere pervades today. Head to the water’s edge to breathe in some sea air.
Stroll along the length of the dock, which has a few standing buildings from its important commercial past. Visit the restaurant inside the 1760s Gardiner Building, which once held John Hancock’s Counting House. Admire the granite Custom House Block, built in 1848 and the best remaining example of the monumental architecture that once lined the whole wharf, testifying to the wealth of Boston’s traders.
After visiting the New England Aquarium, see marine creatures in the ocean. Check out the schedules for the boats, which range from commuter ferries connecting the area to Charlestown and East Boston, to pleasure cruises that travel the waters of Boston Harbor and toward the Cape. Watch as people file on and off, chattering about sighting humpback whales. Their forefathers would have been discussing the price of cotton or timber.
Long Wharf is at the eastern edge of downtown Boston, a quick walk or public transportation ride from most of the city’s biggest attractions. Get here in 5 minutes from Faneuil Hall by car or on foot. Boston Common is a 12-minute train ride, 20-minute walk or 7-minute drive away. A designated train stop for the aquarium provides easy connections to the rest of the Greater Boston area. Parking is limited in the vicinity, but there are a few public metered garages as well as parking at some of the area hotels.
Check online for opening hours of nearby businesses and schedules for ferries and tours that depart from the wharf.
