Take a ride on the Swan Boats, a unique Boston experience in the heart of the nation's first botanical garden since 1877. Open daily April-September.

The Swan Boats are located in the Boston Public Garden. The MBTA Green Line Arlington Station is the closest train stop to the Boston Public Garden. From this stop on the corner of Arlington and Boylston Streets, walk across the street and into the Public Garden.

The Swan Boat is powered by a single driver who pedals the boat while sitting atop a paddle wheel and steering with two ropes connected to a rudder. Each boat holds about 20 passengers and weighs about 6,000 pounds.

From the late 1800s until the mid-1940s, the Swan Boats and the row boats operated together in the Public Garden.

The Swan Boat story dates back to the 1870s when Robert Paget, whose descendants continue to operate the business, was granted a boat for hire licensed by the City of Boston. Rowing a small boat in the Public Garden lagoon was a favorite summer pastime for city residents during the day and evening.

The Swan Boats are located in the nation’s first botanical garden. Dating back to 1837, the Boston Public Garden was established on land that was once tidal marshes. Surrounded by Victorian-era cast iron fencing, the garden sits in the heart of downtown, surrounded by the historic neighborhoods of Beacon Hill and Back Bay.

In 1914, Julia’s youngest son John and his wife Ella carried forward the tradition of the Paget family’s Swan Boats. During this period, with increasing popularity for the ride, the boats were expanded in size to five benches that would accommodate 20 passengers per boat.

Our online store offers a selection of gifts from the Swan Boat collection. Additional items are available at our location in the Boston Public Garden.

Give the gift of a complimentary Swan Boat ride with our custom passes. Include gift recipient’s address and passes will be shipped via US mail…

Give the gift of a complimentary Swan Boat ride with our custom passes. Include gift recipient's address and passes will be shipped via US mail for future use. Good for one ride on any day and have no expiration date.