FAQs about Private Events

Q: Can I hold a group outing on the islands?  Yes, groups are welcomed in the Harbor Islands.  Georges and Spectacle Islands are the most common for group outings.  If you will be bringing more than 10 people to the islands, you may be eligible for group ferry rates.  If you plan to bring a group of 25 or more, you must fill out the DCR’s Special Use Permit [1], then make the appropriate boat reservations. 

Q:  Can I hold a catered event on the islands for my group?  Vendors currently offer full-service catered events on three islands, including clambakes and picnics.  For events on Spectacle or Georges Islands contact the Summer Shack Catering at 617-669-8552. For events on Thompson Island contact the Thompson Island Conference Center at 617-328-3900, ext. 107 or 110.

Q:  Is there lodging in the park?  Campsites are the only overnight accommodations within the park. Visitor accommodations are abundant in the Greater Boston area.  Contact the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.bostonusa.com [2]) for information about the 250 hotels, B&Bs, and guest houses in the region.  Call 888-SEE-BOSTON (888-733-2678).  Groups interested in having a conference or retreat at Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center [3] can stay in a newly renovated hotel-style dormitory or in tents.

Q:  Can we go camping? Of course!  Camping is available on four islands, by reservation.  Peddocks, Lovells, Grape and Bumpkin Islands each have individual and group sites.  Camping is only permitted on these four designated islands.  Reservations can be made through Reserve America [4] or by calling 1-877-422-6762.

Q:  Is alcohol allowed?  Use of alcohol by individuals and groups is prohibited at the Boston Harbor Islands, unless part of a park event that holds a liquor permit.  In general, visitors may not bring alcohol to the islands.

Q:  What else is not allowed in the park?  Amplified music, fireworks, and fires above the high tide line are not permitted on any island in the park.  Rangers should be consulted if you have any questions or concerns.

Q: Where are the bathrooms?  Passenger ferries running from Boston to Georges and Spectacle and from Quincy to Georges are equipped with bathrooms.  There are toilet facilities at each of the islands served by ferry or shuttle service (Georges, Spectacle, Grape, Bumpkin, Peddocks, Lovells, and Thompson Islands).  Bathrooms are not available on Little Brewster Island or on the Inter-Island Shuttles.

Q:  Are there rain shelters on the islands?  Georges Island offers covered picnic areas and covered areas within Fort Warren.  There are also a few shelters and a tent on Spectacle Island.  Other islands have minimal, or in some cases no, structures with adequate rain protection, so be sure to check the weather.

Q:  Are there telephones on the islands?  There are no public phones, but in general there is cell phone reception in most areas within the harbor.

 

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