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Where to Stay in Boston: Rent a Houseboat

 

Our stay on a Boston houseboat and this post are sponsored by GlampingHub.com. 

Have you stayed on a houseboat before?

If you’re traveling to Boston, especially with kids, I love the idea of booking a houseboat through GlampingHub.com for all or part of your trip. It gives you all the perks of an apartment (kitchen, a separate bedroom or bedrooms) but you get the added memories of staying on a boat! The Marinas are tucked away right in the city and offer a fun, unique twist on your Boston vacation. And if you come, invite us along because Lincoln wants to go back.

Our family had our first experience this week and we LOVED it.

We stayed on the Blue Pearl right in the Boston Bay Marina with the two of us adults and our two toddlers and had my parents down for the evening (they headed back to up to New Hampshire that evening but they could have spent the night and there would have been plenty of room). Lincoln hasn’t stopped talking about sleeping on a boat since we got back and it was so nice to have a quiet little getaway in the middle of this busy city and this busy move.

First Impressions:

Everything was so spacious! I was expecting incredibly tight quarters, like you might find in the cabins on a cruise ship, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was much more like an Ikea apartment floating in the harbor. The closet in the master bedroom was large enough to fit a pack ‘n play (or two!) so it was easy to get Adelaide to sleep in the dark, closed-off space.

There was lots of natural light. I loved the use of white, mirrors, and windows that kept everything feeling light and fresh on this boat.

It felt more private than I was anticipating. As we walked up to our rental, there were boats docked on either side, just a few feet away. But, with an unobstructed view of the ocean, the whole trip it felt like it was really just us on the water.

Things to consider:

Are you planning on cooking? We just grabbed takeout from Mi Pueblito, a delicious and authentic Mexican restaurant nearby (although we almost ordered from Ciao! Pizza and Pasta, this Italian restaurant and I’m still itching to go back to order their herbed gnochetti). I liked that the fridge, microwave, and eating area gave us a convenient place to store leftovers but there were good take-out options nearby.  There’s no oven on the boat but you can cook in the toaster oven if needed.

How many people are you sleeping? Houseboats with extra sleeping areas would be a great way to save money on extra hotel rooms. In the one we stayed in there was a master bedroom with a queen, a loft with two twins (where Ben and I actually slept comfortably for most of the night), and a pullout sofa bed.

What’s your itinerary? A houseboat in Boston would give you the option of spending time in the city but also feeling like you’re getting a little getaway on the water. I’d recommend at least an evening or leisurely morning to enjoy the views from the deck and the ocean breeze.

 

Here are quite a few more pictures from our stay on the Blue Pearl :

 

^Here you can see the eating area, part of the kitchen, and a view into the master stateroom

^I loved all the white that made everything feel so open and airy 

^One of my issues with property rentals as we’ve traveled over the last few years have been the quality of the beds. This one right here though, was about three times for comfortable than any bed I’ve slept on in a long time. And I was only a tad bitter that Lincoln was the one who slept on it for most of the night. 

^the ladder goes up to the kids loft. Because there isn’t a guardrail, I didn’t feel comfortable letting our 2 year old sleep up there (despite his requests) but it would be perfect for slightly older kids.

^this little girl is getting SO good at walking! 

^a little table outside to enjoy watching the boats come in and out 

^the main room has high ceilings which also contributes to the open + spacious feel of the boat 

^He loved just watching the boats with me 

^how cute are the little boat planters at the marina? (which has plenty of parking by the way – SUCH a nice change from the rest of Boston)

^The Blue Pearl has an upper deck which gives you a great view of the water 

^Look at that girl’s happy face 

^and because I just had to include this one of Adelaide and Grandpa – it was fun to have my parents down for the evening and have a nice place outside to talk and relax after we put the kids to bed. We just wish they had been there in the morning when they woke up at 5 am and only one of them would go back to sleep. 

^I’m excited to be in Boston, and I’m so excited for Ben & his program, but I think I’m most excited to be close to these guys for the first time in 8 years. 

In the morning we strolled the neighborhood to find some baked goods for breakfast and fell in love with all of the different buildings in the neighborhood 

 

Fun, right? If you’re looking for other unique New England getaways, check out the other options over on GlampingHub.com

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14 Comments

  1. That looks really fun. I would never think to stay in a house boat. We are thinking of applying for jobs back in New England area and if it works out,I will be eager to try this house boat.
    Also, there is some pretty strong resemblance between your mom and your little girl. My daughter looks a lot like her grandma as well.

    1. PS, I forgot to mention. Those nautical stripes you are wearing fit perfect for the water.

  2. What a fun trip! Can’t wait to see the rest of your Boston adventures unfold!

  3. definitely an interesting concept! don’t know if I could do it lol but it looks fun!

    xo megan

  4. Oh wow! What a fun idea!! Such a cozy and charming little place! Love it!!

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