Ask a North Shore boater where they're headed on a nice summer evening and there's a good chance the answer isn't a fishing spot.
It's dinner.
One of the best parts of boating around Boston is that some of the city's best restaurants are easier to get to by water than by car. Leave Salem, Marblehead, Beverly, or Gloucester in the late afternoon and you'll be tied up in the city before most people make it through the tunnel.
At Bosun's Marine in Peabody, we spend a lot of time talking about where customers are boating. Every summer, the same handful of restaurants come up again and again—and for good reason.
The cruise is half the fun.
Pier 6 | Charlestown
If you're looking for an easy dinner run into the city, Pier 6 is hard to beat.
Located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, it's one of those places that feels far enough away from everything while still being right in the middle of Boston Harbor. The approach into Charlestown on a calm summer evening is worth the trip by itself.
Many Bosun's customers make Pier 6 a regular stop throughout the season because it's an easy run from the North Shore and a great excuse to spend another few hours on the water.
Whether you're arriving aboard a Regal LS, Pursuit Dual Console, or Tiara, it's the type of destination that reminds you why boating beats driving.
ReelHouse Boston Harbor
ReelHouse is one of those spots that keeps finding its way back into the conversation at the marina.
Maybe it's the harbor views.
Maybe it's the atmosphere.
Or maybe it's because it's the perfect place to end a day on the water.
A lot of North Shore boaters will spend the afternoon cruising around the Harbor Islands or Boston Harbor before making their way to ReelHouse for dinner.
It's the kind of place where a quick boat ride turns into a sunset cruise before heading home.
Liberty Wharf
If you've never pulled into Liberty Wharf on a summer evening, add it to the list.
Between Legal Sea Foods and Del Frisco's, it's one of the most popular waterfront destinations in the city.
The people-watching is almost as good as the food.
You'll see everything from center consoles and dual consoles to Tiaras and larger cruising yachts tied up for dinner.
For many Bosun's customers, Liberty Wharf has become a summer tradition—especially when friends and family are in town and you want to show off Boston the way it was meant to be seen.
From the water.
Barking Crab
Every city has those places that never seem to go out of style.
For Boston boaters, Barking Crab is one of them.
It's casual, laid back, and unapologetically Boston.
If your perfect boating day involves a harbor cruise, cold drinks, seafood, and zero plans afterward, Barking Crab belongs on your list.
It's also a favorite stop for smaller boats making a quick run into the city.
Why North Shore Boaters Love Dock-and-Dine Season
Not every boating day revolves around fishing.
Sometimes the best days are the ones where nobody's in a hurry.
You leave Salem after work.
Cruise past Deer Island.
Watch the planes come into Logan.
Grab dinner in the city.
And enjoy the ride home with the skyline lit up behind you.
That's one reason so many Bosun's customers gravitate toward versatile cruising boats.
Regal's LS and LX Series have become favorites for harbor cruising and entertaining. Pursuit Dual Consoles offer the flexibility to fish in the morning and head into Boston for dinner that night. Tiara Yachts deliver the comfort and refinement that make evenings on the harbor feel effortless.
For owners making longer trips to Provincetown, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and beyond, Riviera, Belize, and Sunseeker models provide the accommodations and comfort that turn a dinner run into a weekend getaway.
More Than Just a Meal
The best dock-and-dine destinations aren't really about the restaurant.
They're about stretching a day on the water into the evening.
They're about taking the long way home.
They're about spending time with family and friends while Boston Harbor does what Boston Harbor does best.
At Bosun's Marine, we're fortunate to help customers create those memories every season.
And if you ask us, that's what boating in New England is all about.