Sail Boston 2026 officially begins Friday and millions of visitors are expected
Sail Boston 2026 officially begins Friday as dozens of tall ships and military vessels from around the world come to the city for nearly a week.
More than 60 ships from 20 different countries will be in Boston Harbor and about four million visitors are expected on the last stop of the Sail 250 tour, celebrating America's 250th birthday.
"I was flying in and outside the window I saw them all coming through, aircraft carriers and destroyers," said Madden Montalbano, a Florida native who was mid-flight into New Jersey when he spotted them. "They were in a convoy formation, had the aircraft carriers in the middle and then the destroyers kind of surrounding them."
You can track the tall ships voyage on Sail Boston's website. Some will end up in the Navy Yard. Charlestown has been a hotbed of activity for weeks with the World Cup coming in, and mostly Scotland fans taking over the place, but come Saturday morning they expect the harbor to be filled with boats.
"I was told there was going to be six here, but someone else just told me 13. All the piers and then down by Menino Park," said Charlestown resident Richard Wahler.
He plans to get on at least one of the tall ships as long as he watches his head.
"People were tinier back then, like with the USS Constitution. Even we have to duck our heads," said Wahler poking fun at his own height.
Speaking of little ones, Wayne Barber and his family are going to attempt to beat the rush to the ships with a public viewing. There are expected to be long lines.
"We are going to try to get on something. I'm sure everyone is trying to get on there, but we are going to try to get on at least one or two boats," said Barber. "If you plan for the insanity, it's not as bad as if you didn't, correct?"
As a Marine veteran, he's been on an aircraft carrier and knows what his kids are looking for.
"Whatever they can touch normally, whatever they can touch," said Barber.
If you can only get a glimpse from afar, Sail Boston said the best spots to see the tall ships are Castle Island, Fan Pier, and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
"Hell of a summer, that's how I look at it," said Wahler. "Hell of summer."
Sail Boston 2026 will end on Thursday, July 16.
