Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park features some of the most scenic locations in the region.
34 islands and peninsulas form an urban oasis just minutes from downtown Boston.
But one of the challenges is having affordable access to the islands.
Kathy Abbott is President and CEO of the non-profit Boston Harbor Now.
She explained why visiting the Boston Harbor islands can be costly. "It is expensive to run boats," she said. "Fuel is expensive. Staffing is expensive."
As a comparison, it costs about $25 for a ferry ride from Hingham to Boston Harbor's Peddock's Island. A round trip to Martha's Vineyard costs $21.
Peddocks is the harbor's second-largest island and a popular camping destination.
Abbott said there are ways to lower the financial barriers so that people who want to travel to the harbor islands and experience them can do so in a more cost-affordable way.
For example, she said there are discounts on camping. "You can go to your local library and get a library pass," she said. With a library pass, "It's a two-for-one, so it's a half-price ticket and that's for four people."
She added that EBT cards can be used to get to Peddock's Island for about $3.
DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo agreed it's a priority to make visiting the islands more affordable. "One of our key focus areas is how do we make it cheaper for people to get out and enjoy these beautiful properties that we have."
WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.