Save the Bay

I love the Bay in winter. Wrap up warm and watch seals frolicking. Great winter activity.

We took this tour in mid April with an almost five year old and a very active almost two year old. We did the hour tour. It was a great experience and at the time we did it, there were tons of seals sunning themselves on the rocks and a few swimming in the bay. It seemed to go by very quickly, so if you have the time, take the two hour option. The one hour was good for us as our younger child would not have been happy for two hours on the boat needing to hold hands or be held. Our almost five year loved it! The information about the harbour seals during the tour was very interesting.

Many harbor seals spend November through April in Newport, and the warmer months in Maine and Canada. In my humble opinion, they have the right idea and such sweet, teddy bear-​like faces. Mike and I decided to see them while they were in Newport on the Save the Bay seal-​watching tour. Yes, the weather was brisk but the boat ride gave us a chance to see them up-​close and we had a beautiful vantage point for parts of the town we wouldn’t have a chance to visit on that stay.

boating in cold weather on the Narragansett Bay for a good cause? overall, a win.
tickets are $ 22 a head and we had a blast. learned about the various types of seals you can spot in the Bay, and actually saw a lot of them. the two staff members on our boat were friendly, helpful, and informative. learned about the seals and conservation efforts to preserve their population, as well as some local history and folklore.
the boat has clear tarps covering it, in case the weather is really bad, but we had a bright sunny day and fairly calm waters. binoculars are provided.
we left a few minutes late because someone was running late, and the return trip back to the dock was a little fast because of this. not a big complaint, but everyone else had showed up early or on time, so it was a minor annoyance. then again, I enjoyed the bumpy, fast ride back to the dock. I think I was the only one who did, but then again I’ve been riding the subway since I was able to walk so things like that don’t faze me.
the tours run from the end of November into April. pay ahead of time to ensure your spot and have a good time!

Seal tour on a pleasant, easy-​going morning. Not much in the way of seal sightings, but a nice way to see Narragansett Bay for an hour. The price is reasonable and goes to a good cause.
Seal tours run Nov-​Apr, so there’s usually availability. But just in case make the reservation (especially if you have kids). Bino’s provided.