About Sail Boston®
Boston’s history stretches beyond the land to the sea. Boston has a wealth of maritime history—both past and present. Bostonians welcome crews and cadets from all over the world to their harbor on a continual basis as part of the Visiting Ship Program and are gearing up to greet the return of the tall ship fleet for Sail Boston® 2026!
Known as America’s Walking City, Boston is home to many historic sites that date back to the American Revolution. Visitors to Boston are encouraged to stroll the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile red brick walking trail that passes sixteen nationally significant historic sites. The Freedom Trail begins at Boston Common and ends at Bunker Hill, near the Charlestown Navy Yard and the home of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the world.
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding in 1776—the United States of America’s Semiquincentennial. For this milestone occasion, a fleet of the world’s most magnificent international tall ships and military ships, in an epic peacetime gathering, will sail into the port of Boston as part of Sail250®.
Sail Boston® will entertain its younger audience with educational programs focusing on US and international maritime history. Cadets and crewmembers will be available to educate children of all ages of their personal experiences at sea, home countries, and more.
Mission
Since 1992, Sail Boston, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, has hosted more than 500 international tall ships and vessels of interest to Boston and many Massachusetts coastal communities. Sail Boston, Inc. endeavors to develop programs that provide economic development and cultural enrichment for citizens, businesses, and visitors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.