Founding Waters: A Tour With Roger Williams

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Trip Highlights

One-of-a-kind historic tour!
Historian John McNiff portraying our founding father
Scenic open-air views of downtown Providence

Description

Join us for a one-of-a-kind boat tour as we welcome Roger Williams—yes, the man himself—aboard for an exclusive journey through history! Our founding father, portrayed here by Historian and Roger Williams expert John McNiff, will guide you through his life, travels, and the legacy he built right here in Rhode Island. This special tour blends storytelling, scenic views, and a touch of theatrical fun—don't miss your chance to meet Roger on the river!

Tour Info

Duration

1 hour 15 minutes

Group Size

Up to 17

Price starts at

$40

Languages

English

Meeting Point

101 Dyer Street Providence Rhode Island

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Dropoff location

101 Dyer Street Providence Rhode Island

Why take this tour?

Thank you for joining us for our award-winning tours on our 34th season along the shores of Providence! We are now closed for the winter and will reopen in May. In the meantime, gift cards for your holiday gift giving are available on our website, and our expanded 2026 schedule will be posted soon! We have a BIG surprise in store....so keep checking back.

Join us for a one-of-a-kind boat tour as we welcome Roger Williams—yes, the man himself—aboard for an exclusive journey through history! Our founding father, portrayed by Historian and Roger Williams expert John McNiff, will guide you through his life, travels, and the legacy he built right here in Rhode Island. This special tour blends storytelling, scenic views, and a touch of theatrical fun—don't miss your chance to meet Roger...on the river!

Frequently asked questions

What should I bring?

We suggest sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and a cold beverage for daytime tours, and a light windbreaker/sweater in the evening. We also suggest flat bottom, comfortable shoes. Most importantly, dress appropriately for the weather.

Are food and beverages available?

Adult beverages, coffee drinks, soda, ice cream, and baked goods are now available for purchase to bring aboard! Please arrive a few minutes early to purchase these items inside The Landing.

Is there a bathroom on the boat?

There are no restrooms on the boats, so please plan ahead and use the bathroom inside The Landing prior to boarding. You will need to allow yourself extra time to check-in, use the bathroom and walk to the docks in time for boarding, so please arrive a few minutes earlier than normal.

Can I bring my dog?

We love dogs, but....only service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are allowed aboard. Comfort animals, emotional support animals, and therapy animals are not service animals and are therefore not recognized by the ADA or the State of Rhode Island.

Do I have to wear a lifevest?

RI Law requires all children under 13 years of age to wear a USCG approved PFD while underway in a vessel. Our vessels are inspected by the USCG, and we carry PFD's aboard for every passenger.

Things to know

Age Requirement

All ages are welcome, but we feel that this tour is most appropriate for ages 10+. Please make sure this will be appropriate for your younger children.

Parking Information

There are several parking garages, outdoor parking lots and on-street metered parking spaces throughout our neighborhood.

The Arcade Parking Garage, located behind our building on Pine Street, offers very reasonable parking rates.

We also recommend taking your hotel shuttle, a
...

There are several parking garages, outdoor parking lots and on-street metered parking spaces throughout our neighborhood.

The Arcade Parking Garage, located behind our building on Pine Street, offers very reasonable parking rates.

We also recommend taking your hotel shuttle, a Lyft or Uber, or walking from your hotel, if possible. We are centrally located in downtown and most hotels are within a 15 minute walk from us.

Accessibility

Because our vessels were built specifically for us to navigate the low-hanging bridges throughout downtown Providence, neither of them are wheelchair accessible.

To get on and off our vessels, a person needs to be able to walk down a 40+ foot ramp from street level to our docks, and the
...

Because our vessels were built specifically for us to navigate the low-hanging bridges throughout downtown Providence, neither of them are wheelchair accessible.

To get on and off our vessels, a person needs to be able to walk down a 40+ foot ramp from street level to our docks, and then step over the side rail and into the boat. Our crew can certainly offer a hand to get on/off the boat, however, we're not able to pick someone up and carry them aboard.

Walkers and wheelchairs may be left on the dock while touring, at your own risk.

Tour Cancellation Policy

All of our tours are non-refundable. Please make sure you are booking the correct date & time.

Customers may reschedule their reservation or receive a credit for a future tour (subject to availability) with 72 hours advance cancellation only.

We reserve the right to reschedule
...

All of our tours are non-refundable. Please make sure you are booking the correct date & time.

Customers may reschedule their reservation or receive a credit for a future tour (subject to availability) with 72 hours advance cancellation only.

We reserve the right to reschedule or cancel tours when less than 4 passengers have booked. It doesn’t happen often, but we will call you ASAP if it does.

Weather-Related Cancellation Policy

The weather in New England changes often, and quickly. Because of this, we do not postpone or cancel boat tours until the day of the tour. If we were to cancel your tour, we would call you at the phone number provided on your reservation. Please do not call us questioning cancellations, we will
...

We reserve the right to cancel our tours in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If we do cancel your tour due to inclement weather, you may reschedule, subject to availability, or receive a full refund.

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Worry-free flexible cancellation policy

Human support: 401-580-BOAT

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