Take a Harbor Cruise
Experience the Thames River on your own timeline!
Service Resuming June 6-7, 2026
Hop aboard the Thames River Heritage Park Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise every weekend, all summer long. Also known as the water taxi, enjoy a one-hour cruise or hop on and off at heritage sites along the route! Your ticket is an unlimited pass to ride all day.
We are celebrating the Park’s 10-year anniversary with the addition of a fourth stop at the Nautilus Dock via the Submarine Force Museum on SUNDAYS! Check out the Traditional Saturday Schedule (3 stops) and Specialty Sunday Schedule (4 stops) below.
RIDE & SAVE
This summer, use your Harbor Cruise ticket receipt to unlock bonus discounts at New London and Groton businesses. Show your receipt while ordering to access this community-based perk!
Our boats have their own history
Our boats are refurbished surplus U.S. Navy “liberty” utility boats that were used to shuttle sailors to shore from larger ships for liberty or free time. One was assigned to the USS LaSalle which assumed the role of Commander of Middle East Forces in 1988. The other boat was assigned to the USS Hunley, a submarine tender home ported in Charleston, South Carolina servicing the nuclear powered Polaris submarine fleet.
You’ll cruise the river that witnessed the birth of the nuclear-powered navy, with the launch of the USS Nautilus, now berthed here as part of a museum. You can imagine the river when it was home to one of the nation’s largest 19th century whaling ports. And that is just the beginning. As we say, ONE RIVER. A THOUSAND STORIES.
Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise Info
- Your ticket can be used all day long!
- Hop on and off at your leisure at any landing site
- Sit back and relax to enjoy the one-hour loop
- Tickets and season passes may be purchased online or when you board
- Cash & card are both accepted in person
- See top right corner of web page to confirm Harbor Cruises are running
- Bicycles allowed on board, space permitting
- Well-behaved dogs are welcome
Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise Rates
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ADULTS $15
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CHILDREN 4-17 $5
Children 3 and under ride free
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ACTIVE MILITARY & VETERANS $5
Active Military ID required
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SEASON PASS (ADULT) $75
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SEASON PASS (CHILD) $40
2026 Schedule
Saturday-Sunday
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Opening Day
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Closing Day
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Saturday Departures
Traditional Schedule with 3 Departure Locations
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Fort Trumbull State Park On the hour
New London
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City Pier 20 minutes after the hour
New London
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Thames River Landing 40 minutes after the hour
Groton
Sunday Departures
Specialty Schedule with 4 Departure Locations – including Nautilus Dock!
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Fort Trumbull State Park On the hour
New London
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City Pier 15 minutes after the hour
New London
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Nautilus Dock 35 Minutes after the hour
Groton
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Thames River Landing 50 minutes after the hour
Groton
Saturdays
Sundays
Fort Trumbull
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
City Pier
11:20 AM
12:20 PM
1:20 PM
2:20 PM
3:20 PM
4:20 PM
Thames River Landing
11:40 AM
12:40 PM
1:40 PM
2:40 PM
3:40 PM
4:40 PM
Fort Trumbull
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
City Pier
11:15 AM
12:15 PM
1:15 PM
2:15 PM
3:15 PM
4:15 PM
Nautilus Dock
11:35 AM
12:35 PM
1:35 PM
2:35 PM
3:35 PM
4:35 PM
Thames River Landing
11:50 AM
12:50 PM
1:50 PM
2:50 PM
3:50 PM
4:50 PM
Buy Tickets
Departing from
Season Passes
All days, unlimited rides
Season Passes for our Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise may be purchased online or with cash or credit card on the boat. They are non-transferable. Children’s passes are for those 12-years old or younger. They must be accompanied by an adult. Season Passes may not be used for our Historic Boat Tours.
Staff Contact
860-333-6706
Weather Delays
Currently: 
Today is Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Hop-on Hop-off Harbor Cruises are not running today.
Weather delays will be displayed on the home page above the main navigation throughout the site. If you have purchased a ticket, you will be notified via text message and email. Harbor Cruise tickets are non-refundable but may be used for any regularly scheduled ride for the current season. 
Green dot – Taxi is running.
Yellow dot – Taxi is delayed.Red dot – Taxi is not running.
Accessibility
The Hop On, Hop Off Harbor Cruise vessels are refurbished Navy boats that are used for shuttling crews to and from large ships. They are not ADA compliant and do not have a restroom.
TRHP Accessibility Policy
Our boats are not ADA compliant, but we try to accommodate all passengers as best we can.
For your safety, passengers must be able to walk up and down 4 stairs and board the boat independently with minimal, courtesy-only assistance from the crew. Should there be a need to disembark quickly or unexpectedly, passengers must be able to do so unaided.
Passengers requiring assistance are encouraged to board with a companion to avoid any difficulty.
Admittance onto our boats is at the discretion of our captains who are authorized to determine a guest’s ability to meet these requirements.
