Duck Tours May Invade

As if seeing those ridiculous Hummer limousines wasn't jarring enough: Those amphibious land-and-water vehicles are coming to be NYC tour vehicles, according to the NY Post. There are already "Duck" Tours in Boston, Seattle, D.C. and Wisconsin, with the huge half-boat-half-truck contraptions. Gothamist is curious if transport company Stagecoach, rumored to be bringing the ducks to NYC, will be trying to do land-and-sea tours or if the ducks will just be to intimidate other drivers. Related: Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International, which sold eight ducks to Stagecoach.

Gothamist is still pretty fond of the Circle Line and the various other bus tours (we always wave to tourists). A favorite cheap way to see the city, or at least lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island: The Staten Island Ferry.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on October 5, 2004 4:53 PM

Comments [rss]

buytours

I was also able to find duck tours in Honolulu, Hawaii and San Francisco, California when I searched. Here is the site: http://reserve123.com/index.cfm?go=products.tours&productType_ID=39&Submit2=GO

where's the love?

Don't forget Hot Springs, Arkansas! Why are people always for getting Hot Springs, Arkansas?

Albert Yee

they got them down here in philly too: http://www.phillyducks.com/. those stupid "beaks" they give out to "quack quack" are so damn annoying. i hope they don't invade my home up there in NY.

sp

right after i posted, i remembered a story about one of them sinking and a bunch people dieing, searched and found this:

http://www.rbbi.com/folders/acc/arktour/arktour.htm

this wasnt the only incident, apparently it happens pretty often with these contraptions, another one sank in Austin earlier this year.

Liz

And Pittsburgh: http://www.justduckytours.com/

Apparently their goal is to get them in every city with a body of water nearby.

SteveO

I like the tourists up high & out of the way where the belong, on the double-decker buses ... just you want until you hear some WWII surplus landing craft full of Late Show t-shirt & NYPD hats all going "QUACK QUACK" in unison.

sp

oh no!!!! please, someone stop them. I lived in boston for 6 years, and the duck tours were one of the most annoying "attractions" over there. we have enough diesel fumes and oversized traffic monsters in the city as it is.

Chad

That's unfortunate...having grown up (and still living very near) Branson, I experienced the Ducks several times. But there's a helluva lot more to see around New York than in southwest Missouri, so it might not be so bad!

Chad

Kojak

Sounds like a good Idea. Why not have a tour that goes from land to sea, then back to land again? If launched it will be successful in my book. Even though it would be a little weird to see duckboats driving around city streets.

Anything is better then that dreaded Circle Line.

Its fun for the first 20 Minutes, then it gets horribly boring after that, even for someone new to the Big Apple. Then they sell you overpriced snacks and since theres no way to escape the boat to catch something to eat on land, theres no choice but to buy something.

ugh