Seals in the Bay - Seal Watch Tours - Save The Bay

Enjoy Narragansett Bay all year long!

Attention: The 2021-2022 seal tour season has ended! We’ll be back in October; check back here for an updated schedule, or buy a gift certificate to use for next season!

Think summertime is the only time to enjoy Narragansett Bay? Migratory harbor seals disagree! These “dogs of the sea” love the chilly waters of a wintertime Bay—in fact, it’s the only time of year they stop by. For more than 15 years, Save The Bay has been offering seal watch tours and nature cruises giving you the perfect opportunity to enjoy the cooler months, while observing local wildlife.

Don’t miss your chance to see the Rhode Island state mammal at play. Plan your Seal Tour or Nature Cruise today—after all, the cold weather won’t last forever! For information about purchasing tickets or gift certificates, call 401-203-SEAL(7325).

FAQ
_{Please review our COVID-19 Procedures and Policies below.}

Learn more about our Seal Tours with this video produced by Simply Southern New England!

Newport Seal Tours & Seal/Rose Island Tours

December-April

Join us aboard one of our education vessels as we motor through historic Newport Harbor and observe seals at Citing Rock. One-hour seal tours are entirely boat-based, while 1.75-hour tours include a visit to the Rose Island grounds. Due to COVID-19, visits to Rose Island will not include a lighthouse tour this season, but will instead include a walking tour of the island grounds.

PURCHASE GIFT CERTIFICATES

_{**Please allow up to 24 hours for your gift certificate to be processed and to receive your digital gift certificate.**}

Learn More

Westerly Nature Cruises

October-November

Take a 90-minute scenic ride down the Pawcatuck River into Little Narragansett Bay for the peaceful views of gorgeous fall foliage and a glimpse of some of our earliest winter visitors as they rest on rocks and shorelines.

PURCHASE GIFT CERTIFICATES

Learn More

COVID-19 Procedures & Policies

Reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-up registrations will be dependent on availability.
If you are feeling ill or have any COVID-19 symptoms, we kindly ask that you reschedule your trip, or cancel for a full refund.
Per CDC and RIDOH guidelines, masks are not required for vaccinated individuals on Seal Tours but are highly recommended for unvaccinated individuals.

Please Note: Rules regarding masks and social distancing may change unexpectedly due to public health information available at the time of your scheduled trip.

Cancelation Policy

Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, all Seal Tours and Nature Cruises are subject to cancelation with customers receiving a full refund. If you cannot attend your scheduled trip, cancelations with at least 24 hours’ notice are entitled to a full refund.

Save The Bay reserves the right to cancel any scheduled trip due to extreme weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, tickets will be refunded or rescheduled by guest choice.

_{If you have any additional questions, please contact Public Programs Manager Jen Kelly at jkelly@savebay.org}

Upcoming Seal Tours

My husband and I had a great time on the Bay Seal Watch. We took the 11 a.m. boat which took us to Citing Rock located in the middle of the bay during low tide. [...] We saw a group of seals hanging out on the rock island. The boat provides binoculars. It was amazing! During the short trip out the crew gave information about the type of seals we would be seeing and answered questions. The crew was enthusiastic about the mission of Save The Bay, very knowledgeable, and friendly. I highly recommend this cruise.

Ginger R., Vermont (TripAdvisor)

Newport Seal & Seal and Rose Island Tours

Join us aboard one of our education vessels as we motor through historic Newport Harbor and take in 360º views of seals resting on Citing Rock off of Rose Island and the Newport Bridge. One-hour seal tours are entirely boat-based, while 2-hour tours include a tour of the Rose Island grounds. Due to COVID-19, visits to Rose Island will not include a lighthouse tour this season, but will instead include a walking tour of the island grounds.

Explore Seal Tours in Newport

WHEN:

December 2021-April 2022

WHERE:

Departing from Bowen’s Ferry Landing, 30 Market Square, Newport, R.I.

PRICING:

One-Hour Tour
$22 non-members; $17 Save The Bay members, seniors, children aged 3-12; $0 children under 3 years

Two-Hour Seal and Rose Island Tour
$55 non-members; $45 Save The Bay members, seniors, children aged 3-12; $0 children under 3 years
Ticket prices include the Rose Island landing fee of $12 per adult and $8 per child

PARKING TIPS:

Heading to Newport? Take a look at these great parking tips from our friends at Discover Newport!

VIEW THE TOUR SCHEDULE & BUY YOUR TICKET

The boat captain and tour guide were both friendly and well-educated about the history of the Pawcatuck River and the types of seals that we hoped to see. We did spot half a dozen seals swimming near the mouth of the river. It was a great and economical way to spend an hour and one-half on the water.

David P., Rhode Island (TripAdvisor)

Westerly Nature Cruises

From October-November 2021, take a 90-minute scenic ride down the Pawcatuck River into Little Narragansett Bay for peaceful views of beautiful fall foliage and a glimpse of some of our winter harbor seal visitors as they rest on rocks and shorelines.