If you needed an excuse to travel to New York this summer, count your lucky ducks, what better reasons than an Amtrak flash sale and a massive floating rubber duck—the world’s largest rubber duck!
Mama Duck, as she is sometimes referred to, is a floating phenomenon, traveling around the globe for the sole purpose of “spreading kindness” as Mama Duck founder, Craig Samborski noted in 2014. The Duluth, Minnesota entrepreneur is known for creating floating festivals around the globe, with Mama Duck traveling as far as Hong Kong and Georgia.
The entrepreneurial investment was risky and scary for Samborski, spending $50,000 to build a giant inflatable floating duck. However, it clearly paid off as Mama Duck’s brought joy to millions and she herself now has a valuation over $1 million.
As the city of Make Way For Ducklings, we think its time Mama Duck comes to Boston (with eight other minions). The Big Duck US offers a “bring the duck to your city” form to express interest.
While, she has yet to be seen floating around the Boston Harbor or Charles River, if you really want to witness this sunshine radiating duckie, she’ll be under four hours away in New York for two weekends this August. And Amtrak just launched its Fall Flash Sale, so you can start your voyage with a discounted train ride, at least for her second appearance.
Where to find Mama Duck?
Well at over six stories tall, she shouldn’t be hard to miss. But the world’s largest rubber duck will be in New York during these dates and times:
- Friday, August 2- Sunday, August 4: Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton, Long Island (4 hours from Boston by car)
- Friday, August 16- Sunday, August 18: Playland in Rye, New York (3 hours from Boston by car)
The duck will float in the salt waters of Long Island Sound in both cases. Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton, Long Island is about a four-hour drive from Boston. The route travels through the charming coastal villages of Watch Hill, RI and Mystic, CT, so make a trip out of it!
Playland in Rye, New York is a quicker trip from Boston, about three hours in total. If traveling by train you can take the Amtrak to New Haven, CT or New Rochelle, NY and continue with a rented car or rideshare.