This was my first time visiting & it was for a corporate summer event. All transportation & food was taken care of and as a guest I thought it all went by smoothly. The boat ride was a short 20 min ride from the Wharf in downtown Boston. Once we got onto the island we walked on a dock then onto the grass before getting into the venue. My favorite part was the space that overlooked the Boston city skyline. There is plenty of lawn space for games & bon fire. The venue is open concept with no closed in walls which I thought was great for those that are covid conscious. read more

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Our company had a lovely time at Thompson Island for our summer outing. They seem to have two different areas you can rent out for group events. You arrive by boat and are shown how to get to your groups area where we had food, drinks, lawn games, and more. Lots of fun was had by the group for sure. read more

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School - Company Summer Outing at Thompson Island - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Sheer perfection for our Boston Beach Wedding! Thompson Island is the Best Kept Secret in Boston -- an absolutely amazing place to have your wedding reception or event!!! Believe me, I visited everywhere from Cape Ann to Cape Cod. Many in my party have worked in meeting planning at exclusive hotels & resorts all over the world, but this private island is really an extraordinary & sparkling treasure, hidden just 15 minutes from the waterfront. This was the most serene and gorgeous setting: the food and staff were utterly fantastic (really large & fresh lobsters for everyone!), the venue was incomparable and truly special. No other island in Boston Harbor has the effervescent atmosphere and shimmering ambiance that Thompson Island does. We've been there and seen those. Meh... My guests came from everywhere and they are still talking about how magical our wedding reception was at this unique setting, and how they are so happy that they made the flights to Boston. Most of all, we managed to surprise even those who have lived in the Boston area for generations (but none had ever been here) by this adventurous reception; they were blown away by the exceptional and singular beauty of this place and the whole experience of it. Thompson Island has lush, old growth trees and many other special gems that the other island venues do not have: a beautiful campus to stroll which feels like an olde New England village,a dedicated, seasoned and professional special event staff and miles of private beach & coastline. I cannot describe accurately just how exciting, glamorous, charming, captivating and sublimely enchanting our wedding reception was thanks to the Thompson Island staff and Boston Harbor Cruises. We have glorious memories and photos, but I don't think anyone who was there will ever forget this amazing day & evening! "Party with a conscience" is their event motto & it feels good too -- your event supports their worthy youth center through their Outward Bound programs! read more

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If you are going to spend money on a wedding, why not have it go to a great cause like Thompson Island's Outward Bound program?? Not only do you get to feel good about supporting an important organization, you get to have probably the most memorable and beautiful wedding you and your guests will ever experience. My partner and I chose Thompson Island over some other fun, non-profit sites (Boston Aquarium, Boston Science Museum, Boston Public Library, Franklin Park Zoo, etc.). It turned out to be the most affordable (along with the Aquarium), but I am not sure any of the other venues could have provided entire package of breath-taking views, sunset, beautiful setting for our ceremony (our theme was "the tree of life" and we got married under two of Thompson Island's spectacular old-growth trees), casual but classy reception (we did the Lobster/Clam bake which was fantastic), and, simply put, FUN! Jim was very helpful throughout the entire planning process and Denise was great to work with both for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself. They were fine with us pretty much doing whatever we wanted to help us create the atmosphere we were looking for. We hired the island DJ, Phil, who was also fantastic and flexible. Things to think about: 1. We ended up having a beautiful weekend for the rehearsal dinner and wedding. If you like the outdoors and are looking for something a little more casual than the black-tie and gown event, I don't think you could find a better place than Thompson Island. Obviously, you take a risk with the weather. We lucked out. If it had been over cast or raining, I am sure we would have still had fun, but it would have been different for sure. 2. The boat ride over to the island ended up being a great pre-cursor to the event. People really enjoyed all being together and arriving at the island at the same time - it set a great mood for the event. 3. We held our rehearsal dinner on the island outside of one of the old brick homes, part of a campus that has been there since the 1800's. We ended up renting the home for the night and eight of us stayed there over night and enjoyed hanging out around a fire pit, drinking wine and reminiscing. 4. Thompson Island catered both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. The food was great and they were very flexible on the menu (we are vegetarian - they allowed us to put our own menu together for our rehearsal dinner and bring our own wine from VA). 5. You can pay extra to use China, but we chose to go with the paper products (you can use their normal flatware with the paper products at no extra charge). Most of their products are corn-based and biodegradable. Hopefully, they will go completely green in the near future. 6. The DJ helped us get the sound system (mic and speaker) set up for the wedding ceremony, which was great. He also brought an electric keyboard for us to use. 7. If you are doing your ceremony and reception on the island, you might want to give it a little extra time (we planned a 3:00 pm departure from Boston and 8:00 pm departure from the island at sunset). Honestly, we were having such a good time that we didn't realize 8:00 pm had rolled around and we had to abruptly end the festivities and get on the boat. If we had done traditional cake cutting, dances, etc., we wouldn't have had enough time (also, we lost about 20 minutes because of a late guest holding up the boat as well). It was truly a great day - you can't help but be relaxed out there. Enjoy! read more

Outward Bound is a great program, but Thompson Island also hosts weddings. We had ours out there in July, and it was absolutely perfect! Jim and Denise made sure everything was taken care of. The food was delicious. There were no issues with getting the cake to the island. The guests had lots of fun playing lawn games. It was a great time! If you're looking for a low-key wedding, definitely look into them. read more

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School - View of dock and skyline - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Ha! I didn't know Thompson Island was on Yelp. Awesome. Yeah, I totally started here when I did Outward Bound too. (Then I moved to Hurricane Island in Maine. At least I think that's what it was.) Outward Bound is awesome. It's a good way to see what your kids are made of; if they die out in the woods, they were probably lame anyway. If they don't die in the woods, they're almost sure to smell really bad when they get back. read more

My fiance and I were supposed to meet the event coordinator but she wasn't on the ferry (which is where and when we were supposed to meet) or even at the island when we got there. Logan (who was great) explained that she was running late and gave us the grand tour. The island is beautiful with mulitple locations to have a beautiful event or wedding. Logan did the best he could, but we had many more questions and was told the event coordinator would meet us at the dock in Boston to answer any questions. When we got back we didn't know what the coordinator looked like. She apparently blew by us as we got off the ferry. We had to go back on and ask the crew we sailed back with where the coordinator was and we waited while they got her for us. You could tell she was annoyed she even had to deal with us. Maybe she was having a bad day but that's not how you should treat people in general, let alone potential customers. We even tried to call her a few times when we got to the port but it went straight to voicemail. The venue was beautiful but we can't work with a coordinator like that. I won't mention her name as I am not a spiteful person but you couldn't pay us to have our wedding there with that coordinator. read more

We had an AMAZING company outing here last week. Everyone, including our Executive Leadership Team, has been expressing how it was the best company event we have planned thus far. While the view, the boat ride, and the food were all amazing, it is certainly the staff that made our event so successful. Denise went above and beyond for months during the planning process. She was available for all of my 10 million questions and made me feel at ease planning such a large company event. Everything worked out seamlessly. The staff at the island were also very helpful. Logan was available throughout the event and always made sure we were taken care of. The bartenders and food staff were personable, professional, and friendly. read more

I had a horrible experience on the Thompson Island Outward Boun Kayaking Expedition. It was the WORST 4.5 days of my life. The staff there were unaccommodating and horrific. The food wasn't edible. The sleeping situation was inhumane. The staff were unhelpful and made the experience worse. Anybody who decides to put themselves through this program is making a mistake that they will regret for the rest of their lives. The staff lied to us the entire trip. They forced us to wake up at 4:30 every morning just to kayak for 6 miles, my back was aching, and we just went from island to island. You pretty much have to shit on yourself the entire trip. Fuck this Fucking trip and don't even fucking think about going through it. read more

I took part in an Outward Bound program on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor as a teen. I would highly recommend this to teens & parents of young people as an great chance to grow as a person and gain confidence. Even though I was only there for a couple of weeks this sticks out as one of my best memories during high school! read more

Our company outing was held on Thompson Island on Saturday. It did not hurt that the weather was utter perfection, but that term could also describe everything about our day, including the ferry, venue, food (lobster tails were huge!), drinks, hospitality, activities, tranquil setting and price. Steph made putting the event together easy as can be. We've not duplicated an event location in my 14 years of organizing summer/winter outings for this crowd. Until now. We plan to return to the Thompson Island Outward Bound venue again next summer! read more

Our wedding experience on Thompson Island was better than I ever could have imagined from start to finish. We wouldn't change a thing! The setting is beautiful- the natural beauty of the island and views of the city make decorating a breeze. We barely added a thing but you have the ability to decorate and add as much ambiance as you like. Denise, the coordinator, was unbelievable. She is SO good at her job and has the ability to pay careful attention to detail with a laid back attitude that helped us feel 100% relaxed and confident while planning and on the actual day. The food is incredible. All of our guests are still raving about it! We did the island combo with tender grilled chicken, meat and MASSIVE lobster tails soaked in butter. Even the pie was delicious-- one guest even took an entire pie for the ride home! About half of our guests were from out of state so this was a perfect Boston experience-- so much better than having them fly into town to spend time in a generic banquet hall. Even most of our local guests had never heard of the island or been out there. They were all impressed with the boat ride and we felt good spending money on an incredible experience for all of our guests. We opted to have a bonfire after the wedding with our wedding party and close friends. This option allowed us to prolong the best day of our lives and spend time with the people who mattered most. We all slept in the dorms on the island, which are clean and comfortable. I would definitely recommend this! A few of our guests had walkers and/or trouble walking. The island was totally handicap-friendly and staff were attentive to our guests that needed extra help getting on and off the boat and to and from the bathroom. Again, we didn't have to worry about a thing. Thompson Island is also reasonably priced for a Boston venue. We pretty much knew we wanted this venue at any price, but if you shop around you'll find that most other locations charge much more... especially for such a stellar location and unique experience. I would recommend this venue to any couple-- whether you want a simple, rustic wedding or a fancy affair, Denise and the team at Thompson Island can make your dreams come true! read more

We had our wedding on Thompson Island and it was the most amazing weekend ever! Previous reviews have detailed all the reasons why this is a great location. I will just reiterate that the biggest reason this place is perfect is the staff. We have never worked with a more amazing group of people (and my mom is in retail so customer service is extremely important). We took over that island with a wedding of 250 and 150 of them stayed overnight in the dorms. We ate delicious food, danced to a great band and stayed up way past our bedtime. I love it there and would recommend it to anyone who loves the out of doors. THANK YOU DENISE! read more

I visited Thompson Island for the first time for our company summer outing this summer. We left out of Long Wharf, a busy departure point for many ferries behind the Aquarium. One of the nicest parts of the trip is the ferry out and back, we had a very nice view of the city skyline, South Boston, the airport and all of the Harbor Islands. Thompson Island has a large pier to load and unload and it's a short walk up a dusty path, past the Outward Bound dorms to the ball fields, gymnasium and event facilities. There are nice parts of the island like long sandbars, shallow tide pools, rocky beaches, inland swamps, wooded paths, quiet fields, and mature tree stands. This place could really be a gem if they spent some time cleaning up the garbage along the beaches. The shoreline was littered with a large amount of trash that appeared to have been both dropped there and washed ashore. If they spent some time cleaning up the island this could be a five star rating. read more

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School - Lobsters at company picnic! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I went there as a young girl with my school and my mother also went there for a corporate event. The place in heaven and the memories bring a tear to my eye there is no better team building, beautiful and productive experience!!! read more

The venue itself is spectacular and my son's wedding was beautiful. They did a great job setting up! I could not give it five stars, however, as the communication with our liaison for the venue was unfortunately way below par. There were times we did not hear from her for weeks and she was extremely non responsive. It was very frustrating at times. So if you are expecting quick answers, don't. If you are expecting a fabulously unique venue, do! read more

The Boston Skyline, the wooden pavilion, the nice staff, and a ferry ride to boot! If you are planning an event and would like to boost Urban Youth Outward Bound programs, check out Thompson Island Events!! We planned our wedding there and it was made simple with preset menu and activities, that you could add to or customize. The setting on the harbor is fabulous. The staff were helpful all the way through from start to finish, and there's a golf cart /buggy to help those with mobility issues get to the pavilion... thumbs up for this outstanding location! read more

Our daughter did Thompson Island Outward Bound's "Connecting with Courage" camp earlier this summer. To say the least, it was not the experience that she or we were hoping for. The TIOB people assured us when we signed up that this was not a camp for 'troubled' kids, which I suppose is true in that they weren't criminals or delinquents or anything, but our daughter reported that most/all of the other girls were rich kids who were having trouble in school - failing out, multiple suspensions, etc. - and whose parents sent them there hoping it would help straighten them out. None of them but her, she said, wanted to be there. Our daughter, meanwhile, is a great student and a good kid who wanted to go there for the adventure. She had a number of issues with negative and bullying behavior; for example, the other girls all cursed a lot, and made fun of her for not doing so and spent a great deal of energy trying to get her to curse. There was one incident where another girl took the sleeping bag that our daughter had carefully stowed so that it wouldn't get wet, leaving her with a wet sleeping bag, and when confronted, basically said, "Tough, you're stuck with the wet one. What are you going to do about it?" We later learned that the counselors heard this exchange but chose to do nothing about it. Being the sunny, positive person that she is, our daughter made the most of the camp, and said that the sailing and outdoor aspects of the camp - basically, everything but dealing with the other girls - were a lot of fun. However, it appears to have been a net negative experience - and an expensive one - that we will not repeat, and would discourage others from doing so as well. TIOB needs to do a better job of screening their applicants to make sure that everyone there is positive and eager for the experience, not there to have their bad behavior punished or straightened out. Furthermore, their pickup procedures are negligent and unsafe; my wife flew up to Boston, was unable to make contact with anyone involved in the camp (multiple phone calls and emails went unanswered), eventually located the return point for the camp, and retrieved our daughter and took her home without ever interacting with anyone at TIOB. read more

Looking for team building or leadership development? Thompson Island Outward Bound Professional has this amazing Island in Boston Harbor just 20 minutes away. They say it's "the best kept secret in Boston", but you should know about these corporate trainings and events for your office. Each program is custom designed based on your goals and can include a Ropes Course or Raft Building along with problem solving activities. Our team learned how to be more efficient together and the facilitators were able to help us connect the challenging activities to our work. It was really fun and totally safe. So for a fun way to collaborate with your officemates, go to Thompson Island Outward Bound Professional. And you can stay for a great clambake or BBQ party at the end! read more