The boat shuttles areÂ open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis at an introductory fare of $7. A unique feature of the property is that it’s accessible by 35-passenger, custom-built luxury boat shuttles which run every 20-30 minutes from points within Boston (Seaport, World Trade Center, and Long Wharf) between 7am to 11:45pm daily. I’m not local to Boston, but I can already tell that traffic is going to be an issue once Encore Boston Harbor opens and is operating at full-swing.

Though I did not stay overnight, I did partake in an extensive tour of the grounds and attended an on-property press conference (unfortunately personal photography/video was forbidden indoors during my visit). The entirely smoke-free Encore Boston Harbor casino and resort boasts 671 rooms and opens its doors to the public at 10am, Sunday June 23. Those who know me know I love my casino fix, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to tour the brand new 27-story Encore Boston HarborÂ yesterday during a media preview while I was already visiting Boston for the weekend with my family. I’m happy with the addition of another impressive and accessible “Vegas-style” casino on the East Coast, so allow me to share my first impressions (teaser: totally blows any of the Atlantic City properties out of the water).

Encore hotel and casino