The birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Quincy is proudly called “The City of Presidents.” It was also home to the country’s first commercial railroad, constructed in 1826 and known as the “Granite Railway.” Blocks of rock hewn from Quincy quarries were transported via rail to the harbor and shipped to different parts of the coast, including nearby Charlestown, where Quincy granite was used in the construction of the Bunker Hill Monument.

The Marina Bay clock tower is a convenient landmark. Photo/Tom Richardson

Quincy’s second major industry was shipbuilding. Thomas Watson of telephone fame established the famous Fore River Shipyard, which launched the U.S.S.Lexington aircraft carrier, the battleships Massachusetts and Nevada, and several submarines.

While ships are no longer built on the Fore River, Quincy still sees plenty of maritime traffic, albeit mostly of the recreational kind. And boaters who call on Quincy won’t lack for things to do once they dock. The city itself has numerous waterfront restaurants, shops, historic sites, museums and other attractions, all of it on the doorstep of one of the busiest harbors on the East Coast.

As the largest full-service marine facility in New England, Safe Harbor Marina Bay is the focal point of Quincy’s waterfront scene, drawing sailors, anglers and cruisers from all along the Eastern seaboard. Located on Dorchester Bay, just east of Neponset River and the former Squantum Naval Air Station (now a scenic park), the 686-slip marina is only seven miles south of downtown Boston and minutes from Boston Harbor, making it a convenient stop for local boaters and transients who want to sample urban boating at its best.

The wooden boardwalk surrounding the well-protected dock basin provides a perfect pathway for exploring the many businesses that occupy the Marina Bay complex. There are three on-site restaurants, eight indoor/outdoor bars and a nightclub, plus a convenience store, a gift shop, a dry-cleaning service, an ice-cream stop, a deli and more. Most establishments offer dockage, so you can be enjoying dinner and drinks under the stars just moments after tying up.

The southern Tide Mill on Town River. Photo/Eric B. Akdemir

Among the many restaurants at Marina Bay are the WaterClub, Siros + Blue and Victory Point, all of which offer harborside venues that make them ideal for hosting special events. Siros, also with outdoor seating on the boardwalk, is known for pasta, grilled tenderloin, fresh seafood and spectacular sunset views. Skyline, a more casual spot, hosts live entertainment, including stand-up comedy. After dinner, diners can head over to Donato’s Gelato for a tasty cone.

You don’t even need to own a boat to enjoy the water at Marina Bay. The marina is home to a Freedom Boat Club franchise, which offers members the use of several different models, from center consoles to pontoon boats.

The other half of the Quincy boating equation lies east of Houghs Neck, on the protected Town River. At the mouth of the river is the full-service Bay Pointe Marina, which offers 300 slips and a fuel dock. It’s also home to the Bay Pointe Waterfront Restaurant, making this one of the Boston area’s few dock-and-dine options.

Just upriver is the smaller Town River Marina, a family-owned facility with slips, mooring rentals and a launch ramp. Next to that is Captain’s Cove Marina, with slips that can accommodate deep-draft vessels up to 80′. Each slip has water and shore power, while the grounds feature a shaded picnic area, grills, showers, bathrooms and WiFi access. It’s also pet-friendly.

If you’re a trailer-boater, Quincy’s Houghs Neck Maritime Center on Sea Street has a free, double-lane launch ramp with excellent tie-up floats and parking for 20 rigs. The location gives boaters and paddlers direct access to the southern part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.

The park itself represents a vast, aquatic playground for local boaters. Peddocks, Lovells, Bumpkin and Grape islands all offer camping, and have sturdy docks for the loading and unloading of passengers and their gear. Boaters can drop anchor or grab one of the free moorings then wade, swim, dinghy or kayak to the beaches on almost all of the islands. Some of the larger islands even provide dinghies.

Quincy is close to the Boston Harbor Islands. Photo/Tom Richardson

Approximately 25 public moorings have been installed throughout the islands, including 12 off Spectacle that can be reserved for a fee via the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Spectacle even features a public marina with slips, plus a visitor’s center and walking trails. The views of Boston from here are spectacular, especially at dusk.

The other park moorings (marked “BHI”) are free for the taking on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two off both Georges and Gallops islands, and nine in Portuguese Cove off Peddocks. More moorings are available off Thompsons Island, home to an Outward Bound center.

You might also want to visit historic Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, which casts a light beam 27 miles into the Atlantic. This is the oldest continually used and last staffed lighthouse in the country, which dates back to the Revolutionary War.

Aside from the Harbor Islands, Quincy boaters also have ready access to the neighboring towns of Hingham and Hull, not to mention downtown Boston. If you have a larger vessel, trips to Provincetown, as well as towns on the North Shore and South Shore, are within easy daytrip range. And if you like to fish, the harbor offers outstanding action with winter flounder, striped bass and bluefish.

So whether you want to wet a line, take a walk through history, picnic on an island beach, relax at a harborside restaurant or tour the great city of Boston, Quincy makes the perfect destination.