Famous destinations seen and experienced only by boat.
Take the Battery Park ferry to Liberty Island and plant your eyes on America’s queen, the Statue of Liberty. Though the Statue’s interior remains closed for repairs through the end of 2012, you can still get up close and personal while you explore the grounds of Liberty Island or enjoy a guided tour.
Just north of Liberty Island, Ellis Island is an included stop for those visiting the Statue. Opened in 1892, it welcomed 12 million immigrants to our shores. Here you can walk the ground where so many of our ancestors took their first steps on American soil. The Ellis Island museum holds a wealth of history and research for people seeking their roots.
If it has gills, it probably lives at Brooklyn’s New York Aquarium. Located near Coney Island, it houses 350 species of aquatic wildlife. Now through September 9, experience life as a droplet of water with A-MAZE-ING Water, featuring a walk-through maze and zipline ride, water cycle puzzles, and a wildlife wheel of facts.
Coney Island always sparkles with events. Its Burlesque at the Beach series welcomes Circus! Magic! Rock-n-Roll! on September 30, with an all star cast. Street performer Magic Brian and Miss Ekaterina will join daredevil Circus Una and piano superstar Corn Mo for a night’s entertainment you won’t likely forget.
What’s more romantic than a Harbor Lights Cruise on the Circle Line? Watch the skyline come alive after dark as you cruise down the Hudson, around the Battery and up the East River. Get close-up views of Lady Liberty, Battery Park, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and Chrysler Building. All tours are narrated by New York’s finest guides.
Weekends through October 7, Kayaking on the Hudson lets you explore the river up close. Join the Downtown Boathouse in Manhattan’s Riverside Park for 20-minute instructional paddles, then paddle away. No registration is required and kayaks and life vests are provided, but bring good swimming skills.
Join World Yacht at Pier 81 and pamper yourself at the annual Beauty Brunch for the Cause, October 7. Support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation while you enjoy a delicious brunch buffet and pink cocktails on the main deck. Book an onboard beauty treatment too, it’s for a good cause.
A Fall Foliage Lunch Cruise might be just the ticket for that power lunch or special date. Board the Spirit of New York on select dates in October for a cruise up the Hudson River past spectacular fall foliage as you enjoy a lunch buffet and show stopping entertainment by the talented wait staff.
Hail a New York Water Taxi this fall for so many special cruises, including dazzling Fall Foliage runs through the serene Lower Hudson River Valley to the Palisades, passing landmarks like Grant’s Tomb, The Little Red Lighthouse and Sleepy Hollow while you sip hot cider, or something a little stronger.
For more information, visit New York City region.