The Staten Island Ferry: New York's Free Harbor Cruise

New York is not a city that gives much away for free. But every day, thousands of people ride one of the best sightseeing boats in the world and pay nothing for the privilege. The Staten Island Ferry runs between Lower Manhattan and St. George, Staten Island, twenty-four hours a day, and it has been doing so in one form or another since the early nineteenth century. It is a commuter route, not a tourist attraction, and that is precisely what makes it so good.

The ride takes about twenty-five minutes each way. You board at the Whitehall Terminal, near the southern tip of Manhattan, and within minutes the boat is out in the harbor, with the Statue of Liberty off to one side and the skyscrapers of the Financial District shrinking behind you. The wind is cold in winter and glorious in summer, and the views shift with the light. At sunset, the harbor turns gold, and the ferry becomes a moving observation deck.

Riding with the Commuters

The best thing about the Staten Island Ferry is that it is not designed for tourists. On a weekday morning, the boat fills with people heading to work: nurses, students, office workers, delivery drivers. They know the routine. They grab a seat, pull out a phone or a book, and ignore the view. You, meanwhile, can stand at the railing and take it all in, feeling like you have stumbled onto something the city forgot to charge for.

The boats themselves are large and orange, built to carry thousands of passengers at a time. There is a snack bar on board, and the seats inside are basic but comfortable. On the outdoor decks, you will find a mix of tourists, locals, and the occasional street performer. The atmosphere is relaxed, almost festive on a sunny day. It is a reminder that public infrastructure can also be a public pleasure.

What to Do on the Other Side

Many people ride the ferry to Staten Island and immediately turn around and come back. That is a perfectly good plan, and it gives you two skyline views for the price of one. But if you have time, get off and explore. The St. George neighborhood has a small but growing food scene, and the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, a short bus ride away, is a beautiful campus of historic buildings and gardens. The Staten Island Museum is also worth a visit.

On the Manhattan side, the Whitehall Terminal puts you within walking distance of Battery Park, the Financial District, and the ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It is easy to combine a Staten Island Ferry ride with a day of sightseeing, and because the ferry is free, you can ride it as many times as you like. Few cities offer a deal like this. Take advantage of it.