There may be no such thing as a free lunch - especially in New York, where decadence is king. But edibles aside, New York has one authentic freebie: a boat cruise offering a fantastic view of the New York skyline.
The Staten Island ferry is one of the best ways to see the New York cityscape and the Statue of Liberty, and it won't cost you a cent. The pedestrian-only boat leaves every 15 to 30 minutes and goes from Whitehall Terminal on Manhattan to St. George Terminal on Staten Island (and back again). The ride lasts about a half hour.
Once on Staten Island, take in some sights, like the Botanical Garden or the zoo, home to such local celebrities as Chuck the groundhog. Or just turn around and hop the ferry back – as fellow researcher Ashley Thompson and I did back in February. We were not disappointed – a sunset cruise offered exquisite views of the skyline, and we even made some new friends – a pair of Londoners who were up to the same free trick. Maybe you’ll make friends too. But no matter what, you'll enjoy the ride.
Photo: Tom Turner via Flickr photo pool
I went to New York for a day several years ago when I was escaping a booring family reunion on the Jersey Shore and the ride I took on the ferry was one of my FAVORITE parts of the entire time. I didn't have the time for the official tours of the statue of liberty, but the ferry which was free was definately worth the price!
Posted by: Kango Suz | April 14, 2008 at 12:18 PM