Cruise Around New York City on the Circle Line

One of the best ways to discover the secrets of New York City and to view the magnificent skyscrapers and historical sites is to take a cruise on a Circle Line boat around the island of Manhattan. By way of the Hudson and East Rivers, you will navigate around Manhattan to see 7 beautiful bridges, 5 boroughs, and more than 25 landmarks. The tour guides deliver an informative and witty narrative that helps you to spot the landmarks and provides an overview of the city’s history.

As the boat takes off from the West side of Manhattan on the Hudson River, the first landmark you see is a monstrous aircraft carrier – the USS Intrepid. A little further down the river, you get a close-up view of the majestic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the historic immigration center. You can also take in the skyline and skyscraper’s of Manhattan’s West side, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and MetLife. As the boat travels towards the South end of the island, you will see fantastic views of Wall Street and the Southside Seaport. Look up at the incredible skyscrapers that make the skyline come to life.

After the boat sails down the Hudson River and cruises around the Battery, it enters the East River, from which you will find fantastic views as you travel under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges. This part of the cruise takes you along the East side of Manhattan, past the United Nations and Governor’s Island, where you can also view Brooklyn on the other side of the river. As you travel toward the upper East side of Manhattan, the boat once again changes rivers, this time taking the Harlem River, as you glide past the Bronx and Harlem, where you will find awesome views of the cliffs on the New Jersey side, as well as of the Cloisters, before you again find yourself on the Hudson River.

This cruise is relaxing and very affordable, so you can sit back, have a snack, buy a souvenir, and take pictures from a most unique angle. The cruises vary, from a Full Island Cruise that goes around the entire island in 3 hours, to a Semi-Circle Cruise that goes down to the South end of the island and back in 2 hours, a 2 hour Harbor Lights Evening Cruise, and a 75 minute Liberty Cruise that takes you by Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. Whichever cruise you pick, you will be delighted by the sights and secrets of the city.