5 ways to enjoy New York Harbor on short time

Statue of Liberty as Queen of New York Harbor from Wikimedia

When the day is half gone or the schedule is just too jam-packed, here's a few ways to get acquainted with what New York City's rivers and ocean have to offer without spending too much money or time.

1) Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. She looks majestic from the shore and from the ferries that pass under her watch in the New York/New Jersey waterways. But there’s nothing like getting up close and personal with the Statue of Liberty. The size and copper majesty of the structure is much more impressive when standing at the base and looking up, not to mention walking up inside. Tickets can be reserved up to a year in advance to walk through the internal structure and visit the crown, which has outstanding views over New York Harbor and most of New York City. Ellis Island is also a stop on the Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry. It is the historic largest immigration port in American History and much has been done to preserve the heritage and feeling of the hundreds of thousands of New Americans that passed through it.

Little Red Lighthouse and George Washington Bridge by CPWViews

2) Visit one of the parks that run along the Rivers. Almost every borough and town that touches the rivers has some kind of outdoor space to enjoy the views. 

In Manhattan, the best spots for views, greenery and walking/biking/jogging paths are:

Hudson River: Riverside Park, Fort Washington Park, Hudson River Park and Battery Park

East River: South Street Seaport and Carnegie Hill Park

Jersey City has a path along the waterfront and the expansive, green Liberty State Park.  Reclaimed from fallow wetlands and decaying buildings and made into a hub for cultural attractions like the All Points West music festival and the Liberty Science Center, this park is New Jersey's oasis on the Hudson.

3) Visit Governor’s Island and see the Summer Concerts at the Beach, which Water Taxi created. Governor’s Island has been a defense fort for most of its known history and has many historic sites dedicated to showcasing that.  As of two years ago, New York State was able to reclaim it from the Federal government. No one is quite sure what will become of the hundreds of acres of green space, military buildings, barracks and beach. But that hasn’t stopped promoters from drawing the public to the island for historic tours, events and music concerts on the beach throughout the summer. Given its strategic location right in between Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Statue of Liberty, there isn’t another place with 360 degree views like it. The Beach at Governor's Island on Water Taxi’s man-made beach are all free and feature some big names on the local and national music scenes, as well as artists that have endured the decades.

New York Harbor at Lower Manhattan by Bianca Seidman-Shvarts

4) Take a cruise around Manhattan. There are several cruise lines (see the "Cruises" section of my 4th of July article for providers) that offer tours around the “island” of Manhattan, something for every taste. There’s the sightseeing tour cruises still run by the Circle Line, music cruises, booze cruises and dinner cruises. Sometimes, the cruise is all of those things in one. For boat enthusiasts, it’s even possible to charter a schooner or join a small party of other day-trippers in a bona-fide sail around the Hudson.

5) Eat at a waterfront restaurant in any of the five boroughs. Every borough has them, but there’s a big concentration of waterfront restaurants along both sides of the East River that invite view-seekers to experience New York’s prized river real estate.  The cuisines are mostly Italian, New American and Seafood.

Spend a little time with the Hudson and East Rivers, there isn’t another place in the world like New York Harbor.

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