Having enjoyed the ferry ride so much the day before, we decided to do it all again, except this time we doubled down to create a ferry riding extravaganza. This is because we decided to not only ride the ferry from Williamsburg to Manhattan, but also catch the Staten Island Ferry to get a close up of the Statue of Liberty without having to pay for the privilege. That’s right, the Staten Island Ferry is free! We were both keen to see the statue, and get a couple of photos, but not interested enough to pay the tourist tax for one of the dedicated island cruises, so with a bit of research we discovered that you could ride this ferry, get the desired view, and not pay a cent for it! Winning!
However, as is usual with free things, we were not the first to make this miraculous discovery, so when we turned up to the ferry terminal there was already heaving mass of people standing by the entry gate. Knowing that logically there would only be a few people on-board the ferry with the best view, and not wanting to waste our time, we decided to sit this sailing out and wait the extra 30min for the next sailing to secure a better spot in the line. This turned out to be a wise decision, it allowed us to observed that there was absolutely no orderly boarding process for this ferry, when the time came to board it was first in first served and it literally turned into a stampede! Seeing this unfold we made our way to the boarding gate as soon as the current ferry had boarded, and watched as the crowd slowly began to build around us. By the time the ferry came into view there were hundreds of people stacked up in the terminal behind us, and we were still standing at the front with nervous anticipation of what was to come. The next thing we know, the doors in front of us peel open and the stampeded is on! Being cunning we have scoped out the ferry as it docked and came up with a plan before said stampede ensued, battling past the frustratingly slow Americans we manage to find a well located perch on the second level balcony, arms spread and elbows out we resolutely defend our territory until finally the baying crowd behind us begins to finally acknowledge their fate and settle despondently into their less advantageous positions. And all this for a few dam photos….. Was it worth it? Yes – but the biggest tip is obviously to make sure you get yourself to the front of line, otherwise you will just be wasting your time. Oh and one other thing, you must disembark the ferry on Staten Island and then line straight back up to get on the return leg back to Manhattan if you don’t wish to be stuck on Staten Island for any extended period of time.
After our mornings adventure we caught the metro back up to Mid-Town and headed for the Rockefeller Centre. Once again we had free tickets, thanks again to the Sky Tower team for entry to the observation deck known as the “Top of the Rock”. As with the Empire State building the views of the metropolitan area and central park were magnificent. Unlike the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building, the “Top of the Rock” had a level that was totally unobstructed by metal mesh or glass screens, making for much nicer photos. Not to mention you could also include the Empire State Building in said photos. If you only had the budget for one of the two observation decks it would really depend on your preference which one you should chose. The benefits of the “Top of the Rock” are mentioned above, however the Empire State Building is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and there is just something indescribably cool about knowing you have been to the top of it!
No trip to New York would be complete without meandering through the iconic Central Park, dragging your husband through the 5th Avenue Diamond District (pity I already have my diamonds!), a stroll down Broadway, and wondering around Times Square after dark, so that’s exactly what we did for the rest of the day! This day was a full on day of walking, we saw everything.
New York and America have been a blast – we will DEFINITELY be back!
TWO TRAVEL AS ONE 