New York Guide
The Harbor Islands
The southern tip of the island of Manhattan, together with the shores of neighboring New Jersey, Staten Island, and Brooklyn, encloses the broad expanse of New York Harbor. One of the finest natural harbors in the world when the Dutch arrived in 1624 it was teeming with fish, seals, whales, and half of the world's oysters, a veritable marine Eden. With the water heavily polluted, the last oyster bed was closed in 1927, and though things are much improved (the harbor is officially clean enough to swim and fish), it will take many generations to recover its former glory.
For now, the main attractions lie above water, where ferries provide a proper sense of New York's uniqueness and the best views of the celebrated skyline. You can experience this by taking a boat ride out to Liberty, Ellis, or Governors islands – three highly compelling destinations – or, if you're feeling less purposeful, by catching the Staten Island Ferry, which traverses the harbor.
The only way to get to any of the Harbor Islands is by ferry. Take the #1 train to South Ferry or the #4 or #5 trains to Bowling Green, then walk to the boat pier in Battery Park. Statue Cruises go to Liberty, then on to Ellis Island (daily, every 30–45min, 9.30am–3.30pm; round-trip $12, seniors $10, children 3–12 $5). Note that you must be at security 30min before departure. You can buy tickets at Castle Clinton, in the park, or buy them in advance (highly recommended) with a credit card at 877/523-9849 or www.statuecruises.com. If you want to visit the museum inside the Statue of Liberty, you need to buy a ticket with "monument access" (no extra charge). The best way to avoid the long wait is to buy tickets in advance, preferably reserving the 9am slot, and have the tickets emailed to you; assuming you can print them out, you can go straight to the security line.
Alternatively, the Staten Island Ferry (free; www.siferry.com) departs every half an hour and shuttles between Manhattan and its namesake island. While it provides a beautiful panorama of the harbor and downtown skyline, it doesn't actually stop at any of the Harbor Islands.