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How to Take a Trip on The Staten Island Ferry

by Stephanie Brown
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While we wait on Pete Davidson and Colin Jost to turn the retired Staten Island Ferry they purchased into a party boat, there’s still tons of fun to be had on the bright orange ferries that travel between Manhattan and Staten Island daily. The Staten Island Ferry isn’t just for commuters and tourists — although both fill the boats during rush hour. This free ferry (yes, free) offers one of the best views of Jersey City, Liberty State Park, Manhattan, and, of course, Lady Liberty herself. Keep reading to learn how to take a ride on The Staten Island Ferry and what to do once you get to the Forgotten Borough.

staten island ferry

History of the Staten Island Ferry

The Lenape first crossed the waters between what is now Manhattan and Staten Island, setting the stage for the eventual Staten Island Ferry route. In 1817, the first motorized ferry traveled across the harbor. Fun fact — these ferries were orange from the beginning.

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The City of New York took over Staten Island Ferry operations in 1905. Starting in 1997, the ferry was free to ride. Before that, harbor crossings cost as much as 50 cents. About 25 million people take a Staten Island Ferry trip each year.

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​​How to Ride the Ferry

Ferries depart from Manhattan’s Whitehall Terminal and travel to Staten Island’s St. George Terminal. From Hoboken or Jersey City, take the PATH train to the World Trade Center Station. You can then hop on the 1 train to South Ferry or the R or W train to Whitehall and take a short walk to the ferry terminal.

staten island ferry

It is free to ride the Staten Island Ferry, but keep an eye out for scammers standing outside the ferry terminal offering to sell tickets. The ferry runs 24/7 with more frequent service during weekday rush hour. Schedules are posted online and in the ferry terminal. A few minutes before the ferry is scheduled to depart, passengers gather in front of the doors and wait to board. It’s not a very orderly system, but since each ferry holds around 5,000 people, you really don’t need to worry about not getting on.

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What to Expect

It takes 25 minutes to travel from Manhattan to Staten Island, so settle in. For the best views and picture opportunities, we recommend snagging a spot on the right side of the ferry. Crowds gather by the windows for good reason — this is essentially a free New York harbor sightseeing cruise. No matter how many times you’ve seen her, there’s still something special about getting an up-close view of the Statue of Liberty from the water.

staten island ferry

Even if you plan to just immediately return to Manhattan, everyone has to get off the ferry once it arrives on Staten Island. But it’s easy enough to hop off, run back through the St. George Terminal, and catch the next ferry — which usually leaves 5 minutes later. There’s a lot to explore on Staten Island, though, so there are a lot of benefits to sticking around and catching a later ferry. Bikes are allowed on the ferry if you want to ride around the island, but there are a few attractions you can easily get to on foot from the terminal.

What to Do on Staten Island

Tourists tend to make their way straight back to Manhattan, but you can easily fill an afternoon with shopping, sightseeing, and more.

Look for Deals at the Empire Outlets

Just steps from the Staten Island ferry terminal, you’ll find a huge outlet mall with dozens of stores, including the Nike Factory Store, ​​Banana Republic Factory, and Nordstrom Rack. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, the mall is also home to a Shake Shack and Clinton Hall.

Visit The National Lighthouse Museum

national lighthouse museum staten island

Learning about Staten Island’s maritime history is easily done with a visit to The National Lighthouse Museum. The US Lighthouse Service’s General Depot, which sent supplies to all of the nation’s lighthouses, used to sit on Staten Island. Self-guided tours are available for $7/per person and the museum is open Wednesday — Sunday from 11AM – 4PM. Inside the museum, visitors can also see a collection of almost 200 lighthouse models from around the world.

Cheer on the Staten Island FerryHawks

Staten Island is home to a professional baseball team with a stadium right on the waterfront. The Staten Island FerryHawks play in the independent Atlantic League and single-game tickets cost just about $15 each. In the stadium, fans can expect beers from local breweries and a rotating selection of food from Staten Island eateries.

See More: A Day Trip to Governors Island

Grab a Beer at The Flagship Brewing Company

flagship brewing company staten island

Flagship Brewing Company is one of the breweries that supply the FerryHawks concession stands. The brewery has a large taproom complete with an extensive draft list. They currently have a collaboration with Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices and you might find their Orange Creamsicle Hard Seltzer on draft.

The Staten Island Ferry is a fun, free activity to add to your end-of-summer bucket list. When you do make the return trip back to Manhattan, find a spot on the left side for the best views.

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