The Battery

Be the first of the day to discover two of New York’s most iconic monuments with exclusive first ferry tour departure to Liberty Island, including a visit to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island. Watch American history come to life with the only tour operator that runs ferries this early. Arrive at the grounds just under the watchful eye of Lady Liberty, where great views across NYC's skyline, Lower Manhattan, and the Big Apple await. Then, board the city's earliest ferry to Ellis Island (early morning tour only), ensuring you avoid the swelling afternoon crowds. Follow in the footsteps of some 12 million immigrants and learn about the process those hopeful individuals went through to settle in America. View and walk the Stairs of Separation, growing to understand the Island's two very unique names - "The Island of Hope" and "The Island of Tears". After your guide has explained to you the history, they will give you the option to continue your exploration of Ellis Island on your own with the audio guide (included) or return to The Battery on the ferry with them. If you wish, feel free to stay on Ellis Island a bit longer to explore your personal heritage and find all the unique and interesting sights in the special location.

Departing from Downtown Manhattan in Battery Park, this 50-minute express cruise is the fastest way to get up close and personal with the Statue of Liberty. The best views are definitely from the water and you'll enjoy the insights of your fun, onboard tour guide with live narration. Begin your cruise experience at Battery Park's Slip 6. Get your souvenir photo with Lady Liberty in the background while you wait.  Board the vessel, sit back, and set sail on your round-trip sightseeing cruise. Bask in the panoramic view of downtown New York's celebrated towers, memorials, and Landmarks while you relax on board the state-of-the-art boat.  Cruise right over to see the Statue of Liberty, one of the most iconic symbols in the world. On your way to Lady Liberty, you’ll sail past and learn about Ellis Island, once home to the United States’ busiest immigration station, where approximately 12 million immigrants came through.  You will also see Governors Island, a former military base that has since been redeveloped with a beautiful park for the public to enjoy.

Experience New York at sunset on a cruise of the harbor, and take in all the sights and lights of Manhattan aboard a climate-controlled boat. Grab your friends, family, and coworkers - or even a random stranger - and embark on an unforgettable journey of the harbor with "Lady Liberty" keeping watch. With a drink in your hand, purchased from the fully stocked bar, feel the breeze on your face and be mesmerized by the shimmering skyline. Get endless photo opportunities to make you an Instagram star as you sail past legendary attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and get perfect views of the Freedom Tower - One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, Pier 54 (Titanic Pier), Battery Park, and more. See where millions of immigrants were processed when they arrived in America at Ellis Island, cruise past Governors Island, the South Street Seaport, and Brooklyn Bridge. Marvel at unrivaled views of the Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and Chrysler Building, and discover the East Village, United Nations Building, and USS Intrepid Pier from a different perspective. 

Use The New York Pass on your phone for cash-free entry to over 100 New York City tourist attractions. See the best that the Big Apple has to offer with access to any of the attractions covered. Activate your pass at the first attraction or service you go to. Once activated, your pass records when and where you first used it and how long it will remain valid. Your New York Pass is then valid for the number of consecutive days that you've purchased. Activities include: POPULAR EXPERIENCES • Empire State Building • Big Bus Tours: 1-day Classic Tour • Top of the Rock Observation Deck • 9/11 Memorial & Museum • Edge (Hudson Yards) • One World Observatory • Statue of Liberty Ferry and Ellis Island Immigration Museum • Circle Line: Best of New York Cruise • Madame Tussauds New York • Central Park Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking • Guggenheim Museum MUSEUMS & GALLERIES • American Museum of Natural History • MoMA - Museum of Modern Art • Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum • Museum of Sex • Whitney Museum of American Art • Fotografiska New York • Museum of the City of New York • New York Historical Society • Museum of Arts and Design • Museum of Jewish Heritage • Skyscraper Museum • Fraunces Tavern Museum • New York Hall of Science • Brooklyn Museum of Art • Museum at Eldridge Street • International Center of Photography • MOMA PS 1 • Staten Island Museum • Paley Center for Media • Museum of Chinese in America • Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum FAMILY-FRIENDLY • Central Park Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking • 9/11 Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour • The RIDE • Marvel & DC Superheroes Walking Tour • Yankee Stadium Tour • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Westchester • Staten Island Zoo • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey • Staten Island Children’s Museum • Bike Rentals HIDDEN GEMS • New York Botanical Garden • Catacombs by Candlelight Tour • Harlem Jazz Series – Tuesday and Friday • New Museum • El Museo del Barrio • Manhattan by Sail: Shearwater Classic Schooner • Cathedral of St. John the Divine • Snug Harbor Botanical Garden- Staten Island • Brooklyn Botanical Garden TOURS & CRUISES • Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour • Rockefeller Center Tour • The Official Chinatown Walking Tour • How Money Was Made: Wall Street Walking Tour • Circle Line: Harbor Lights Cruise • Circle Line: Landmark Cruise • SoHo - Little Italy - Chinatown Walking Tour by NY Tours 1 • Manhattan by Sail: Clipper City Tall Ships Cruise • The Official Little Italy Walking Tour • Hamilton Tour • Colonial New York Retold Walking Tour • New York City News Media Tour • Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Walking Tour by Inside Out Tours • Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tours Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check the digital guide for an up-to-date attraction line-up including opening times and instructions on how to access each attraction before you go. Some tours and attractions require advance reservations.

Embark on an inspiring and educational journey to one of the most iconic monuments in the world, the Statue of Liberty. Your tour begins with a guided orientation at Castle Clinton in Battery Park, where you will learn about the history of the neighborhood and the War of 1812. Next, enjoy priority boarding onto the ferry to Liberty Island. As you cross the New York Harbor, see the beautiful downtown Manhattan skyline behind you and snap photos of Lady Liberty from the water. Once at Liberty Island, freely explore the island and the Statue of Liberty Museum. Once finished at Liberty Island, hop back on the ferry to the infamous Ellis Island, known as the Gateway to America. Here, you are free to visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and learn about how newly arriving immigrants were processed. All options include ferry service from Battery Park, Liberty Island, Ellis Island, and back to Battery Park. Both the 2-hour and 4-hour tour options include a guided experience of Liberty Island packed with historical facts about the statue. On the 4-hour tour, enjoy an additional guided orientation of Ellis Island.

Watch the sunset behind the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on this Manhattan cruise. Get panoramic views of the city skyline with excellent photo opportunities of iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge. Depart from Pier 36 right under the Brooklyn Bridge and travel toward South Street Seaport and Battery Park. Travel on a comfortable ship that is well-maintained. Relax as you capture pictures of stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Get up close to within 100-feet of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for the most incredible photos opportunities as the sunsets. Admire views of One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, and more. While aboard, make the most of the full cash bar with snacks and drinks available to purchase.

Celebrate the holiday season in style this Christmas on board a luxury 90-minute yacht cruise of Manhattan Harbor. Step inside the yacht’s toasty solarium, decked out in full holiday décor, and enjoy a warm and cozy tour with your friends, family, and loved ones. Delicious hot cocoa, cookies and treats will be served as you sail past Battery Park, South Street Seaport, the Financial District, Governor's Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Relax in the heated main observation cabin, join in the caroling, or enjoy the beats of a live jazz trio. Sip on a complimentary glass of champagne, wine or beer, and purchase mixed drinks from the on board bar. Then, watch as the gorgeous views of Manhattan Island sail by, all from the comfort of a heated back-deck salon and glassed-in observatory of the 1920s style yacht.

Experience New York in a whole new way on this 2-hour sailing trip aboard the Adirondack, an 80-foot, wooden pilot schooner. The noise and chaos of Manhattan will be quickly forgotten as you sail out onto New York Harbor with the breeze in your hair. Sailing New York Harbor allows you to take in the famous Manhattan skyline as it was meant to be seen, from the water - plus you'll enjoy spectacular views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. The tour heads south from Chelsea Piers and down the Hudson River to Battery Park, passing by Ellis Island and sailing out to the Statue of Liberty. Enjoy a complimentary drink, as well as additional drinks being available for purchase. The aim is for an elegant, relaxing, peaceful, and safe experience for all guests. The engines will be shut down for as long as possible to ensure a true sailing experience.

Step aboard the decks of an elegant 1920's-style yacht, for an educational architecture tour around Manhattan, hosted by architects and members of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY). Enjoy your trip through the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers from the air-conditioned observatory, or wander to the outer decks for fresh air and sunlight. Circumnavigate the island of Manhattan, passing under all 18 bridges, while taking in the sites and architecture. Examine the visionary development of the waterfront memorials, get an update on the One World Trade Center, Downtown "Starchitecture", Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Ave. condos, and classic icons of lower Manhattan like the Woolworth Building, Wall Street's art deco spires, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Marvel at New York's great engineering feats, such as the Harlem River's bridges: swing, lift, and fixed-span. Hear the story of postwar urban renewal and public housing along the East River and much more.

Get up close and personal with the famous Manhattan and Brooklyn Waterfront sites.  This guided bicycle tour explores the diverse, historical neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Cross the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn Heights, considered to be America’s first suburb, boasting amazing skyline views across the water. Then head back along the Hudson River across to the Brooklyn Bridge, gliding peacefully above vehicular traffic and stopping to take amazing panoramic photos of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and more. We'll explore downtown Manhattan, the hub of the American financial system, plus Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Wall Street and more! This tour is rated as moderate in difficulty and covers approximately 12 miles.