Circle
Line
Pier 83, West 42nd Street
(at the Hudson River)
Manhattan
(212) 563-3200 Summary:
While the Circle Line guides may have a
reputation for telling stale jokes, we
still highly recommend these 3-hour boat
tours around the island of Manhattan as
the best way to orient yourself to the
city and its most famous attractions. For
the best views, sit on the port (that is,
left) side of the boat.
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The Circle Line touts itself
as "America's favorite boat
ride" and given the huge number of
people who take this sightseeing tour
every year, it probably is. The boat
makes a complete circle around Manhattan
island (hence the name), providing
glimpses of all five boroughs (Brooklyn
the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten
Island) as well as fantastic views of
many New York sights including:
In addition, you are likely
to see other boats, such as the Staten Island Ferry and
even an occasional cruise ship.
Insider
Tips
We strongly
recommend that you sit on the upper deck,
in the back on the left side, for the
best views throughout the trip. You may
need to arrive a bit early (about a half
hour before departure during the busy
summer months) to procure one of these
seats, but it is well worth it. Since you
will be outside in an uncovered area, be
sure to bring a hat and/or sunscreen for
protection from the sun. If you prefer to
sit inside, head for seats by the windows
on the left side of the boat, so that you
will face closest to the island of
Manhattan (where most of the famous
sights are visible throughout the tour).
A
Sampling of Fun Facts
We love New York
City trivia and generally find that the
Circle Line's guides provide interesting
tidbits of information. The following are
a few gems from a recent ride:
- The name
"Manhattan" is believed
to be the Algonquin Indian word
for "Island of Hills."
- New York City has
over 2,000 bridges and 600 miles
of coastline.
- The landfill on
Staten Island is the second
largest man-made structure in the
world (the biggest is the Great
Wall of China).
We
also enjoyed hearing
the story of the Little Red Lighthouse,
which was brought from New Jersey to warn
boats of the dangerous rocks on the shore
of the Hudson. Once the George Washington
Bridge was completed, the area was so
well lit that the lighthouse was no
longer needed and was scheduled for
demolition. By this time, however, the
lighthouse had been immortalized in
Hildegard Smith's book The Little Red
Lighthouse Under the Grey Bridge and
children across the country began a
letter writing campaign to save their
storybook hero. Their quest was
successful and the lighthouse was
designated a National Landmark.
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Getting
There
Since there is no
subway station near Pier 83, you will be
in for a walk if you take the subway. The
quickest train to take is the C or E to
50th Street. Walk west until you reach
the West Side Highway, and then walk
south four blocks.
If you have never seen Times
Square, we recommend that you take a
subway there (the N, R, S, 1, 2, 3, 7 and
9 trains all have stops at Times Square)
and do a little extra walking. From Times
Square, walk north on Broadway to 46th
Street and then continue west towards the
Hudson River.
Buses are a better bet if
you don't like to walk -- the M50 (which
goes west on 49th Street) drops you off
very close by.
While you are in the area,
you may also want to visit the Intrepid
Sea-Air-Space Museum which
is a short walk away at Pier 86.
Other Circle Line
Rides
Circle Line also offers narrated cruises
that sail from both Battery Park and the South
Street Seaport at
Pier 16.
The Miss New York
sails from Battery Park in a one-hour
narrated harbor cruise.
The Zephyr and the Shark
both sail from the South Street Seaport.
The Zephyr, a luxurious
catamaran, boasting three decks from
which to take in the magnificent sights
of New York, offers a narrated harbor
cruise sailing several times each
afternoon. The Shark is a
30-minute, high-speed, thrill ride emceed
by our fun and knowledgeable captains as
it screams past the skyline and brings
you within feet of Lady Liberty. The Shark
also takes numerous runs each afternoon.
You must be 40" to ride the Shark.
For schedule and fare
information, please visit the Circle
Line's new downtown web
site.
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