Cruise The Waterfront With New York Water Taxi Hop-On, Hop-Off Summer Service

Looking for a fun new way to tour New York City? How about by boat? The New York Water Taxi offers a hop-on/hop-off weekend boat service around New York Harbor, making stops at 10 of the city’s best neighborhoods and attractions. This service will run from May 2 to October 11, 2009, every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. A day pass ($20 for adults, $15 for kids) allows for unlimited travel.
The Water Taxi’s first stop is West 44th Street at Pier 84. Check out the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Pier 86 at West 46th Street to tour the large aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. The second stop is West 27th Street at Pier 66 in Chelsea. Cool off from the summer heat by ice-skating at Chelsea Piers. Next up is Greenwich Village at Pier 45. Stroll the West Village and Hudson River Park. Traveling further south, the Water Taxi docks at the World Financial Center for a great opportunity to see the World Trade Center Memorial.
The fifth stop is Battery Park, the very Southern tip of Manhattan, with views of the Statue of Liberty. Round the island to South Street Seaport for shopping and a view of the Brooklyn Bridge, followed by Fulton Ferry Landing, the oldest ferry landing in New York City. The Water Taxi then stops at Hunters Point for access to Water Taxi Beach and Long Island City. The tour ends at East 34th Street, with sites like the United Nations Building and the Empire State Building in the vicinity.

New York City Beaches Make A Big Splash This Summer

Don’t bother heading east to the Hamptons or Jones Beach this summer to relax on the beach. Instead, check out some of New York City’s little known urban beaches, that is, if you mind not swimming. Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City has 1,002 tons of imported New Jersey sand spread over 44,000 square feet and a wonderful view of Midtown Manhattan’s skyline across the East River. There’s beach volleyball, a snack shack and bar, and sprinklers that mist the beach. Deejayed beach parties for people 21+ take place Friday and Saturday nights starting at 8 p.m.
Former military base Governors Island is undergoing a transformation with a 40-acre park in the works and a new beach that officially opened on July 11. The beach features 300 tons of sand spread over 20,000 square feet, a café and outdoor grill, beach volleyball, basketball, and a view of Lower Manhattan. Live outdoor entertainment is also scheduled, with acts like Erykah Badu and The B-52s coming in August.
South Street Seaport also has a new 18,000-square-foot beach that opened on Memorial Day, located on the north side of Pier 17 with views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River. Games like skeeball, ping-pong, and 9 holes of miniature golf are onsite, as well as Fish Shack for burgers and fish tacos, and Pop Bar for popcorn and soda. Like the beach in Long Island City, this beach has deejayed parties on weekend nights for the 21+ crowd.