What a wonderful and inexpensive way to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn for some fabulous scenery.... We used it often because we were staying in Greenpoint, but it is so useful and fun.... Best way to get to Brooklyn and then walk the bridge or find the Promenade....
We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan and then caught the ferry from Brooklyn park to Williamsburg. It was a fab way to see the river and skyline of Manhattan and the bridges. It was relatively cheap, and the boats were on time and were clean.
Took the East River Ferry to get to the River Café for family celebration. Best four dollars ever spent!!! What views! Our reservation was for 6pm so it was the perfect time to see the fabulous Manhattan skyline and all the bridges on our short trip (four stop-offs before ours) and we were all amazed and delighted with my son's suggestion that we should travel over from Manhattan this way. After a top-class meal at the River Café with stunning sunset views we travelled back by cab to Manhattan and again the views were jaw-dropping.
We used the East River Ferry to travel from the North 6th Street stop in Williamsburg to E34th Street in Manhattan. We had spent the day in Williamsburg and the evening at the Brooklyn Brewery. It was just a short walk down to the ferry stop and the stop is in a nice part of Williamsburg. Amazing night time views as you take the short trip back across the river. It was very easy to buy the tickets at the machine at the ferry stop. Felt very safe at 8 o'clock at night. The ferry itself was clean and there was hardly anyone on it. I don't think a lot of tourists use it. Only $4 too.
You can hop on at the Wall St station and in about 15min you are (with a couple of stops) at N 6th St in Williamsburg, or keep going if you wanna hit 33rd St in Midtown. For 5 bucks you can even take your bike on. Great sightseeing as well. Highly recommended for all ages. Much better option to the smelly subway!
The word "awesome" gets thrown around a lot. The view of Manhattan from the East River Ferry deserves it. For $4 you can stay on as long as you want, going to all the stops from 35th Street to Wall Street with several in between on both sides of the river. Be warned--it goes fast. This makes for an exciting ride, but remember to dress for a high wind chill factor.
I took the East River Ferry several times during my stay in Williamsburg. I stayed at the Edge which was a few steps away from the dock. A schedule is posted in front for weekdays and weekends. You can also purchase your tickets in advance using their machines. They accept credit cards. Service is excellent, seldom delay arrival, almost always on time, even on bad weather. And the men in charge were very courteous & helpful. They'd greet us with a smile which was not typical in New York. I highly recommend the East River Ferry over the trains. It's faster, less crowded, and accessible (no stairs).
This was a real find in New York… more by accident… but the unexpected speed of the ferry was a bonus feature (not ridiculous, but much faster than you may be anticipating!)… and a really great view of Manhattan and then of course, get off at DUMBO, eat pizza, enjoy an ice cream, enjoy the artisan shops and walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge… it's a great way to spend the day!
awesome views of manhattan and the bridges. if you want to get to Brooklyn this is a great way, totally worth the 4$. would suggest to stay for the whole ride though, every stop offers a whole new perspective.
This was the highlight of our trip We took the east river ferry from Brooklyn Park back to Mid Town East after watching the sun go down. The views of Manhattan were amazing as we travelled along on the ferry. Well worth the $4 each.