Staten Island Ferry.

This is the greatest free attraction in New York City and I will argue this with anyone. The Staten Island Ferry runs 24/7, it’s completely free, and it takes you right past the Statue of Liberty with the entire lower Manhattan skyline behind you. It’s a 25-minute ride each way and it costs zero dollars. Zero! Meanwhile people are paying $23 to take the tourist ferry to Liberty Island and getting a worse view.

Take it at sunset. Stand on the right side of the boat heading toward Staten Island for the best view of the Statue of Liberty, and on the right side heading back for the skyline. When you get to Staten Island, just stay on the boat. Or get off, walk around the terminal for five minutes, and get on the next one back. Nobody will judge you. Half the people on that ferry are doing the exact same thing.

There’s something undeniably magical about seeing the Statue of Liberty from the water, and the Staten Island Ferry is one of the best, and free, ways to do it. The ride takes about 25 minutes each way and offers front-row views of Lady Liberty that feel straight out of a movie.

The best part? No ticket fees, no timed entry, no crowds to wrangle. Just a salty breeze, a skyline view, and your kid shouting “There she is!” from the deck.Pro tip: Grab a pretzel at the ferry terminal on your way back.

The Staten Island Ferry departs from lower Manhattan and offers striking views of New York and the Statue of Liberty! It’s one of the most popular free things to do in NYC, so expect crowds. The ferry takes approximately 22 million people a year (about 70,000 passengers a day) between Manhattan and Staten Island. Just know that you must disembark the ferry when it reaches Staten Island, and line back up to board toward Manhattan. Be quick, otherwise you’ll have to wait for the next ferry to arrive.