NYC Speedboat Tour: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island & Skyline

4.97

(182 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to laugh so much on a boat tour in New York Harbor, but there we were—clutching the rails as spray hit our faces, zipping out from Chelsea Piers toward the Statue of Liberty. The captain (I think his name was Mike? He joked about his “sea legs” anyway) slowed down just as we got close to her. It’s weird—seeing her from the water makes her look both bigger and somehow lonelier than I’d imagined. The air smelled like river and diesel, not in a bad way. A couple next to us kept taking selfies and I tried not to photobomb them but probably failed.

We stopped for a good five minutes right in front of Lady Liberty so everyone could get their shots. Mike pointed out little details—like the broken chains at her feet—I’d honestly never noticed that before. Then he spun us around for skyline views: One World Trade Center looks massive from down here, like it’s leaning over you. There was this moment where everything went quiet except for the distant horns and the slap of water against the hull. I still think about that view sometimes, how Manhattan looks all glassy and sharp from the harbor.

On the way back, we paused by Ellis Island. It’s less flashy than Liberty but you can almost feel its weight, you know? People on board got quieter here—maybe thinking about family stories or just catching their breath after all that speed. The whole thing took about half an hour but felt longer in a good way. If you want something quick but real—a different angle on New York—this speedboat tour is worth it. Just don’t wear your best hat unless you want to see it fly into the Hudson.