Sure, you can take your family out for a day of sightseeing in the city and get around easily enough via the good old MTA (and an unlimited subway card), but in these last weeks of August, gathering the whole family up to accomplish the things you’d been meaning to do all summer long, is best when you call upon the water taxi guys.
The basic Hop-On/Hop-Off option costs only $28 for adults and children over twelve years (children under 3 are free and 3-12 yrs. $17). With this all-day pass, you can hang out with the whole family and be mesmerized all over again by the spectacular NYC skyline as well as its neighboring NJ skyline. You can point out the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building and enjoy the ride on the water, but the really neat part of the hop-on/hop-off pass is the stuff you can do and see when you hop off. The large number of possibilities will require some careful choosing, but your family will have easy access to museums (National Museum of the American Indian, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum), parks (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Hudson River Park), and other cool NYC areas (DUMBO, Times Square, South Street Seaport), so you can design your best day.
If your family is well-versed in some of the city’s more classic offerings, you can opt for a slightly different taxi service and end up in Red Hook, where there’s plenty of noshing to be had. Refuel with coffee at Baked and keep your kids content with a rich chocolate brownie. While you’re in Red Hook, you might as well make a stop at Brooklyn Crab for unbeatable views and ok traditional seafood fare. For phenomenal eats, do not miss the Red Hook Ball Fields (weekends only), where vendors offer authentic Latin American eats such as chalupas and pupusas.
The NY Water taxi also offers a bike and boat option, so if you want to get the family out for some exercise and sightseeing, this option is for you. Enjoy food and beverage on board and available for purchase. That takes care of having to lug around snacks and water bottles all day. Perfect excursion for when those out-of-town guests are visiting and eager about getting in all the sights! (NY Water Taxi)
