Hello. We are just beginning planning our first trip to NYC next summer with kids 9, 10, & 17.
For one day we want to head out to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island first thing in the morning. Afterward, we would like to do the Clipper City sailing. Right now there is a 90 minute one at 4:30. Is it reasonable to see the World Trade Center site after this or better to save for another day?
There is another sailing at 2:15 but from the sounds of it, we won't be back from the statue & Ellis Island by then.

Thanks for your help

SOunds like a fun trip! I love New York and even though I haven't done the Clipper City Sailing before, I have done the other activities you mentioned and I think you would have time to see the WTC site after.

Are you eating sea food that day also?

If you take the Staten Island Ferry at around dusk and see the lights of Manhattan grow on the return trip, it will be more spectacular than any cruise around the harbor and save a great deal of money. I have never head of Clipper City, so I just looked it up. It sounds like a booze cruise with literally three sheets to the wind.

Clipper City sails from the South Street Seaport, which is on the other side of Lower Manhattan and a pretty long walk from Battery Park, where you catch the Statue of Liberty ferry. You're going to have enough trouble getting your three kids all the way over there.

The 9/11 Memorial is a fairly long walk north of Battery Park, so I don't see you being able to do all that in a single day unless you really skimp on your time at Ellis Island.

In terms of timing, you should allow no less than an hour for the 9/11 Memorial (30 minutes or so in line and then as much time as you wish in the memorial site ... for me that was 20 minutes). You also have to allow extra time to see the visitor center afterward, though I don't think it's a must-see. To me the whole sight isn't a must-see, and I'd skip it entirely, though I think I'm in the minority there.

However, we're talking about something that's a year from now, so I think you're planning far too much in advance. Sailing schedules and even the way the 9/11 Memorial is administered may change in the next year, so who knows?

It's all very doable in one day. I would book SOL first ferry out and that will give you all day for lower manhattan sites. Those locations are no more than 15-20 minute walks apart which is normal for NYC. 911 memorial is self paced but the line can get long to enter. I agree with Staten Island Ferry ride at dusk. There are many cruises, speedboats but nothing beats free like the ferry ride. You can also fit in a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and a subway ride across the river and walking back to Manhattan will probably help maximize your time. Enjoy.

If you get the earliest ferry to the Sol (and you must get them months in advance from the National Park Service) and see both the Sol and Ellis Island fairly quickly - you should be back in Manhattan within 5 or 6 hours. How much else you will want to do that day - or have the energy to do I'm not sure. And the 9 and 10 year old might be museumed out by then.

Never heard of this Clipper things and would check it out before spending a lot of money. As noted the Staten Island ferry is free and has incredible views on the way back - esp if the lights are on.

I doubt we will eat seafood. I didn't think my question was that detailed. I am in a travel planning forum, aren't I?

I had originally seen the Staten Island ferry, however we then came across the New York pass, a little pricey but covers so many things we'd like to see and may not necessarily do if we didn't have it. There are a lot of cruises & tours as well as museums included. I also like the convenience of things being prepaid and being able to just pop into a museum for an hour or two if you want and not feel like you didn't get your money's worth paying full price for a ticket.
Anyway, Clipper City was 1 of the cruises included and I thought since it seemed to be close and was VERY unique (we have no such tall ship near us and my son would LOVE it), we could do that for the experience. There are several different cruises for Clipper City and I see the one you are talking about but I think it looks like they have family friendly ones during the day as well. The reviews on TripAdvisor were very good and didn't mention a problem like that.

I just wondered if trying to fit the WTC in after was too much. I asked because I knew you spend a lot of time at the statue & Ellis and wasn't sure about fitting it in. On the other hand, I have always said I wouldn't even want to visit the site when I visited NYC but I think I should. I just don't plan to spend long there. But I couldn't decide if these experiences made the difference between 1 day or 2.

I thank everyone for the helpful, positive advice. If it is a 20 minute walk, we can most certainly do that. We are on a touring type vacation. We will be expecting to walk and see things. That is part of the fun. Thanks again!