Staten Island ferry is free but Circle Line boat tour looks pretty cool. Would we see lots more on the Circle Line tour?? Should we do both?? First trip to NYC - want to see SOL - icons of NY - in early planning stages. We are staying Midtown so Circle Line would be closer but getting to Staten Island ferry would be easy enough.... Thanks in advance!!

Staten Island ferry is free and is for commuters from Staten Island. It just goes back and forth across the harbor. You get decent view of SoL and a great view of the skyline. But that's all it shows and there is no commentary.

The Circle Line is for tourists - goes part way up the Hudson and East Rivers and shows many more sights and there is a commentary for tourists. I would do the 2 hour versus 3 hour trip.

I would do the SI ferry. As nyt mentioned you get some nice views. If the weather is nice it's a great way to spend a small part of a day for free.

You definitely see more on a Circle Line cruise since the Staten Island Ferry is a commuter system that is not aimed at tourists. Though the views, especially right at dusk headed toward Manhattan, are really spectacular.

It really depends on whether or not you're interested in seeing NYC from the water. If so, then the Circle Line is a good investment of your time.

You'll definitely see more on the Circle Line, b/c you'll get views of the city from both the East River and the Hudson River.

The SI ferry only goes across NY harbor at the southern tip of Manhattan, but as noted above, you'll get spectacular views.

I've never been on the Circle Line, but I once went to a wedding on one of those dinner boats that follow pretty much the same route as the CL, and as a native NY'er, I admit it was pretty cool seeing the city from the vantage point of the rivers.

So if the idea appeals to you and you have the time, do both.

Definitely do both if you have time. I would do the SI ferry at night to see all the lights. A RT takes about 1.5 hours and they run every 20 or 25 minutes outside rush hours.

And do be aware that at rush hours the ferry can be mobbed and getting on and off is a line and a rush.

Cannot be more specific about the Circle Line - the only time I took it was my 7th grade class trip (standard for NYC school kids then.)

Circle Line is not the only boat option that passes close to the Statue of Liberty. Nywatertaxi.com has several options and then there's shearwatersailing.com, sail-ny.com and the cruises like bateauxnewyork.com

The Staten Island ferry provides a distant view of the statue, fine for zoom lens photos. But for a real sense of the size and majesty of Lady Liberty, a closer view is necessary.

thanks everyone!! sounds like we will try to do both - SOL NOT at rush hour and at dark - sevenish ??- would Saturday be good???

The 3 hour Circle Line goes all the way around Manhattan so you'll also see Yankee Stadium, the protected sections of the Palisades, Little Red Lighthouse, The Riverside Chuch, Grant's Tomb and more.

Re the 3 hour tour on Circle LIne. Keep in mind after a couple hours you get tired and that's it. No getting off.