Activities for Kids

Ship Ahoy!: 9 Ways to Hop a Boat With the Kids

Hop a ferry for free, take a paddle in a park pond, set sail, go whale watching and more. Here's how to stay afloat with the kids!

By rtgretchenkunz July 29, 2015

We New Yorkers are surrounded by water, constantly going over, under and around it. But most of us — with the exception of many Staten Island commuters, of course — don’t really spend a lot of time on the water. Taking a boat ride, be it big or small, powered by wind, feet, or diesel fuel is a great way to enjoy the city with kids. Here are some of the coolest ways to go boating in NYC, for all kinds of reasons. Click through to see our seafaring picks!

To Go Old School: Sailing Excursions

Tap your inner Melville and ride the wind. You can try sailing on New York’s only tall ship, the Clipper City, or a schooner circa 1929 with Manhattan by Sail. Or, opt for a variety of excursions via schooner or 1920s-style yacht run by Classic Harbor Line, including a skyline and statue trip, brunch cruises, architecture tour, military history tour and a new narrated cruise embarking from Brooklyn that explores the past and present of the Brooklyn waterfront. Even charters on smaller, more private sailing vessels can be reasonably affordable, such as Tribeca Sailing, which offers outings starting at $85 per person.