Best boat rides

The Beast: Looks like a boat, feels like a roller coaster.

Photo: Lee Magill.

Little ones who loved the flamboyant antics of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in the Disney movies can practice their swashbuckling on the deck of a real ship as it churns through New York Harbor. Repeat after us: Aarrrgh!

The Beast
The gentle breezes on the Circle Line aren’t exciting enough for your dynamos? How about 45mph blasts of icy salt spray!?! Kids flip for this 30-minute speedboat joyride, complete with loud music and wanna-be-comedian guides. Just leave the little guys at the shore; tykes have to be 40 inches or taller to get on board.
Pier 83, Hudson River at 42nd St (212-563-3200, circleline42.com). Travel: A, C, E to 42nd St–Port Authority, then take the M42 bus to the river. $22, children ages 3–12 $16.

Circle Line Downtown
Come aboard the cushy Zephyr for a one-hour tour of the downtown skyline. The yacht features climate-controlled indoor and outdoor decks, soft seating and two mahogany snack and beverage bars.
Pier 16, South Street Seaport, South St at Fulton St (866-925-4631, circlelinedowntown.com). Subway: A, C to Broadway–Nassau St; J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Fulton St. $27, children ages 4–12 $16.

Come Sail New York
For a special treat, book a two-hour sail around the harbor. It costs $79 per person (all ages), but with only six people per sailboat, you won’t feel like a swindled tourist jammed onto some generic barge. Go with another family and take advantage of the “Fill the Boat” special for $399.
Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey City, NJ (201-887-8700, sailthehudson.com). Travel: R, W to Whitehall St; 1 to South Ferry; 4, 5 to Bowling Green; then take the Liberty State Park Water Taxi to Liberty Landing Marina (round trip $14, children ages 7–12 $10, children under 6 free).

Staten Island Ferry
The breezy 25-minute ride from Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan to St. George in Staten Island is surprisingly refreshing. Grab a beer for you and ice cream for the kids at the onboard snack bar, and enjoy views of the lower Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty that are as good as you’ll see on any of the expensive tour cruises.
Siferry.com. Subway: R, W to Whitehall St; 1 to South Ferry; 4, 5 to Bowling Green. Free.

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