Take the Staten Island Ferry

“Amidst the crowd of a 4 p.m. ferry, I made my way to the upper deck of the vessel, past bored-looking cops with sniffer dogs. It was covered with windows on all sides, which I found amusing as I was used to the open-air dinghies permeating through the humid Bombay seas. [...] So I moved to the deck for tranquility, for decompressing, and for the cold air to hit my nose. Seagulls and airplanes flew, never intersecting with the sun-streamed waters churned by other ships.”

“Anyways, we timed the subway perfectly and walked right on the 11 p.m. ferry. The views were spectacular to say the least. As you travel south from Manhattan to Staten Island, you can see the Statue of Liberty on the west side, the Brooklyn Bridge on the east side, and the full city of Manhattan to the north. [...] The ferry ride took about 30 minutes and we simply got right back on once we got to Staten Island and rode back. It was a great way to experience the city skyline at night.”