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Culture & history

Our most recommended Brooklyn Culture & history

NYC: 1-Hour Cruise Around Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

1. NYC: 1-Hour Cruise Around Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

Take a 60-minute boat ride to within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty. Cruise right under the Brooklyn Bridge and see the most famous skyline in the world. Your live English guide will point out the sites as you journey along the river including the Empire State Building, the new Freedom Tower, the Manhattan Bridge, Governor's Island, and more. Make use of both the indoor and outdoor seating, along with large open windows for your viewing pleasure. Get within touching distance of "Lady Liberty" and then move on to Ellis Island to take photos of the famous entry point to New York City. Marvel at the skyline of Manhattan and its famous skyscrapers, including the new One World Trade Center. Glide down both the east and west sides of Lower Manhattan on this roundtrip cruise, and purchase drinks and food from the concession stand aboard the boat. 

New York: Go City Explorer Pass with 90+ Tours & Attractions

2. New York: Go City Explorer Pass with 90+ Tours & Attractions

Explore iconic New York with Go City for one low pre-paid price. With a selection of over 90 must-see NYC attractions, museums, and tours, you can save up to 50%* compared to buying separate attraction tickets. Design your own New York adventure with access to the most popular attractions on one easy-to-use digital pass. Options include the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry, 9/11 Museum and Memorial, Empire State Building, EDGE, MoMA, Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour, The Guggenheim Museum and many more. Pick between a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10-choice pass, browse the PDF guide or Go City app to plan your itinerary and check entry requirements. Scanning your pass at the gate or ticket office of an attraction (or tour) for the first time will activate it. You then have 60 days to use the remaining number of choices purchased. Your Explorer Pass also features special perks including gift shop discounts or a free audio guide at selected attractions, helping you make the most of your New York trip and save even more along the way. The New York attractions you can choose include:  Museums and Galleries • American Museum of Natural History • 9/11 Memorial and Museum • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) • Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and Space Shuttle • Guggenheim Museum • The Whitney Museum of American Art • Fotografiska New York • Museum of Sex • Museum of the City of New York • New York Botanical Garden • Museum of Jewish Heritage • New York Historical Society Museum • International Center of Photography • ARTECHOUSE New York Experiences • Empire State Building • Top of the Rock • One World Observatory • Edge • Central Park Bike Rental • Rise NY • 9/11 Museum Workshop: Hands-on 9/11 Tour • SPYSCAPE • Escape Virtuality - Choose 4 • Luna Park at Coney Island • Madame Tussauds + Marvel Universe 4D • Harlem Jazz Series • Harlem Bike Rental • The Beast Speedboat Ride (seasonal) • Clipper City Tall Ship: Daytime or Sunset Statue Sail (seasonal) • Surrey Bike Rental Governors Island • SEA Life Aquarium New Jersey • LEGOLAND Discovery Center New Jersey • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester • Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking • New York Yankees Game Tickets Tours & Cruises • Rockefeller Center Tour • Big Bus New York Hop-on Hop-off: 1-Day Classic Tour • Best of NYC Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry • The RIDE • Harbor Lights Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • NYC Landmarks Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • Liberty Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • Central Park Bike Tour • Madison Square Garden All Access Tour • Radio City Stage Door Tour • Greenwhich Village at Night Walking Tour • NYC Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour • St Patrick's Cathedral Tour with Express Entry • Graffiti and Street Art Tour Walking Tour of Brooklyn • Secrets of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Walking Tour • NYC Bus Tour of Bronx, Brooklyn & Queens • Holiday Markets & Christmas Lights Walking Tour (seasonal) • Soho - Little Italy - Chinatown Walking Tour • Broadway & Times Square Walking Tour • Central Park TV & Movies Walking Tour • Yankee Stadium Tour • How Money was Made - Wall Street Walking Tour • Catacombs by Candlelight • Pride Walking Tour • NYC TV & Movie Bus Tour • Top of the Highline and Hudson Yards Tour • Liberty Super Express Cruise • Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Walking Tour • Brooklyn Bridge Guided Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking • Marvel & DC Superheroes Tour • Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service) • The Official Chinatown Walking Tour • High Line - Chelsea - Meatpacking Tour • The Official Little Italy Walking Tour • New York City Sketching Art Tour • New York City News Media Waking Tour • Greenwich Village Walking Tour • Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg • Woodbury Common Bus Tour (Round Trip + VIP Coupon Booklet) • Queens-Flushing Meadows International Food Excursion • Christmas Lights Walking Tour of Brooklyn (seasonal) • Statue at Sunset Cruise • Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts Walking Tour • Lower East Side Food and Culture Walking Tour Food and Drinks • Food on Foot Tours • Perfect Picnic • Spirits on Foot - Beer, Spirits & Wine Crawl *Savings based on sample itineraries on Go City website.

New York City: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour

3. New York City: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour

Experience the perfect introduction to New York with a Hop on Hop off Big Bus tour. Relax on an open-top double decker sightseeing bus while listening to insightful and engaging digital commentary. The bus route takes you on a captivating journey through New York's rich history and vibrant modern life, as well as its many memorials and museums. You'll have the opportunity to hop off and explore the city's most iconic historical sites, including the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Broadway, and the One World Trade Center with its 360-degree view of the stunning skyline. Pay tribute to the memory of those lost in the tragic event at the 9/11 Memorial just steps away. The Downtown Loop is a 90 minute circuit, while the Uptown Loop is 75 minutes. Many guests choose to ride a full loop to see the city before deciding where to hop off on the next loop around. Buses arrive every 10-15 minutes on the Downtown Loop and every 30 minutes on the Uptown Loop throughout the day. Explore Lower Manhattan on the Downtown tour, including popular neighborhoods such as the Flatiron District, World Trade Center, Battery Park, SoHo & NoHo, Greenwich Village & East Village, Chelsea, and the Financial District. Wander around Wall St. to see the famous Stock Exchange and Charging Bull. Eat your way through Little Italy and Chinatown, shop at the high-end boutiques in SoHo, or see the open-air observation deck at The Edge in Hudson Yards. Then make your way to the Upper East Side, home to some of New York’s most popular museums. Explore the Frick Collection and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). The Uptown Loop takes you through Midtown, passing by Grand Central Terminal and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Add a relaxing and scenic cruise around Liberty Island to complete your trip. Enjoy spectacular views of Lady Liberty and many more New York landmarks from a prime position on the Hudson River. Cruises last 1 hour and feature an onboard cafe and full bar, restrooms, outdoor deck space, air conditioning and indoor seating with large windows. Journey through New York on two wheels with an included offer at Unlimited Biking, NYC's premiere bike rental company. Purchase a 1-hour (minimum) bike rental and receive an extra hour free! Or, enjoy $5 OFF per person for any bike tour or Segway tour.

NYC: Manhattan Island All-Inclusive Helicopter Tour

4. NYC: Manhattan Island All-Inclusive Helicopter Tour

Experience the best views in New York City from inside a helicopter, complete with large floor-to-ceiling convex windows for your viewing pleasure. On your flight you will see the beautiful Central Park, Hudson River, and New York Harbor, including the Intrepid Museum. Cruise past the Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, the World Financial Center, and the Chrysler Building from up high, as well as the iconic Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Greenwich Village, South Street Seaport, and the Brooklyn Bridge, which dates all the way back to 1883. With tour narration and all heliport fees included, there is no better way to enjoy the dramatic and ever-evolving New York City skyline.

NYC: Skyline and Statue of Liberty Night Cruise

5. NYC: Skyline and Statue of Liberty Night Cruise

Enjoy the best views of the New York skyline on this happy hour cruise around lower Manhattan with onboard food options and a covered outdoor dance floor. This 2-level boat has indoor and outdoor decks to make the most of this unforgettable experience. Cruise down the East River, under the Brooklyn Bridge & past South Street Seaport as you head out to the Statue of Liberty for sunset photos. See One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Ellis Island and buildings of all shapes and sizes light up the night sky. There is light commentary to help you identify the many famous buildings and neighborhoods you will see as you cruise along the Hudson River and the East River, on both sides of Manhattan Enjoy a happy hour special, beer, wine, cocktails, and soft drinks from the cash bar, If you are hungry you can purchase snacks and food options like burgers, chicken fingers, nachos, pasta, hot dogs and hot pretzels. Enjoy the fun music as you dance and mingle on the covered outdoor deck. With a friendly crew and an incredible setting, this happy hour skyline cruise is the perfect way to unwind and experience the magic of New York City at night.

NYC: Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise Skip-The-Box-Office

6. NYC: Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise Skip-The-Box-Office

Experience New York at sunset on a cruise of the harbor, and take in all the sights and lights of Manhattan aboard a climate-controlled boat. Grab your friends, family, and coworkers - or even a random stranger - and embark on an unforgettable journey of the harbor with "Lady Liberty" keeping watch. With a drink in your hand, purchased from the fully stocked bar, feel the breeze on your face and be mesmerized by the shimmering skyline. Get endless photo opportunities to make you an Instagram star as you sail past legendary attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and get perfect views of the Freedom Tower - One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, Pier 54 (Titanic Pier), Battery Park, and more. See where millions of immigrants were processed when they arrived in America at Ellis Island, cruise past Governors Island, the South Street Seaport, and Brooklyn Bridge. Marvel at unrivaled views of the Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and Chrysler Building, and discover the East Village, United Nations Building, and USS Intrepid Pier from a different perspective. 

New York: 1-10 Day New York Pass for 100+ Attractions

7. New York: 1-10 Day New York Pass for 100+ Attractions

See all that NYC has to offer with the official New York Pass by Go City. Visit 100+ attractions with a single mobile pass for one great price. Check in the view from the top of Empire State Building, take a ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty, hop on and off a Big Bus Tour, and more. Simply choose how many days you'll be in New York and get unlimited admission to many of the city's best attractions, tours, and experiences. Activate your pass at the first attraction or tour you go to. Once activated, your pass records when and where you first used it and how long it will remain valid for. Your New York Pass is then valid for the number of consecutive days that you've purchased. Activities include: Popular Experiences • Empire State Building • Big Bus 1-Day Downtown & Uptown Hop-on Hop-off Tour • Top of the Rock Observation Deck • 9/11 Memorial & Museum • Edge • One World Observatory • Statue of Liberty Ferry & Ellis Island Immigration Museum • Best of NYC Cruise by Circle Line • Madame Tussauds New York • Central Park Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking • Guggenheim Museum • The RIDE Museums & Galleries • American Museum of Natural History • MoMA - Museum of Modern Art • Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum • Museum of Sex • Whitney Museum of American Art • Fotografiska New York • Museum of the City of New York • New York Historical Society • Museum of Arts and Design • Museum of Jewish Heritage • Skyscraper Museum • Fraunces Tavern Museum • New York Hall of Science • Museum at Eldridge Street • International Center of Photography • MOMA PS 1 • Staten Island Museum • The Paley Center for Media • The Museum of Chinese in America • Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum Family-friendly • Central Park Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking • 9/11 Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour • Marvel & DC Superheroes Walking Tour • Yankee Stadium Tour • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Westchester • Staten Island Zoo • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey • Staten Island Children’s Museum • Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts Walking Tour Hidden Gems • New York Botanical Garden • Catacombs by Candlelight Tour • Harlem Jazz Series – Tuesday and Friday • New Museum • Cathedral of St. John the Divine • Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden • ARTECHOUSE New York Tours & Cruises • Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour • Rockefeller Center Tour • The Official Chinatown Walking Tour • How Money Was Made: Wall Street Walking Tour • Harbor Lights Cruise by Circle Line • Landmark Cruise by Circle Line • Clipper City Tall Ship – Statue of Liberty Cruise (seasonal) • The Official Little Italy Walking Tour • New York City News Media Tour • Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Neighborhood Walking Tour • Brooklyn Bridge Guided Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking • See 30+ Top New York Sights Walking Tour Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check the digital guide for an up-to-date attraction line-up including opening times and instructions on how to access each attraction before you go. Some tours and attractions require advance reservations. * Savings based on sample itineraries on Go City website.

From Manhattan: 4-Hour Dyker Heights Holiday Lights Bus Tour

8. From Manhattan: 4-Hour Dyker Heights Holiday Lights Bus Tour

Experience Christmas in New York City on a comfortable bus tour of Dyker Heights, world-known for its luminous light displays. Witness the festive decoration tradition that the residents have kept alive since the 1980s. Drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Enjoy this lively Italian-American neighborhood with your tour guide. Due to narrow streets, buses are not allowed in Dyker Heights, so hop off the bus and follow your guide to the two most illuminated streets in the area. See Lucy Spata's house, which started the tradition of Dyker Lights in the '80s. Walk along the most spectacularly decorated houses. Next, stop at the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights. Enjoy the view of the Manhattan Skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge for about 25 minutes. Return via the Manhattan Bridge. End the experience at Bryant Park, where you can visit its famous winter market on your own.

New York City: USA eSIM Roaming Data Plan

9. New York City: USA eSIM Roaming Data Plan

Make your trip to New York hassle-free with a convenient eSIM data plan of your choosing. Stay connected on your travels with high-speed coverage allowing you to easily upload your photos, navigate on maps, and communicate with your friends. Purchase and install your eSIM anytime and anywhere, choosing from a variety of data packages and validity options. Simply scan the eSIM QR code to access all your essential apps on your vacation. Choose a zero-waste solution and avoid the trouble of having to manage multiple SIM cards. Once activated, your coverage will begin according to your selected duration.

NYC: Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise

10. NYC: Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise

Departing from Downtown Manhattan in Battery Park, this express cruise is the fastest way to get up close and personal with the Statue of Liberty and enjoy best views from the water. Enjoy insights onboard from your tour guide with live narration. Begin your cruise experience at Battery Park's Slip 6. Get your souvenir photo with Lady Liberty in the background while you wait. Board the vessel, sit back, and set sail on your round-trip sightseeing cruise. Bask in the panoramic view of downtown New York's celebrated towers, memorials, and Landmarks while you relax on board the state-of-the-art boat.  Cruise right over to see the Statue of Liberty, one of the most iconic symbols in the world. On your way to Lady Liberty, you’ll sail past and learn about Ellis Island, once home to the United States’ busiest immigration station, where approximately 12 million immigrants came through.  You will also see Governors Island, a former military base that has since been redeveloped with a beautiful park for the public to enjoy.

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What people are saying about Brooklyn

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 950 reviews

This was a beautiful experience! I was in New York with a friend for a girls weekend. We had so many things we wanted to see. This dinner cruise allowed us to see some of the top items on our list. The ambiance is amazing. The food was delicious. The piano and vocalist made it memorable. You will not regret the decision to book this. I would do it a second time without hesitation.

Chose this activity for a friends birthday who was visiting from the UK. It was perfect from start to finish. Excellent food, fabulous views and very attentive staff. I have now done both a lunch and dinner cruise on the Bateaux and would highly recommend both

Staff were very attentive and kind. I was solo, but but felt part of the cruise. The food was very good, and the view was amazing. It was a lovely experience

Service, food, scenery were excellent. The food was phenomenal. Our waiter was excellent too. Will take it again next year when we’re back in NYC.

Lovely romantic cruise - we enjoyed this as part of our honeymoon. Food & entertainment exceeded our expectations.