Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City and can be found on the island of the same name just south of Manhattan. Visitors to the city know Staten Island especially well for the ferries that run from downtown New York, which offer the best views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.

After reaching Staten Island, most tourists take the nearest ferry back downtown. However, if you have at least a couple of hours, we recommend stopping in Staten Island

Ferries to Staten Island

As outlined in the introduction, the biggest attraction on the island lies not on the island, but in the waters between Staten Island and Manhattan. The popular orange ferries, which run 24 hours a day every 30 minutes from the dock at Battery Park, function as a floating observation deck. In fact, the ferry route passes the Statue of Liberty, which you can admire on the way there and back, especially in the morning when it's nicely lit.

From the open top deck of the ferries, you can also enjoy spectacular views of the skyscrapers of southern Manhattan, led by New York's tallest building , One World Trade Center.

The ferries are free and you can find out their exact schedule at www.siferry.com.

Beaches, countryside and historic towns

Despite being an integral part of New York City, Staten Island bears little resemblance to the bustling megalopolis of global importance. Instead, Staten Island offers peace and quiet with a touch of rural America.

On the publicly accessible piers just off the ferry dock, you can enjoy the bustling traffic of the huge ocean-going ships entering New Jersey Harbor, one of the largest in America.

Further down the east coast of Staten Island, you'll find long sandy beaches ideal for walking or playing sports.

One of the island's main attractions is the small Historic Richmond Town museum right in the middle of Staten Island. Here, you'll get a glimpse of what the area was like during the 18th and 19th centuries and a glimpse of what small town America was like at the time. For information on admission or hours of operation, visit www.historicrichmondtown.org.

Transportation to Staten Island

Because Staten Island is part of New York City, you can normally use your MetroCard or OMNY contactless payment on all local buses and the Staten Island Railway surface railroad; see details in the Transportation in New York chapter.

The railroad, which runs at 30-minute intervals throughout the day, or bus routes 74 (wharf to Richmond Museum) or 51 + 81 (wharf to beaches), are the ones you'll use most.

Ferries between Staten Island and Manhattan are free and run at 30-minute intervals 24 hours a day.