NY Waterway Ferries are FREE for Veterans and Military During Fleet Week (Kids Under 12 Ride Free, too!)

People are constantly asking me the best way to travel to New York City from here in New Jersey. It might depend on where you want to go, but I always recommend the ferry! It is literally my favorite way to travel to the city, and it offers so many options that you might not even know about. Check out some of the specials that NY Waterway is running for Memorial Day Weekend and Fleet Week!

Disclosure: I am a huge fan of NY Waterway and it's my favorite way to travel into the city. I was provided a ferry pass in exchange for this post, but I'd sing its praises either way!

I often travel to the Javits Center in New York City via the Port Imperial ferry in Weehawken. The parking garage is right across the street from the terminal. The ferry is clean, quick, and easy to ride. You can choose to sit inside or outside the boat (weather permitting), and it's such a fun, scenic way to get to the city! Plus, NY Waterway also offers free shuttle buses to various destinations. Read on for more info and for some of this month's specials.

Memorial Day Weekend Specials

All uniformed military personnel and veterans with identification ride free on NY Waterway ferries during Fleet Week, Wednesday, May 22nd through Tuesday, May 28th as part of the tradition to honor those who have served and are currently serving our country. Kids under 12 years old ride free on all ferries between New Jersey and Manhattan from Saturday, May 25th through Memorial Day, May 27th.

Did You Know?

The 39th Street Ferry Terminal is less than a 10-minute walk from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which is the perfect spot to watch the annual Parade of Ships that kicks off Fleet Week on May 22nd.  Free NY Waterway buses also are waiting to take customers to the Intrepid and other destinations throughout Midtown and Downtown Manhattan.

NY Waterway Schedules

On weekdays, ferries travel to the West 39th Street Ferry Terminal in Midtown Manhattan from Edgewater, from Port Imperial (my favorite ferry terminal, just sayin') and Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken, from Hoboken 14th Street and the Hoboken/NJ TRANSIT Terminal, from Harborside, Liberty Harbor and Paulus Hook in Jersey City, and from Belford / Middletown in Monmouth County.

During the weekend, NY Waterway offers low-cost ferry service to the West 39th Street and to the Brookfield Place/Battery Park City Terminal in Lower Manhattan from ferry terminals in Weehawken, Hoboken and Jersey City.

NY Waterway monthly pass-holders can ride on any ferry route free on weekends.

Several New Jersey terminals offer inexpensive parking (some free) and are served by the Hudson/Bergen Light Rail, NJ TRANSIT buses and local free NY Waterway buses.

Visit nywaterway.com/fleetweek for more information 

or call 

1-800-53-FERRY. 

Information is also available on the NY Waterway Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.