Sometimes folks forget that New York City is actually an island. The cityscape seems to stretch forever in every direction, but it's actually bordered by three different rivers. The Hudson river stretches the length of the western edge of the island. The Northern and Eastern edges of the island are encompassed by the Harlem and the aptly named East River, which mingle together as they generally flow south to connect with the Hudson River on their way into the Atlantic.

There are many great ways to spend an afternoon in the city, and one of our favorites is taking the ferry.

What's great about taking the ferry is that it immerses you in a new place in a way that driving or walking never could. With views of both land and sea, it's truly a unique way to experience the sights and sounds of the city. And best of all, if you're tired or just want to relax for a few hours, you can simply kick back and enjoy the ride!

The first documented ferry service in the area was opened and operated by Cornelius Dickerson in 1642, more than 380 years ago! Ferries have operated in the area in some capacity for the entire modern history of manhattan, especially after the Statue of Liberty was built in 1876.

As more towns built right up to the shore, ferry service has seen a large resurgence in recent years. New York operates the NYC Ferry with six different routes across all five boroughs that transport thousands of passengers daily.

The Staten Island and Statue of Liberty routes may be the most breathtaking of all the ferry routes. They allow passengers to view Lady Liberty up close. What a treat!

Most of the rides are relatively short, so you can easily hop on and off at different stops and spend a couple of hours exploring the sites on shore before returning to your starting point.

You can buy tickets for all of the ferries online or at the docks (starting at $4.50; seniors - $1.45).

But the Staten Island ferry? It's free, baby!

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