In all of planet Earth, there is no other skyline quite like that of New York City. Whether by air or by land, the Big Apple’s skyscrapers and landmarks are iconic. But there’s one way of touring NYC that beats out the rest, hands down—by boat.
Whether from the upper deck of a yacht or hunkered down on a speedboat, views from the harbor show NYC at its absolute finest. From the Statue of Liberty to the One World Trade Center, you can take in all the biggest sights without dealing with packed subway cars and endless traffic jams. Below are some of the best boat tours in NYC from speedboat rides to floating jazz concerts and cocktail cruises.
Updated May 2025: Looking to go big (Apple) this 4th of July? There's an NYC boat tour for that. Expect a buffet, DJ and close-up view of the fireworks.
How do we determine the cream of the crop? Our staff picks combine the top, most recent reviews with some of our personal favorites to make sure you get the best deal on the web. Throughout this article, you may notice some affiliate links – these have no influence on our editorial content – we pinky swear. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.