Ferries of New York City

On the Staten Island Ferry

When you think of New York City and modes of transportation, you probably think of the subway. But ferries are also a popular way to travel for both commuters and visitors -- and a lot more pleasant.

A new ferry stop opened in our former Brooklyn neighborhood of Bay Ridge since we had last visited, so giving it a try was on my must-do list for this trip. We walked along Shore Road Promenade, with it's beautiful view of Manhattan's skyscrapers, to the 69th St. pier. There we boarded the NYC Ferry for the 45-minute ride to Governor's Island. A direct route to Governor's Island, just off Manhattan's shore, wouldn't be long at all, but the ferry had a few other stops to make first. No matter. We brought along bagels and cream cheese (what else can you eat on a Sunday in New York?) and took in the views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

On our last full day in New York, we took a much more famous boat -- the Staten Island Ferry. This was much more for the kids' benefit. I wasn't at all convinced that they had a clear idea of what the Statue of Liberty actually was, and the ferry gives you a close, clear view. Plus: Free.

The ferries didn't rank as highly for the kids as the subway (riding the train was pretty much tops for the whole trip for them), but it was a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours with a breeze and a view.

Three New York Museums in Three Days

You can't go to New York without visiting a few museums. No mystery as to how we decided where to go. We chose the ones that (1) the kids would like and that (2) we could enter free for various reasons. Three museums in three days ... and go!

American Museum of Natural History, June 25

Paul and I joked that this diorama at the museum was a portrait of the kids.

New York Transit Museum, June 25

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, June 27. Edith in the submarine.

Find Paul and Atticus!

A Return to New York

Brooklyn Bridge Park, June 26

The week before we left, Edith couldn't wait to remind us that we were about to visit the city where she was born. We spend last week in New York City, our third visit since we moved away in July 2013.

I'm glad we made the trip, and it was good for me. A return visit was overdue -- our last one was in fall 2015, when Atticus was only six months old -- and this trip dispelled a lot of my notions and recollections of the city. It was dirtier than I remembered, and the food didn't even taste as good! Seeing friends was hard. Getting to Manhattan from our old Bay Ridge neighborhood is long even when you're alone, but it's long and difficult when you have two kids.

Of course, we have been missing for most of the last five years and haven't discovered the newest fun reasons to remain in New York. But still. For the first time, if Paul or I were offered a job in New York, I'm not sure I would jump at the chance to return.

Don't get me wrong: I LOVE NEW YORK. But this trip made me definitively realize that Columbus is not a consolation prize. I love it here too.

In any case, we had a great trip, and I'll be posting some of the highlights off and on over the next several Tuesdays. We even spent a couple of days in Pittsburgh on the way home! Enjoy.

New York slice, June 23

Me and Atticus, June 23

Yummy cupcake, June 23

Alexander Hamilton's grave at Trinity Church, June 24

And Eliza Hamilton, too.

Central Park, June 25

Photo Friday: Ravioli Pizza

Ravioli pizza from Bay Ridge Pizza -
exactly what it sounds like.

Photo Friday: A Brooklyn Water Tower?

Sept. 29, 2015 - Seen from Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photo Friday: NYC's Silver Towers Playground

Even I want to go down this slide! Located on West 42nd Street, near the Hudson River.

Edith, Sept. 28, 2015

A City Island Wedding

The wedding of two good friends in New York is what prompted our trip there during the last week of September. It also was the perfect excuse to visit a part of the city that I'd never before seen: City Island.

City Island is a part of the Bronx a good hour from where we lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. While you can see the Manhattan skyline in the distance, the vibe is about as far from Times Square as you can get. It feels much more like a New England fishing village. In fact, it's known for its seafood.

The ceremony was held at the City Island Yacht Club, on a pier overlooking sailboats and the sunset. It was a beautiful setting for two wonderful people and a lovely way to see a corner of New York that I otherwise probably never would have.

NY Museums: Trains, Planes and More

Even after six years of living in New York, there were still many things that we never had a chance (or made the effort) to see. At least three of those were museums, and we visited them during our visit in September.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

This aircraft carrier turned museum is on the Hudson River, just west of Times Square. I found the walk-through submarine particularly interesting, and Edith enjoyed the "Explorium" and its interactive displays -- particularly climbing into the helicopter. Plenty of planes on the deck to look at, too.

New York Transit Museum 

Located just a short walk from Paul's old office in Brooklyn, the museum is actually located underground in an old subway station. A short walk-through history ended in some rather extensive displays, including old turnstiles and probably dozens of former subway cars through the years. Buses weren't left out -- Edith could have spent all day in the driver's seat, pretending to steer.

Brooklyn Children's Museum

Edith had a blast (and I had a surprise, running into an old Bay Ridge friend there). I liked World Brooklyn the best, with toddler replicas of international stores throughout Brooklyn. We also spent quite a bit of time in the water, sand and gardening areas. It's basically a smaller COSI, but it was a pleasant excursion for a rainy day.

Our Not-So-Successful Day in the Hamptons

Our visit to the Hamptons earlier this month consisted of an eventful day in which not much happened.

Gray and dreary, we decided to make the two-hour drive from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Southampton anyway. About 40 miles from our destination, Edith said she had to go potty. As we were attempting to find a restroom, she puked all over herself, the car seat and the inside of the car itself. It was the first time she had ever been sick.

We cleaned her and the seat off as best we could on a side road, changed her clothes and spent our first two hours in the Hamptons at a Laundromat. Talk about sophisticated, right?

(For what it's worth, she didn't really need to go to the bathroom until we got there, and never felt or got sick the entire rest of the trip.)

It was 2 p.m. by the time everything was washed and dried. Downtrodden, we ate at the nearby Sip 'n Soda dinette, which was on my to-do list anyway. My cheddar sandwich with avocado, bacon and tomato on toasted bread was even better than it sounds, although at that point anything would have tasted amazing. Paul got a lime ricky, which he said was at once both too sweet and too sour.

We gawked at the giant houses -- mostly guarded by giant shrubs -- from the car on our way to Coopers Beach. The beach was once voted the best in America, although that was hard to see on such a day. Just a handful of people were there to take in the views, and there was certainly no one swimming. In fact, the giant crashing waves may have been because a hurricane was thought to be a few days away from New York at the time. It was pretty though.

After taking in the views, we drove around a bit and then made the drive back -- three hours, thanks to traffic. So for those keeping score:

• 2-hour drive there (10 a.m. - noon)
• 2 hours doing laundry (noon - 2 p.m.)
• 2 hours there (2-4 p.m.)
• 3-hour drive back (4-7 p.m.)

Perhaps not the best day trip ever, but at least the kids slept most of the way back to Brooklyn.