New York City: Express Bus Tour & Statue of Liberty Cruise

Summary

City rhythm on wheels then water with skyline views unfolding

You’ll jump right into New York’s rush with an express sightseeing bus weaving through famous neighborhoods before switching gears for a Statue of Liberty cruise on the harbor. Expect street sounds, city smells, live stories from your guide—and that hush as Lady Liberty comes into view. It’s fast-paced but leaves you with space to breathe (and plenty to remember).

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell—pretzels, exhaust, something sweet from a bakery cart. We’d just hopped onto the open-top bus near Times Square, and our guide (Marcus? Mark? He joked about both) was already pointing out the stone lions at the New York Public Library before I’d even found my seat. The city felt loud in a good way—horns, snippets of Spanish and Mandarin, someone laughing behind us. I tried to snap a photo of the Empire State Building but ended up with a blurry thumb instead. Typical.

We wound through SoHo and Canal Street—so many colors and faces, people carrying shopping bags or eating dumplings straight from paper trays. Marcus kept tossing in little facts (“That building survived three fires!”), but what stuck with me was how he waved at a street vendor who actually waved back. Union Square was buzzing with some kind of pop-up art thing; I almost missed it because I was distracted by a dog in sunglasses. The day trip felt like speed-dating with Manhattan—Flatiron, Wall Street’s bull statue (everyone wanted that photo), and suddenly we were rolling past Trinity Church and down toward the water.

I didn’t expect to feel so quiet stepping onto the boat for our Statue of Liberty cruise. The air changed—cooler, salty, less city-smell and more river breeze. Everyone got a little hushed as we pulled away from South Street Seaport; you could see Ellis Island off to one side, tiny compared to Lady Liberty herself. I stood at the rail next to an older couple from Queens who told me they still get goosebumps seeing her after all these years. There’s something about watching those bridges—Brooklyn Bridge especially—slide by overhead that made me feel small in a good way.

By the time we docked again, my hair smelled like river wind and I had too many photos of skylines on my phone (none really do it justice). If you’re after that classic New York City sightseeing tour vibe but want to mix land and water—and maybe hear a few bad jokes from your guide—this combo is honestly worth it. I still think about that moment when Manhattan just glowed across the water as we came back in.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — NYC bus tour and harbor cruise

• See neon lights at Times Square
• Admire New York Public Library
• View Empire State Building
• Photo stop at Flatiron Building
• Pass Union Square
• See Greenwich Village arch
• Drive through trendy SoHo
• Explore Canal Street energy
• Pass World Trade Center site
• View Trinity Church Wall Street
• Photo at Wall Street bull
• Pass Battery Park City and Seaport
• See South Street Seaport Museum
• End bus tour at Roosevelt Island
• Board Statue of Liberty harbor cruise
• Enjoy views of Lady Liberty
• See Ellis Island immigration site
• Sail under Brooklyn Bridge
• View Manhattan and Financial District skyline
• Take in Brooklyn Heights Promenade
• Pass One World Trade Center
• See Manhattan Bridge

Top questions

How long is the New York City express bus tour?

The express open-top NYC bus tour lasts approximately 1 hour.

Is there live commentary during the tour?

Yes, you’ll get live commentary or can use a multilingual audio guide during both parts.

Does this tour include a Statue of Liberty cruise?

Yes, it includes an express boat cruise around the Statue of Liberty lasting about 1 hour.

Are there flexible departure times for this sightseeing tour?

Yes, there are flexible departure times throughout the day for both bus and cruise segments.

Is this New York City sightseeing tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, both the bus tour and boat cruise are wheelchair accessible.

Can infants join this NYC sightseeing combo?

Infants can join; they must sit on an adult’s lap or ride in a pram or stroller.

Which landmarks are included on this day trip?

You’ll see Times Square, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, SoHo, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty & more.

Where does the harbor cruise depart from?

The harbor cruise departs near South Street Seaport after your bus journey ends downtown.

What’s included

Your day includes an express open-top NYC bus tour with live commentary or multilingual audio guide (about 1 hour), plus an express Statue of Liberty sightseeing boat cruise (about 1 hour). Flexible departure times make planning easy—and everything’s wheelchair accessible if you need it.