NYC: Empire State Building, Liberty Cruise & 48-Hour Bus Pass

Three Days in Manhattan Without Planning Each One Separately

You get express entry to the Empire State Building's 86th-floor observation deck with 360-degree Manhattan views; a 60 or 90-minute Circle Line cruise past the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge with live narration; and a 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass covering Downtown and Uptown routes with thirteen stops each, including Times Square, Central Park, Wall Street, and the Met. The Big Bus app tracks buses in real time and stores your ticket. All three experiences are included in one price, and you can spread them across separate days.

Step-by-step itinerary

Empire State, Cruise, and Bus Tour

• Enter Empire State Building observation deck
• Enjoy 360° Manhattan skyline views
• Take Circle Line Liberty or Landmarks Cruise
• See Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge
• Start Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off tour
• Ride Downtown Route with stops at Times Square and Wall Street
• Ride Uptown Route with stops at Central Park and The Met

The experience

What if you could see the Empire State Building, take a boat around the Statue of Liberty, and ride the top deck of a bus through Times Square, Wall Street, and Central Park? All with one ticket? That's the structure of this New York City bundle. You get express entry to the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building first, where the views run 360 degrees across Manhattan: Central Park to the north, the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center to the east, the Statue of Liberty to the south. The art deco building itself is the thing. The observation deck is narrow and crowded, but the sightlines are real.

Then comes the Circle Line cruise. You choose between a 60-minute Liberty Midtown Cruise or a 90-minute Landmarks Cruise, both departing from Pier 83 at 42nd Street. The boat has an outdoor deck, a café, a bar, and large windows if the weather turns. A live English guide narrates, and audio guides are available in nine languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese. You'll pass the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and the lower Manhattan skyline. The boat moves slowly enough that you can actually see what you're looking at, which matters more than it sounds.

The 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass is where the flexibility lives. Two routes: Downtown (Red) and Uptown (Blue), cover thirteen stops each. The Downtown loop hits the Empire State Building, Flatiron District, Chinatown, Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial, and the waterfront near Pier 81. The Uptown loop runs through Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Central Park at Columbus Circle, and the Met. You ride the top deck for open air, and the Big Bus app shows you real-time arrival times at each stop, so you're not guessing when the next bus comes. Audio commentary plays in six languages. The 48 hours starts when you activate your ticket: either through the app or with staff at 7th Ave & W 48th St (outside M&Ms World), so you can spread the bus days across your trip if you want.

The bundle works because none of these three things requires advance planning on your part. Empire State Building entry is express, so you skip the line. The cruise departs on a schedule you choose at redemption. The bus runs all day, and you hop off wherever you want to spend time (the Met, Wall Street, Greenwich Village, SoHo), and hop back on when you're ready. All three are wheelchair accessible, and the buses accommodate strollers. If you land in New York with two or three days and want to see the main landmarks without renting a car or figuring out the subway, this covers it.

What’s included

• Express entry to the Empire State Building 86th-floor observation deck with 360-degree Manhattan views.
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise (your choice of 60-minute Liberty Midtown or 90-minute Landmarks Cruise) with live English narration and audio guides in nine languages.
• Big Bus 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour covering Downtown and Uptown loops with thirteen stops each, including Times Square, Wall Street, Central Park, the Met, Flatiron District, Chinatown, and the 9/11 Memorial.
• Big Bus app for ticket storage, live bus tracking, and real-time arrival times.
• digital audio commentary on the bus in six languages.
• onboard café and bar on the Circle Line boat.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Big Bus Tours - USA

Is this one for you?Book this if you're in New York for two or three days and want to see the major landmarks without renting a car or learning the subway. The three-in-one structure means you're not buying separate tickets or coordinating timing, and the 48-hour bus pass lets you move at your own pace instead of following a guided group schedule.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

Can I do the Empire State Building and the cruise on different days?

Yes. You select the date and time for each when you redeem your ticket, or manage your booking online at bigbustours.com/manage-my-booking. They don't have to be consecutive.

How long is the Circle Line cruise?

Either 60 minutes (Liberty Midtown Cruise) or 90 minutes (Landmarks Cruise). You choose which one when you redeem your ticket.

What languages are available on the bus and boat?

Circle Line offers audio guides in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. Big Bus audio commentary is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

How do I activate my ticket?

Download the Big Bus app, tap "Add Booking," enter your booking reference, and press "Activate" on the day you want to start. Or redeem your voucher in person at 7th Ave & W 48th St (outside M&Ms World) or with a driver at any bus stop.

Does the hop-on hop-off bus cover all of Manhattan?

It covers two main loops: Downtown (13 stops from Times Square to Wall Street and the waterfront) and Uptown (13 stops including Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and the Met). You can ride both routes during your 48 hours.

Is there food on the Circle Line boat?

Yes. The boat has an onboard café and full bar, plus restrooms and both outdoor deck space and indoor seating with large windows.

Can I bring a stroller on the bus and boat?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller on both. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during the cruise.

Where does the Circle Line cruise depart from?

Pier 83, 42nd Street, in Hudson River Park. The nearest Big Bus stop is Stop #12 at the Circle Line terminal.