Forget booking a sightseeing tour. I lived in New York for 20 years, and this $4.50 ferry is the best way to see the city.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
A NYC Ferry traveling on the East River with the Manhattan Bridge and skyscrapers in the background.
As a longtime local, I think the NYC commuter ferry is the best way to sightsee in the city.

John Penney/Shutterstock

I took a $39 round-trip ferry from Connecticut to New York. It was the perfect way to spend a summer day.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
Michele poses for a photo in front of a large ferry.
I took a ferry to the perfect day-trip spot in New York.

Michele Herrmann

I took a $6.50 ferry to a beautiful nature-filled island near Seattle. I'd recommend it to anyone in the area.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The writer Sharon McDonnell wearing a pink shirt with an illustration of a llama and
I took the Washington State Ferry to Vashon Island.

Sharon McDonnell

I rode a train that rolls aboard a ferry. For just $30, it was a unique way to see the beautiful Italian coast.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Author Tammy Barr posing with train on a boat
I was surprised to learn that taking a singular train all the way from Sicily to Naples was even an option.

Tammy Barr

I spent $120 on a ferry to and from an artsy Cape Cod town with beautiful views. The scenic 90-minute ride wasn't even the best part.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Selfie of the writer Natalie Gale on a ferry with skyscrapers and water in the background
I paid $120 to take a ferry from Boston to Provincetown, Massachusetts, and back.

Natalie Gale

My husband and I spent $200 at a historic Florida restaurant only accessible by boat. The views were great, but the food was even better.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The writer Linnea Bailey, wears a pink, blue, and green dress and sits on a boat with more boats and water in the background
I took a boat to a great restaurant, Cap's Place, in Florida.

Linnea Bailey

I took an overnight ferry to Finland in a premium cabin for $333. I'd do this trip again, but ideally on a nicer ship.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
Ferry exterior
I sailed from Stockholm to Helsinki on the Viking Cinderella.

Louise Slyth

I took 2 kids and a dog on 3 separate ferries to get to our summer vacation. The 6-hour journey was so much better than driving.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
view of the water off the back of a ferry
We took three ferries to get from Vermont to the Hamptons.

Lauren Harkawik

I took a $185 ferry to the Florida Keys for a day trip. It was great despite a few small issues.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
View of hotels along the water in Key West
Key West Express transports riders from Florida's Gulf Coast to Key West.

Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock

I took a $10 ferry to a scenic island just a few miles from Seattle. Its cute shops and restaurants make it a must-visit for tourists.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
A painted ferry with a yellow, dark-blue, and lighter blue on the side of a building with painted letters spelling out
I took two ferries to get to Bainbridge Island.

Emma Kershaw

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