Ferry Service to Sandy Hook to Start

There will soon be a way to avoid summer traffic jams and take the boat to the beaches.

Starting May 26, NY Waterway ferries will be transporting beachgoers to and from Manhattan and by boat on weekends through Labor Day.

The boat ride is a one-hour trip each way. Beachgoers can catch the ferries from two locations in New York City: the Midtown West Ferry Terminal at 39th Street in the Hudson River Park; and the Downtown World Financial Center terminal at the foot of Vesey Street. 

There are will be five departures from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Return trips start at 3 p.m. and leave Sandy Hook every hour until 7 p.m.. 

Beach-goers from New Jersey get a free round-trip ferry pass between Port Imperial in Weehawken when they purchase a Sandy Hook ticket. Free ferry rides between 14th Street in Hoboken and West 39h Street in Manhattan are available with advance Sandy Hook ticket purchase.

Schedules and fares are available at nywaterway.com or 1-800-53-FERRY.

Sandy Hook, the barrier peninsula, which is part of the National Park Service's Gateway National Recreation Area, has several beach and picnic areas and hosts various bird watching and nature tours. There are more than that can be seen on the Hook. The Hook is also home to historic sites, such as the built in 1764, and , with its historic World War I and II concrete gun emplacements that served to protect the NY Harbor during the wars.

Roundtrip fare is $49.  For children under 12 ride for $25.  Senior citizens' tickets are $44. Children under 3 ride free. There is a $5 roundtrip fee for bikes.

Reservations are strongly recommended.  Click on nywaterway.com or call 1-800-53-FERRY.