Launch boat
A while back a friend of mine told me about this bar/barge called the Honorable William Wall. I sort of forgot about it until a different friend made reservations for us to go this past Saturday for his girlfriend’s birthday.
Now this is a really great idea…
William Wall is the club house of the Manhattan Sailing Club, but it’s open to non-members as well. You catch the launch boats every half hour near the Freedom Tower and it takes you right to the barge. The barge is basically a two-level outdoor drinking oasis moored right near the Statue of Liberty with great views of lower Manhattan. You are allowed to bring your own food, which I would probably recommend (my friend actually ordered 6 pizzas which were delivered on the launch boat) since the food is pretty basic.
Photo from the Manhattan Sailing Club
This is honestly a great thing to with people from out of town or if you are looking to do something out of the ordinary. The launch is $20–but I would definitely recommend making a reservation. There were people who walked up and were able to go but it’s a nice feeling knowing you don’t have to worry.
Another insider tip: if you are prone to motion sickness of any kind, take something like Dramamine before. I learned the hard way that they do not carry it on the barge and for whatever reason, it was a bit of a struggle for a few of us. The views are killer, the drinks are standard, but the experience was one of the coolest I could imagine. Things like this are what I love most about NYC.