A picturesque staple of New York City, the East River regularly draws thousands of visitors. The 16-mile span connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to the Long Island Sound on its north end. While the East River flows beneath and alongside many iconic bridges and buildings, the waterway itself is pretty iconic. It’s one of the sights you’ll get to see on a Skyline Cruise because, well, on your dinner cruise, you’ll be cruising down it!
Experience Famous Sites Aboard the Skyline Princess
Part of what makes a Skyline Cruise so special is viewing world-renowned landmarks of the greatest city in the world, including:
- The Statue of Liberty
- The Empire State Building
- Triborough Bridge
- One World Trade
- United Nations
The East River allows us to experience a lot of New York City history, but what makes the East River itself so special?
The East River is Not Actually a River
Did you know that the East River technically isn’t a river at all? In fact, the East River is actually a salt water tidal strait. Unlike inland rivers which travel in one direction, the East River’s direction of flow changes with the time of day. Sometimes, you will find it heading Northeast to Connecticut, while other times it’s flowing South to New Jersey.
In the 17th century, the East River provided important navigational routes for Dutch colonists. During the American Revolution, the Continental Army took advantage of the East River and earned some major victories against enemies. Afterward, the East River sparked major commercial growth in the maritime industry of New York City. Today, the East River is heavily used for commercial and recreational operations.
The East River Geography and Features
Perhaps the East River’s most famous attraction is located at the southern end of the strait: South Street Seaport. This historic district includes museums and shopping plazas. In Midtown Manhattan, the United Nations Building rises hundreds of feet above the East River. The East River also flows past Riker’s Island which has been home to New York City’s biggest prison campus for generations.
The East River and Skyline Cruises
You can charter a Skyline Cruise for many special events including birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and even black-tie corporate events! We are able to accommodate groups of all sizes and budgets. In addition to a full ship charter, we also provide the opportunity to rent a private deck on one of our public dinner cruises. Our management team has more than 70 years of combined dinner cruise and yacht charter experience. With Skyline Cruises, you can be comfortable knowing that your event is in great hands with our experienced event coordinators. For more information about our cruise options, please call (718) 446-1100 or to book your cruise reservations, contact us today!
