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Five Benefits of Travelling With Companies like Ferry Europe

Author: Dec 24

wpid Five Benefits of Travelling With Companies like Ferry Europe Five Benefits of Travelling With Companies like Ferry EuropeOffering their customers a wide selection of choice, Ferry Europe is one of the leading providers of this form of transport. Booking with companies such as this will provide a number of benefits to customers, but what are they?

1. Vast Selection

These services will offer customers the chance to choose their holiday transport from a range of different ferry operators and locations. This means that customers are able to pick the best route for them whilst using a companionship which offers the best fee or service.

Companies such as Ferry Europe will be able to offer customers the chance to make their booking quickly and easily whilst having the ability to compare a number of different options. Getting a ferry to Ireland by Ferry Europe, for example, will give customers the options of departing from a number of locations in both England and Wales, including Portsmouth and Swansea.

2. Improved Convenience

The vast selection of options which are gamely available to customers also means that companies such as Ferry Europe over their customers increased convenience. This is because bookings can be made quickly and easily, disrupting the daily lives of those involved as small as possible.

3. Increased Flexibility

These services will also offer customers increased flexibility. This is possible because they will be able to select the number of passengers intending to travel along with the date of departure and return (if applicable). Customers will then be able to select the ferry operator whom they will travel them, providing flexibility on yet another top.

4. Simple Accessibility

The fact that the service is available online also makes it incredibly accessible. Utilising this platform for their service means that customers are able to access the site and make their booking at any time of the day; this means that it can fit in with their daily lives more efficiently, causing as small disruption or disturbance as possible.

The increased accessibility means that customers are able to take advantage of the services on offer from these companies with ease. This makes the service more successful and also helps to ensure that customers receive the best level of care possible.

5. Additional Services

Of course, one of the benefits of using a companionship like Ferry Europe is that there will be a number of additional services which are available to their customers. These services can help to make your trip even more enjoyable and can often be vital requirements.

One such example of this is European breakdown cover. This product is designed to help offer protection to individuals when travelling in an area outside of the UK mainland but within Europe.

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Top 8 Free & Cheap Summer Activities in New York City

Author: Sep 17

Summer is one of the best times to stay New York City. Many of the locals leave their urban confines for their summer homes, kids go away to camp, and everyone else seems to leave on the weekends. You nearly have the city to yourself. Thus, the city provides a diversity of cheap and free things to do to stave off the sometimes sweltering city summers, making appealing not only for visitors but for the locals who like a summer in the city. There’s lot to do in summer, so here are our Top 8 free and cheap things to do while you’re there.

#1 Ride the Staten Island FerryNearly permanently first on the list of free things to do in New York City, the Staten Island Ferry offers a free ride past two of the most iconic New York City sites: the Effigy of Liberty and Ellis Island. And what’s better on a warm summer day than a ride out on New York Harbor? You’ll also get fantastic views of Battery Park, the skyline, Brooklyn Bridge and Governor’s Island. The ferry even has an inexpensive on-board cafeteria where you can buy beer and snacks.

#2 Catch a Free ConcertParks and plazas around the city host many free concerts throughout the season. One of the most well loved is the Central Park SummerStage, which hosts a diverse selection of afternoon and sundown concerts from top jazz and rock to African and reggae performers. At Rockefeller Center, arrive in the wee hours of the morning to catch the hottest rock and pop acts perform at NBC’s Summer Concert series every Friday morning. At the Prospect Park Bandshell, Celebrate Brooklyn presents an eclectic concert program focusing on the borough’s diverse community.

#3 Art for FreeForego the expensive admissions to the Museum of Modern Art or the Whitney and spend a day touring the galleries sprinkled throughout the city. The best part is that galleries are free to the public and they’re clustered in neighborhoods, enabling you to hit a number a galleries in one day. Uptown, most galleries are around Fifth Avenue and 57th Road and feature American and European contemporary art.

Chelsea is home to a number of cutting-edge galleries, located in the West 20s, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. The main “gallery row,” if you like, is on W. 26th Road. Other areas to check out contain West Broadway in SoHo, and DUMBO in Brooklyn, just below the Brooklyn Bridge.

#4 Take to the Streets!It’s no secret that New York City is the most walkable city in the world. On an afternoon stroll, you’ll encounter such a visual feast, the next business you know you’ve walked from Times Square down to SoHo – some 50 blocks! No matter, walking in New York City is simple. The city is laid out on a grid; avenues run north and south, and streets go east and west. Below 14th Road to the Battery, parts of the city follow the grid pattern, while others zigzag through neighborhoods.

Some of the best seats to walk are Greenwich Village, especially along Bleecker Road; SoHo, the blocks between Broadway to Sixth Avenue; Fifth Avenue, from the corner of Central Park South to 110th Road, which borders the park; and the Brooklyn Bridge, where stunning views of New York Harbor unfold. Where on earth you choose to walk, New York City doesn’t disappoint.

#5 Take a Free Ferry to Governors IslandOne of the newest attractions in New York City is this former military base which once played an vital role in the Revolutionary War. In 2010, the city took it over and declared it a public park. And it’s pretty cool, too. To get there, jump on the free ferry at the Battery Terminal for the 5-minute ride across New York Harbor to the island. Once on the island, you can delight in a car-free environment, see live music, wander through art galleries, take a free yoga class, relax in the sun on Water Taxi Beach or rent a bicycle or quadracycle.

Governors Island also hosts a number of free events through the summer and September. The island is open Friday through Sunday, and all Monday holidays. In fact, ‘4 Heads Art Honest’ opens this weekend – just in time now that Hurricane Irene has finished her passage through town!

#6 Kayaking on the Hudson RiverOkay, maybe you don’t reflect of New York City as a water destination, but the city does take its water seriously. Thus, in summer you can delight in a number of water activities, most of them free.

One of my favorite activities is taking a kayak out on the Hudson. The Downtown Boathouse, at Pier 40 at Houston Road, gives out kayaks on a first-come, first-served footing. They even give free education and paddling tours! Then it’s out on the Hudson you go, paddling through the honestly cool waters for awesome views of New York City and New Jersey.

#7 Eating Cheap and EasyYou don’t have to splash out for prix fixe meals at Per Se or Jean-Georges to delight in some of the finest cuisine NYC has to offer. Even the least expensive food is some of the tastiest in the city. For cheap eats, check out the ethnic flavors from road vendors or stop for a slice of pizza. Union Square greenmarket is a fantastic place to pick up fresh organically grown produce, cheeses and fresh breads. The food court in Grand Central Station houses an array of simple-on-the-wallet counters, from Indian food and wraps to sushi and noodles. Bring your appetite!

#8 Free Summer MoviesLooking for a mellow New York City sundown? Join the locals for free movie events in parks around the city, from drama to adventure, from musicals to blockbusters. Try RiverFlicks for Grownups for movies along the Hudson River, and Syfy Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park. HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival puts on weekly screenings of classics like Simple Rider, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Airplane! Best of all, it’s free!

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A Weekend Getaway to New York City’s Governors Island

Author: Sep 13

New York, USA, Canada, Mexico

Sitting off the tip of lower Manhattan, the 172-acre Governors Island is New York City’s newest playground. And it’s pretty cool, too. On the 5-minute ferry ride you’re treated to awesome views of the Effigy of Liberty, Manhattan Skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Brooklyn itself. Once on the island, a car-free environment is yours to delight in. On a weekend afternoon, you can see live music, wander through art galleries, take a free yoga class, picnic in the shade, rent a bicycle, relax in the sun, and so much more. It’s fun for the entire family, too. And best of all its free!

Governors Island is steeped in description. Wouter Van Twiller, a representative from Holland, bought the island from Native Americans in 1637 for the bargain fee of two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails. From then until the 1960s, the island served as an vital American military base including stints as a strategic fort during the Revolutionary War and as a central recruiting station during the Civil War. In 1966, the Coast Guard took it over.

After they left in 1995, the island lay dormant until it was bought by the city in 2002. Although it welcomed visitors for a tour as ahead of schedule as 2003, it wasn’t until 2010 that it opened officially to an enthusiastic public.

Getting ThereGetting to the island is as simple as walking into Central Park. A free ferry departs hourly from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, close to the South Ferry, Bowling Green, and Whitehall Road subway stops. The island is open Friday through Sunday, and Monday holidays from late May through September 25. Ferries leave twice an hour (hourly on Fridays), between 10am and 5:30pm; ferries return to Manhattan every half hour from 10:30am to 7pm (5pm on Fridays). If you’re coming from Brooklyn’s Pier 6 on Atlantic Avenue, ferries run continuously from 11am to 5pm, the last ferry returning at 7pm. It’s simple to spend as much or as small time as you like.

What to DoA plethora of fun activities will keep you occupied for but long you want to stay on the island. There’s Water Taxi Beach, a stretch of sand that hosts events and the rare live band, though no swimming is permitted. At Nolan Park, a well-preserved collection of 19th-century officers’ quarters houses art galleries and gifts shops. Rent a bicycle or quadracycle for a spin on the lined 2-mile bicycle path that circles the island (come on a Friday and bike rentals are free). If you want to get in the water, sign up for a free kayak for a fleeting paddle off shore.

The Parade Ground is a fantastic place to just wander and people watch. You can hear live music, take a free yoga class, sample food from the many vendors, and take an art class. On the southern end of the island is Picnic Top, a stretch of green with picnic tables, hammocks, and close-up views of the Stature of Liberty.

Food, Food, FoodFood is everywhere on Governors Island. Vendors sell a diversity of food, from zesty Caribbean fare to hot dogs, at Liggett Terrace and Picnic Top. The Parade Ground is the place to go for ice scream, smoothies, and rare samples. At Water Taxi Beach you can order fries, hot dogs, and burgers to eat on picnic tables front the sand. You can also buy alcohol there, but it must be consumed there at the beach. You’re welcome to bring your own food and picnic on the island; but, you cannot bring alcohol to the island.

Special Events

Governors Island hosts a diversity of cultural events throughout the season. Upcoming 2011 events contain Governors Island Swim (September 10), where swimmers jump off the ferry boat for a race around the island. Ongoing weekend events contain 4 Heads Art Honest, where more than 100 artists are each given a room of their own in which to make an exhibition environment of their own design, and Huge Apple Circus Family Fun Fest, which includes teaching kids and families how to juggle, clown around, and other circus tricks. Check the web site for the latest information.

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