The schooner Adirondack provides an intimate experience of New York City's landmarks.
Photo: sail-nyc.com

by Beata Loyfman-Santora

For us New Yorkers, this is a difficult day. Flags will be lowered, 2,752 names will be read, moments of silence will be observed. Today, just about everything and everyone in New York will reflect on that surreal day eight years ago. Frivolity feels inappropriate and celebrities take a backseat. Not surprisingly, visitors are often left befuddled by what to do in a city of mourning. But there is one New York experience that perfectly encapsulates the traveling spirit, while paying homage to the city.

Each day, two 80-foot schooners from Classic Harbor Line set sail down New York's waterway, offering their guests incredible views of the skyline with free drinks. Photos and picnic baskets are encouraged, and even the most cynical traveler is awed by the Statue of Liberty (which the schooner approaches as closely as the Coast Guard will allow). It's an incredible experience on any day, but the Sunset Sail is a particularly humbling, haunting experience this week. Just as the last moments of twilight fade away, the schooner passes by the twin towers of light, disappearing into the sky like ghosts. Suddenly the whole ship is silent as you and a boatful of strangers share a single profound moment. Needless to say, it's $50 you'll never regret.

Further reading:
* Video: 24 Hours in New York
* Insider's Guide to New York City (CNT, September 2006)
* Boldface: Celebrity travels