Circle Line: The Beast in New York (30 min)

Circle Line: The Beast is perfect for thrill-seekers. It’s loud, extremely fast and, above all a lot of fun. Racing across the water at 45 mph, the Beast is a mix between a water ride, a roller coaster and a high-speed cruise. In 30 minutes the comedic captains “Mad Dog” and “Wild Thing” will zip you to the Statue of Liberty and you’ll breeze past Manhattan’s West Side. Don’t worry, you do have ample opportunity to snap a photograph … or two.

Book your tickets for the Beast Speedboat tour here

The Beast Speedboat NYC

Make sure you don’t wear a hat and hold on to your sunglasses when riding The Beast NYC because the captains don’t appreciate you giving them the finger if you lose them! The entire time the captains will be cracking (sarcastic) jokes to entertain you and you might even get sprayed with a water gun. You’re guaranteed to get wet if you sit at the stern of the boat, so don’t wear your Sunday best.

Kids are welcome but they need to be at least 40 inches (102 cm) tall to enjoy the ride. In the summer the speedboat tour is a great way to cool down, feel the thrill and speed of Manhattan and be entertained by the humour Americans are well known for. Be sure to pack on lots of sunscreen as there is no shade on the boat and despite the refreshing breeze, you can easily get sunburnt on the water.

Circle Line: The Beast Downtown Speedboat Ride

Do you prefer to start your speedboat ride in Lower Manhattan? Then go for The Beast Downtown, where you step on board at Pier 16 in the Financial District. At 45 mph [70 kmh] you’ll cruise under the Brooklyn Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and along the skyline dominated by One World Trade Center.

Book your tickets for The Beast Downtown here

About Eric »

Hey there, I'm Eric!

I'm a true New York fan with over 20 years of experience visiting and living in NYC. Here on my website, I share all my tips and valuable information to help you make the most of your trip. I personally test and regularly re-test everything on my site to ensure that what I write is useful, honest, and always up-to-date.

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Eric’s Tip: “These boat tours can be compared to a log flume at a theme park. Water does tend to splash inside the boat during these tours. This can actually be quite refreshing during the summer months in the hot city!”

Practical Information

After purchasing you’ll receive a voucher that you can either print out or show as your ticket on your phone. Be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time so you can get the best seats.

• Duration: 30 minutes
• Departure Point: Pier 83 (The Beast Midtown) or Pier 16 (The Beast Downtown)
• The Best Midtown Departure Times 2025:
  • January 1st – May 2nd: The Beast doesn’t ride
  • May 3rd – September 1st: every hour from 11:00 to 19:00, closed on Mondays
  • September 3rd – October 5th: every hour from 11:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays
  • October 7th – October 13th: every hour from 11:00 to 17:00
  • October 14th – December 31st: The Beast doesn’t ride
  • Special schedule on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day
• The Beast Downtown Departure Times 2025:
  
  • January 1st – May 2nd: The Beast doesn’t ride
  • May 3rd – September 1st: Saturdays and Sundays every hour from 11:00 to 19:00
  • September 3rd – October 5th: Saturdays and Sundays every hour from 11:00 to 18:00
  • October 7th – October 13th: Saturday and Sunday every hour from 11:00 to 17:00
  • October 14th – December 31st: The Beast doesn’t ride
  • Special schedule on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day
• You must be at least 40″ (102 cm) tall to ride the Beast
• The tour does not operate in the rain

Book your tickets for the Beast Speedboat tour here

Circle Line: The Beast Route