Jet skiing in New York

Jet skiing in New York is an activity for adrenaline junkies who like to literally see New York from a different perspective. Tour the city’s highlights on a jet ski, from the Statue of Liberty to Coney Island and from Staten Island to the One World Trade Center. You also cruise the Hudson River, East River and under all famous bridges such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. With a speed of up to 55 mi/h, you easily overtake all the sightseeing cruises and have an unforgettable day on the water.

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Jet Skiing over the Hudson River

The tour begins at Rockaway Beach, Queens. This part of New York has a nice ‘surf beach’ atmosphere. You can get there in about an hour and fifteen minutes with the A-train and then shuttle subway from Manhattan. The rental place is just a few minutes walk from the subway station. When you arrive, you can change clothes, there are lockers for your belongings. There are also showers for afterwards. You get a life jacket and you can choose to wear a wetsuit. I didn’t personally, but if it’s colder than 25 degrees I would recommend it. Don’t forget your sunscreen. Before you can sprint off you get an explanation of the dos and don’ts on the water. You can’t freestyle for example, but gearing up is definitely is not a problem!

Eric’s Tip 1: The jet ski does have a storage compartment, but everything that is in there could get wet. Fine for a bottle of water, but don’t take a camera. The guide has a camera and will take photos of you along the way. Bring a bathing suit for on the jet ski, some dry clothes and a towel. You can wear sunglasses, but they can fall off due to the speed.

In 4 hours you jet ski all around Brooklyn back to Manhattan, past Staten Island towards the Statue of Liberty. You will see New York’s skyline as not many others have seen it. Head back to the East River, whilst your guide takes a photo of you in front of the One World Trade Center or under Brooklyn Bridge. Don’t expect a quiet ride, you can reach speeds of 90 km/h! The distance you go depends on the speed of your group: if you take it slow, you cover less ground. Personally, I did 70 miles on my jet ski!

After a few hours of action on the water, you head back to Rockaway Beach tired but satisfied. You can then head back to Manhattan straight away, but there is a beach as well. So you could also bring your towel and stay at the beach or eat at one of the restaurants!

Eric’s Tip 2: If you go jet skiing in New York as a couple, it’s a good idea to share one jet ski. You’re on the water for quite some time and steering the jet ski for the whole period is quite intense. I even got cramp in my hands. If there are two of you, you can switch and it saves you almost 50% of the price!

Practical Information

After purchasing, you will receive a voucher that you can print out and use as your ticket for the tour.

Departure Time: 08:00
Departure Point: Rockaway Beach, Queens
Duration: You’ll be on the water for 4 hours, in total it takes about 4.5 to 5 hours
This tour is seasonal
Extra: Please note that the departure point of the tour might be a bit hard to find. It’s next to the Asian restaurant, just look for the jetskis in the water!

Book jet skiing in New York here

Posted in Activities in New York

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