Tightwad Travel Tip - Ferrying Around

Ever since I rode the Staten Island Ferry with its singer/guitar players and jewelry saleswomen in the restrooms, I've been intrigued by this mode of transportation. Rather than spend an hour and a half fighting traffic to get into Manhattan, my cousins and I simply boarded a ferry, enjoyed some music, bought some earrings, and got off twenty minutes later near Wall Street. I was convinced then that a ferry is often the best and most economical way to travel from Point A to Point B. Now, after many more ferry rides in several countries, I'm certain that my initial impression was correct.  I can't promise you entertainment or shopping possibilities on all ferries, but I can assure you that this mode of public transportation may solve some of your navigational problems.


For European ferries, try this website which is accessible in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. The Ferrylines site will help you with routing and hotels; provide information about timezones, weather, and currency conversion; and book your trip for you at no extra charge.

David's photo of the Seine River - Paris

If your next trip involves Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States or the Caribbean, you may want to peruse this site Arthur Frommer recently mentioned on his blog. While you cannot purchase tickets on the site, you can gain valuable information that has not been consolidated elsewhere. And if you grow weary of pondering the 750+ ferry routes, you can quickly find a diversion by clicking on the blog portion of the site.