With autumn on our doorstep, many New Yorkers may be looking for an escape from skyscrapers and bustling streets for a chance to experience the serenity of nature. Some are planning trips to the Catskills, while others are booking wine tastings out on the North Fork of Long Island. But for those wanting to catch a glimpse of the vibrant colors of fall, Classic Harbor Line is offering passengers a variety of scenic fall foliage cruises along the Hudson River through November 14.
For their Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise, revived for the first time in two years, climb aboard the Manhattan, a 1920s-style yacht taking passengers northbound on the Hudson. The 2.5-hour trip starts from Pier 62 in Chelsea, where passengers can take photos of picturesque modern buildings, which then become more historic as the boat passes the Upper West Side.
Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise
The boat then sails by Morningside Heights and passes by Riverside Church, Grant’s Tomb, and the Cloisters, before approaching the northern tip of Manhattan by Inwood Hill Park, with a view of the Henry Hudson Bridge and the western side of Villa Charlotte Bronte in Riverdale, Bronx. On the way, the boat sails past the George Washington Bridge and Little Red Lighthouse, before arriving at the eye-catching cliffs of Palisades Park.
The Manhattan includes a heated and enclosed observatory and dining room, as well as a small exterior space where passengers can get fantastic views of the city and New Jersey. The brunch is a three-course prix fixe menu served at private tables, starting with fresh pastries, moving on to salmon and lox, then seasonal salad served alongside roasted ham and waffles with fresh fruit, and finishing with fruit and cookies. The brunch includes a complimentary Bloody Mary, mimosa, beer, wine, or champagne.
The slightly shorter 2-hour Afternoon Fall Foliage Lunch Cruise is aboard the Manhattan II, which also ventures out to the Palisades. The fall-themed menu includes homemade soup, seasonal salad with roasted pumpkin, candied walnuts and maple vinaigrette, and assorted tea sandwiches. A version of the cruise without meals, the Grand Palisades Fall Foliage Cruise, also features views of changing leaves and the mighty Hudson River. The Fall Foliage Cruise is also available on the yachts Kingston and Full Moon. The longest cruise, at 3.5 hours, is the Grand Palisades Fall Foliage cruise on the schooner Adirondack, which explores more of the Palisades — which form a canyon of the Hudson River north of Fort Lee.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, all passengers must wear masks at boarding and disembarking, as well as when traveling throughout the boat. All tickets can be rescheduled or converted to credit up until 24 hours in advance, and capacity has returned to 100%. Contactless transactions are in effect for ticket purchases, bar purchases, and tipping.
Classic Harbor Line is also offering a series of Boston Fall Foliage Cruises. For a full list of cruises and other offerings, check out Classic Harbor Line’s website.
Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise
Next, check out the Top 10 Secrets of the Hudson River.