After spending three days with almost six thousand women at BlogHer12, I desperately needed a little sunshine, fresh air, and wind in my hair. Sarah, Mindi, and I hopped into a cab at the Hilton and headed towards Pier 78. A Sunday morning cruise around Manhattan was a perfect way to close out my NYC trip.

I took the Midtown Harbor Cruise from CitySightseeing New York. The cruise leaves from Pier 78 (40th on the Hudson River).  It travels down around the southern tip of Manhattan and up the East River past the Williamsburg Bridge, turns around and heads out to the Statue of Liberty for a photo op and back up the Hudson to Pier 78. 

Here are some tips:
- Arrive Early. The cruise is popular and it is first-come, first serve.
- If you buy a voucher or pre-book a group ahead of time, you can stand in a special line with virtually no one in it.
- If you can't snag a seat on the top deck, don't worry. You can move around once the ship sets sail.
- If you want to stand in the front of the boat and be able to re-enact Leonardo DiCaprio, snag one of the first seats right inside the doors in the bottom of the boat. This is the PRIME spot once the ship starts moving. Trust me, you'll have the best view in the house.

The cruise was fabulous. The weather was great. But the best part was our tour guide, Michael. Michael knew every single fact about New York City. I simply would ride over and over again to hear the rich history including: New York City (aka the City of Greater New York), Ellis Island, the Freedom Towers, Miracle on the Hudson, and even his ex-wife Julia.

Take a look at the great images I captured before heading back to DC! click on images to enlarge.

Links for CitySightseeing New York:
Midtown Cruise
Twitter: CruiseNYC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitySightseeingNewYork