Take the Free Ferry to a Harbor Fort Under the Verrazzano
A free 25-minute ferry ride, then ships sliding under the Verrazzano beside a granite fort on the Narrows.
⚓ A Fort on the Narrows, Then Lunch
The free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall takes about 25 minutes but docks at St. George, not the fort. Transfer there to the S51 bus down Bay Street at the regular MTA fare.
Park entry is free, and the grounds open daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Start at the visitor center, open Friday through Monday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, then walk out to the overlook, where the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge stretches right over Battery Weed and its small lighthouse. Enjoy Battery Weed from outside, since interior visits are not guaranteed.
Battery Weed was built in the years before the Civil War to guard New York Harbor, and the 226-acre site is one of the oldest military installations in the country.
Allow extra time to walk back to Bay Street, where Island Garden serves Chinese food at 1364 Bay Street. For dinner, Basilio Inn, Staten Island's oldest restaurant, closed mid-January to early March, opens at 3:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00 PM on Sunday. Arthur von Briesen Park nearby is an optional extra.
On Sunday, November 1, 2026, the fort is the New York City Marathon start area. Plan another day.
