New York Magazine

 

  The yellow-checkered cab has long been a New York City icon. But the yellow-checkered catamaran? Even Gotham natives may not have heard of that one. Still, the sleek, banana-yellow "taxis” zipping along the Hudson and East Rivers are poised to become instant classics. The New York Water Taxi Company operates six of these speedsters, which make a dozen-odd stops in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (plus commuter service to Jersey City). For visitors, $20 buys two consecutive days of hop-on, hop-off fun, offering some spectacular photo ops and a safe, swift way to get around the metropolis. For locals, one-way tickets, 10-trip booklets, and monthly passes make our waterways more accessible than ever before. Hop off to check out the popular destinations at each stop—as well as a few hidden gems.