We really liked the marina in Jersey City. It was so relaxing to be tucked away in such a calm spot. The marina didn't have a ton of amenities but it was in an amazing location and everyone we met there was super friendly and welcoming.

We spent 9 days there which was great because it meant we could explore lots of the amazing things that New York City has to offer without feeling like we needed to do something every day. Jesse actually had time to get more caught up on work than he's been this entire trip.

Jersey City was also much cooler than we expected. It was a very residential area with lots of interesting shops and restaurants which we were more than happy to try out. It also had a beautiful walk way all along the waterfront. There were two subway stations and a ferry to Manhattan all within easy walking distance from the marina which made getting into the city really convenient.

We took the ferry for our first trip across the Hudson. It was more expensive than the subway but was really comfortable and really fast. We didn't have any real plans that day which I find often results in the most interesting days.

Just a few steps from the ferry we stumbled upon a really beautiful memorial to the Irish Famine. Pictures don't do it justice but it was really beautiful and unique. The next thing we stumbled upon was the Museum of Art and Technology. On a whim we decided to check it out and it was worth the visit. All of the exhibits were immersive or interactive in some way and the whole thing had a surreal air to it that was a lot of fun. Aria especially liked it and says it is the best museum we've been to on this trip. After the museum we walked a few blocks over to check out China Town on the way stopping to take in the Twin Towers memorials.

China town was a lot of fun! It's such a bustling and vibrant place. We spent some time checking out various shops including one place that was all claw machines. Aria and Jesse both tried their luck but didn't manage to win any of the big prizes. After shopping and claw machining we got some delicious dumplings before heading back to the subway. The station we needed to get back to New Jersey was located in the Oculus. Someone had described it to me a like being inside of a dinosaurs rib cage and I have to say his description wasn't far off.

The next couple of days were rainy so we stayed in Jersey City and got some work and school work done. When we headed back into Manhattan it was to go check out the Guggenheim Museum. The building is amazing and the artwork on display was really interesting. There was even a live pianist which I quite enjoyed. They also had a space displaying artwork by students at various NYC schools. I've not got some great ideas for next year!

After the Guggenheim we headed to Little Italy where we had a delicious meal. I had lamb capelette with hazelnuts and it was one of the tastiest meals I've ever had.

We spent the next day doing laundry and provisioning and planning our last trip into the city. For our last day in Manhattan we decided to do something really touristy, we headed up to the top of the One World Trade Center building. At 1,176 feet tall it's one of the tallest buildings in the world. The view from the top was incredible and we had a lovely lunch with a spectacular backdrop.

And with that our time at the Marina was done, and it was time to continue moving along. We are going to go out and anchor at the Statue of Liberty tomorrow and then we'll start heading north up the Hudson River.