To get the ferry you have to go to Whitehall terminal on south manhattan next to Battery park.
On Staten Island the terminal is called St George Ferry terminal
The ferry is free, can you imagine that!. This is where you have a nice view of the statue of liberty. I recommend to be on the right side of the boat when going from Manhattan, and on the left side when going from Staten Island.
Not every boats have a balcony without windows, but if you catch one, hurry up to take the stairs up to the 1 floor to get a good spot for all your nice photos. We went outside and got wonderful pictures of the statue of liberty and Manhattan skyline.
We learned that everyone need to go off the boat at each station. But if you like to take the same boat back you can. Hurry up when going off and run to the waiting hall to renter the boat again.
During the rushhours between 7-9 in the morning you have boats every 15 min. During these hours we met many local comutors on the boat, but don’t worry they dont rush to the same places as the tourist.
A question all parents have when traveling with kids is, are there public toilettes on the boat? The answer is no! But in both Terminals you find them and we found them to be well maintained. So get the little ones to use the toilettes before going on your next adventures.