Rent a Bus to Empire Outlets: The Complete Empire Outlets Transportation Guide

You've probably read that Empire Outlets is New York City's first outlet mall — open-air waterfront design, steps from the Staten Island Ferry, harbor views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan. That part is true, and it draws groups from Brooklyn, Bayonne, and across the city for a North Shore waterfront day. What is less advertised is what happened afterward.

The mall entered foreclosure in February 2022, owing more than $200 million to its lenders. Goldman Sachs acquired the property at a September 2023 auction for $10 million. Anchor tenant Nordstrom Rack closed in December 2024.

In November 2025, the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced a rezoning vision for the entire site — up to 2,500 new residential units, with formal land-use review beginning in 2026 and groundbreaking not projected before 2030. As of mid-2026, the official directory lists approximately 35 stores and restaurants active across a complex originally designed for closer to 100. Empire Outlets is open.

It is not what was originally promised.

The trip is still worth making — the honest question is knowing what you're going for. The St. George waterfront is considerably more than the mall. The Postcards 9/11 memorial stands on the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade within a five-minute walk of the Empire Outlets entrance, facing Lower Manhattan across the harbor.

SIUH Community Park, home of the Staten Island FerryHawks Atlantic League baseball team, is at 75 Richmond Terrace — next door. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is two miles west along the same road. And one logistics question shapes the whole day: does your group take the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal and sort out how to get between venues once on the island — or does a charter bus or party bus handle the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge crossing, the drop on Richmond Terrace, and the move to Snug Harbor after lunch, all in one vehicle?

Below is the complete guide to both questions.

What Your Group Will Find at Empire Outlets in 2026

Empire Outlets (55 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301) operates Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The active tenants as of mid-2026 include Nike Factory Store, H&M, Gap Factory, Banana Republic Factory, Old Navy Outlet, Levi's Outlet, Guess Factory, Rainbow, ShoeBox, and Lids for apparel and footwear, with Shake Shack, Starbucks, Nathan's Famous, Häagen-Dazs, and Wetzel's Pretzels covering the food and beverage side. The complex also runs rotating events — pop-up markets, outdoor art exhibitions, seasonal programming — so check the Empire Outlets homepage before your visit to see what is on that weekend.

The MRKTPL Culinary Market on Level 4 is temporarily closed as of the latest directory update.

The honest retail picture: the complex spans four levels — The Waterfront, Crown Courtyard, King's Walk, Queen's Walk, Lower Promenade, and Center Court — originally designed to hold roughly 100 stores and services. About 35 are currently operating. Many storefronts remain vacant.

Nordstrom Rack, which held the anchor position since the 2019 opening, has been gone since December 2024. What remains is a workable selection of outlet standbys that do offer real outlet-price discounts on current-season goods — Nike, H&M, Gap, Banana Republic, and Levi's are all genuine outlets, not outlet-priced versions of regular retail. But groups expecting a comprehensive day-long shopping haul comparable to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets should recalibrate before the bus rolls.

Confirm the specific stores you want are open via the official Empire Outlets directory before your visit — the tenant list does shift, and finding a storefront dark after the group crossed the Verrazano is the one avoidable disappointment in an otherwise easy trip.

The St. George Waterfront: The Real Draw for Groups

The Postcards memorial occupies a stretch of the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade directly beside the St. George Ferry Terminal — two 40-foot white wing-shaped sculptures honoring the 274 Staten Island residents killed in the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Dedicated September 11, 2004, the memorial faces Lower Manhattan across the harbor; the former Twin Towers site is in direct sight to the northeast and the Statue of Liberty to the southwest. It is a five-minute walk from the Empire Outlets entrance along the waterfront path.

It is always free, always accessible, and no reservations are needed. For a group making the trip for any reason, this is the stop that tends to stay with people longest.

SIUH Community Park (75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301) sits immediately east of Empire Outlets on the same block. The Staten Island FerryHawks — the Atlantic League independent baseball team — play a full home schedule from May through September in a 7,171-seat ballpark with harbor sight lines from the upper rows. FerryHawks tickets run a fraction of a major-league price, the ballpark is compact and easy to navigate, and both venues share the same Richmond Terrace frontage — which means a group that combines a shopping stop at the outlets with a FerryHawks game stays on the same block all afternoon.

A Staten Island sporting event bus rental handles the round-trip from Brooklyn or New Jersey door-to-door, with the bus staging nearby while the group is inside the park. For group ticketing, the FerryHawks' official website is the right starting point.

Two miles west along Richmond Terrace, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301) is a 19th-century sailors' retirement home turned 83-acre cultural campus — Greek Revival mansion buildings, a Chinese Scholar's Garden, multiple museums, and grounds open from dawn to dusk seven days a week. Getting from Empire Outlets to Snug Harbor on foot takes about 40 minutes; on a charter bus, it is a five-minute drive on the same road the bus is already on. That is the case for keeping the bus on a full St. George day.

The Snug Harbor group transportation guide covers that campus's drop-off and parking details in full. For evenings in the neighborhood, the St. George Theatre at 35 Hyatt Street — a restored 1929 vaudeville house that books concerts, comedy, and touring shows — is four blocks south of the waterfront and a natural end to a full St. George day.

Charter Bus and Party Bus Drop-Off at Empire Outlets and St. George

Richmond Terrace is the spine of the North Shore waterfront — the road that connects the St. George Ferry Terminal at 1 Bay Street east through Empire Outlets at 55 Richmond Terrace and SIUH Community Park at 75 Richmond Terrace, then turns west toward Snug Harbor at 1000 Richmond Terrace. Every destination in this guide fronts this road or is directly reachable from it. A charter bus or party bus arriving from Brooklyn follows I-278 westbound over the Verrazano, exits toward Bay Street, and turns onto Richmond Terrace.

Buses from New Jersey via the Goethals Bridge follow I-278 eastbound to the same Richmond Terrace corridor. The entire waterfront cluster — ferry terminal, Empire Outlets, and the ballpark — spans fewer than four blocks of this road.

For Empire Outlets, passenger drop-off is curbside on Richmond Terrace at the main entrance at 55 Richmond Terrace. The mall's primary pedestrian entrance faces the road directly — a charter bus or minibus pulls to the curb for unloading, then repositions. There is no designated charter bus parking within the Empire Outlets footprint.

The SP Plus self-park indoor garage at 35B Richmond Terrace is available for standard passenger vehicles with discounted validation from the mall, but full-size charter buses cannot enter this structure. After curbside drop-off, the bus stages elsewhere while the group shops or attends the game.

The St. George Ferry Terminal's Kiss & Ride facility provides an alternative coordinated pickup and drop-off point one block east of the Empire Outlets entrance. Per the Staten Island Ferry's getting-here page, this facility is in the upper South Lobby of the terminal, reached by taking the bus ramp from Richmond Terrace in the outermost right lane. For groups dropping at the terminal area first and walking to the mall, or for post-shopping pickups, this is the most formal commercial vehicle access point in the immediate area.

Parking and Staging for Charter Buses Near Empire Outlets

The most practical staging option for charter buses waiting while the group shops or watches a FerryHawks game is the Ferry Terminal South #1 Municipal Parking Field at 1 Bay Street — a 222-space open-air surface lot operated by NYC DOT, one block east of the Empire Outlets entrance, at $2.00 per hour with a maximum of $16.00 per 18 hours. As an open-air lot rather than a structured garage, it can accommodate larger vehicles in a way the Empire Outlets parking garage cannot; confirm maximum vehicle dimensions with the lot attendant before planning your staging there. A second option in the area is the Staten Island Courthouse Garage at 54 Central Avenue, with 721 spaces approximately four blocks south of the waterfront — height clearance for full-size charter buses should be verified before committing to staging there.

On FerryHawks game days, check the FerryHawks' official site for any event-day traffic or parking guidance along Richmond Terrace specific to your game date.

Rent a Charter Bus or Party Bus to Empire Outlets from Brooklyn and New Jersey

The free Staten Island Ferry is the obvious choice for individuals traveling from Lower Manhattan. It departs Whitehall Terminal on Rector Street every 30 minutes during off-peak hours — more frequently during rush periods — takes 25 minutes across the harbor, and deposits riders 200 feet from the Empire Outlets entrance. For two people, there is genuinely no cheaper or more direct way into St. George.

The ferry carries passengers only, no vehicles. That one fact changes everything for a group.

A charter bus cannot take the ferry. It crosses on a bridge — and for groups assembling in Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, Long Island, or from multiple scattered addresses around the metro, a Staten Island charter bus rental handles the entire day without anyone navigating the Whitehall Terminal crowd, waiting for the next departure, or figuring out transit between venues once they're on the island. From Brooklyn, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is the only land connection — buses follow I-278 westbound from Downtown Brooklyn, cross the bridge, and exit toward Bay Street and Richmond Terrace.

In normal traffic, that run is 15 to 20 minutes from Downtown Brooklyn. From central and southern New Jersey, the Goethals Bridge (I-278 eastbound) is the standard approach from Elizabeth, Linden, and the Garden State Parkway corridor — approximately 25 to 30 minutes to St. George in normal conditions. From northern New Jersey, the Bayonne Bridge via Route 440 handles groups from Jersey City, Bayonne, and the Hudson County corridor.

The Outerbridge Crossing on Route 440 South serves groups from Middlesex and Monmouth counties. All four approaches converge on the same Richmond Terrace waterfront at the northeastern tip of the island.

The reason a bus beats the ferry for a group of any real size is not just the bridge question — it's the between-venues problem. The S40 bus runs from the St. George Terminal west to Snug Harbor, stopping at the Sailor's Snug Harbor Gate on Richmond Terrace. But if your group is already on a charter bus in St. George, the move to Snug Harbor is a five-minute drive on the same road, no bus schedule to match, no coordinating who is at which stop.

A bus that can reposition between Empire Outlets, the FerryHawks ballpark, and Snug Harbor on a single rental is what turns a one-stop trip into a full day.

For groups flying into the region, Newark Liberty International Airport sits approximately 25 to 30 minutes from St. George via the Goethals Bridge in standard traffic. A group arriving at EWR and heading to a FerryHawks game or a combined Empire Outlets and Snug Harbor day can arrange Staten Island airport transportation from baggage claim directly to Richmond Terrace — no rental car coordination, no rideshare scramble with luggage. The Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) shuttle guide covers the terminal pickup logistics in full.

Which Bus Fits Your Empire Outlets Group?

For most shopping-focused groups in the 15- to 30-person range, a 15- to 35-passenger minibus is the right pick. It is compact enough to handle Richmond Terrace curbside drop-offs cleanly, the overhead bins handle shopping bags without needing undercarriage storage, and the powerful A/C and plush reclining seats make the bridge crossing comfortable rather than transactional. For a FerryHawks outing or a day-trip group that includes Snug Harbor on the same itinerary, the minibus handles the multi-stop routing without oversizing the vehicle for a group that doesn't need 56 seats.

For larger outings — a family reunion block, a corporate group day trip, a school trip that combines the Postcards memorial with a FerryHawks game — a 40- to 56-passenger charter bus handles the headcount in one vehicle with undercarriage bays for gear and an onboard restroom for the drive. For celebration groups, a 30-passenger party bus hits the right size for most birthday shopping trips, bachelorette groups pairing the waterfront with dinner, or office outings that want the group together from pickup to drop-off. Browse the full vehicle lineup to compare the complete range of options — from Sprinter vans for small groups up to full motorcoaches for large outings.

Empire Outlets Party Bus and Charter Bus Rental Prices

Staten Island charter bus and party bus rentals to Empire Outlets are priced by vehicle type, total hours reserved, day of week, and pickup location. To give you an idea of the planning ranges: a 15- to 35-passenger minibus typically runs $200 to $250 per hour on weekdays and $200 to $275 per hour on weekends, or $1,100 to $2,150 for a full day. A 40- to 56-passenger charter bus runs $200 to $350 per hour on either day, or $1,350 to $2,850 for a full-day trip.

Party buses vary by size — a 30-passenger party bus runs $300 to $375 per hour on weekdays and $325 to $425 on weekends. These are planning ranges, not a quote; your actual price moves with the specific date, pickup address, and how many hours the vehicle is reserved for your group.

Once you split one bus across 20 to 40 people, the per-head number usually beats coordinating the same group across multiple cars — each paying the Verrazano toll both ways, each needing a spot in the Empire Outlets SP Plus garage (discounted validated parking available from the mall) or the Ferry Terminal South lot at $16.00 per 18-hour maximum. One vehicle, one rate, no parking math at either end. Check the Staten Island party bus prices page for a fuller breakdown by vehicle type, or call 332-529-1330 any time to get quick, no-obligation pricing for your specific date and group size — usually takes under a minute.

Frequently Asked Questions About Renting a Bus to Empire Outlets

Where exactly does a charter bus drop off at Empire Outlets?

Curbside on Richmond Terrace at the main entrance — 55 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. The mall fronts Richmond Terrace directly; a charter bus or minibus pulls to the curb for passenger unloading, then repositions. For a formal coordinated pickup and drop-off point, the St. George Ferry Terminal's Kiss & Ride facility in the upper South Lobby is one block east, accessed via the bus ramp from Richmond Terrace in the outermost right lane.

Can a charter bus use the Empire Outlets parking garage?

No. The SP Plus self-park indoor garage at 35B Richmond Terrace is a standard-height passenger vehicle structure. Full-size charter buses cannot enter it. The bus drops the group curbside on Richmond Terrace and stages at the Ferry Terminal South #1 Municipal Parking Field (222 spaces, 1 Bay Street, $2.00 per hour, $16.00 maximum per 18 hours) or along the waterfront while the group is inside.

Confirm staging details when you book.

How many stores are actually open at Empire Outlets right now?

Approximately 35 stores and restaurants appear in the active Empire Outlets directory as of mid-2026, across a complex originally designed for roughly 100 tenants. Confirmed active brands include Nike Factory, H&M, Gap Factory, Banana Republic Factory, Old Navy Outlet, Levi's, Guess Factory, Shake Shack, Starbucks, Nathan's Famous, and Häagen-Dazs, among others. The MRKTPL Culinary Market on Level 4 is temporarily closed.

Check the directory before your visit — the tenant list shifts, and verifying the specific stores your group wants are open before loading the bus avoids an avoidable disappointment.

Is Empire Outlets worth the trip if many stores are closed?

For a group planning around more than just shopping — a FerryHawks game, the Postcards memorial, a Snug Harbor afternoon, or a waterfront dinner — yes. The stores that are open offer genuine outlet pricing. The waterfront setting, the Shake Shack and Starbucks with harbor views, and the proximity to the ballpark and memorial make for a solid two to three hours even with the partial occupancy.

For a group whose only goal is an extensive multi-hour outlet shopping session with 80-plus brands, the current tenant count is a real limitation. Plan Empire Outlets as one part of a St. George day, not the whole day, and the trip holds up.

Is the Postcards memorial worth adding to the itinerary?

Yes — and it takes almost nothing to add it. The Postcards memorial is on the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade, a five-minute walk east along the waterfront path from the Empire Outlets entrance. Two 40-foot white wing-shaped sculptures with 274 engraved name plaques face Lower Manhattan directly across the harbor.

It is always accessible, always free, and no reservations are needed. Most groups visiting the waterfront for any reason do not skip it once they know it is there.

Can we do Empire Outlets and Snug Harbor on the same trip?

Yes — and this is one of the stronger multi-stop itineraries a Staten Island charter bus handles well. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden at 1000 Richmond Terrace is approximately two miles west of Empire Outlets along the same road: a five-minute drive. Drop the group at Empire Outlets for 90 minutes, reload, and move to Snug Harbor for the afternoon.

On-site parking at Snug Harbor is currently free and first-come-first-served in Lots P1 through P4, but the lots fill quickly on summer weekends — which is exactly when having a charter bus already on-site beats arriving in 12 separate cars hoping the lot is not full.

Is a charter bus faster than the ferry from Manhattan?

For two people starting in Lower Manhattan, no — the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal is hard to beat at 25 minutes to St. George. But the ferry carries passengers only; a charter bus cannot cross on it. So for groups assembling anywhere outside walking distance of Whitehall Terminal — Brooklyn, New Jersey, Queens, Long Island — a charter bus across the Verrazano or Goethals is both faster door-to-door and more flexible once you're on the island.

The ferry deposits your group at the terminal; a charter bus drops them exactly where the day needs them and can reposition between venues without scheduling around transit.

What is the long-term future of Empire Outlets?

In November 2025, the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced a rezoning vision for the Empire Outlets site and the adjacent former New York Wheel site — together, up to 2,500 new residential units, expanded open space, and new retail. The formal land-use review process (ULURP) is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, with a rezoning approval target in 2027, developer selection in 2028, and groundbreaking projected for 2030. The mall continues operating through this planning process; no construction or access disruptions are expected during 2026 or 2027 based on the current timeline.

The most current project status is available at the NYCEDC website.

What bridge route does a charter bus take from New Jersey to Empire Outlets?

From northern New Jersey (Jersey City, Bayonne, and the Hudson County corridor): the Bayonne Bridge via Route 440, then Richmond Avenue toward Bay Street and Richmond Terrace. From central New Jersey (Elizabeth, Newark, Woodbridge): the Goethals Bridge on I-278 eastbound, approximately 25 to 30 minutes to St. George in normal traffic. From southern New Jersey: the Outerbridge Crossing on Route 440.

Groups coming from across Brooklyn cross via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on I-278 westbound, roughly 15 to 20 minutes from Downtown Brooklyn. All four bridge approaches converge on the same Richmond Terrace waterfront corridor at the St. George end.

Book Your Charter Bus or Party Bus Rental to Empire Outlets

Whether the group is here for the Nike Factory and Shake Shack, a FerryHawks game at SIUH Community Park next door, the Postcards memorial on the waterfront esplanade, a full day that runs from shopping through Snug Harbor, or some combination of all of them — a Staten Island charter bus or party bus rental handles the whole day in one vehicle from wherever your group is assembled. Statenislandpartybuscompany.com connects you to a large network of bus companies serving Staten Island and the surrounding metro, so you can compare vehicles and rates in under a minute without calling around. Fill out the quick online form or call 332-529-1330 any time for a free price quote at no obligation. For the full range of group transportation options across the borough, the Staten Island group transportation services page covers every occasion and vehicle type in the network.