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    HUDSON RIVER PARK

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    Signature City Experiences

    Hudson River Park

    Battery Pl. to W. 59th St., along the Hudson River (Downtown/Midtown)

    New York, NY

    (1) 212-627-2020 | www.hudsonriverpark.org

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    • ATTRACTION

      Waterside Park
    • HOURS/TIMES

      Daily: Dawn-1:00am (specific attractions within park may have different hours); Bike path: open 24 hours
    • PRICE

      Free
    • POPULAR TIMES

      Weekends
    • RESERVE IN ADVANCE

      No
    • WAIT TIME WITHOUT RESERVATION

      None
    • HIGHLIGHTS

      Five-mile bike/running path; free kayaking; waterside green space
    • ALLOW

      1-4 hours
    • SUBWAY

      59th St.-Columbus Cir. (A, B, C, D, 1); 50th St. (C, E); 42nd St.-Port Authority Bus Station (A, C, E); 34th St.-Penn Station (A, C, E, 1, 2, 3); 23rd St. (C, E); 14th St.-8th Ave. (A, C, E, L); Houston St. (1); Chambers St.- W. Broadway (1, 2); Chambers St.-Church St. (A, C); Bowling Green (4, 5)
    Bernhard Suter

    VIBE

    It may not have the bulk of legendary Central Park, but there’s no need to pick on the newest major park on the NYC block, even if it is a skinny kid. Not only does this shoestring-shaped waterfront greenbelt run all the way from Midtown at West 59th Street down to the very southern tip of Manhattan at Battery Place, but it also manages to pack in a wealth of activities by linking up with scores of the city’s newly renovated piers (which hold delights like gardens, grassy lawns, and community-friendly sports facilities). Highlights include free kayaking at Piers 96, 66, and 40; kid-friendly activities like a skate park and a carousel at Pier 62; tennis courts and the Trapeze School of New York at Pier 40; and (for those who really want to connect with the great outdoors) free fishing at Piers 96, 84, and 46.

    GO HERE WITH

    Kids; cyclists; runners; friends; pets

    WHY WE LIKE IT

    Nothing beats sunbathing in a riverfront park on a hot summer day. We’re particularly partial to the lawns at Pier 45 (at West 10th Street), because this is where the well-heeled West Village crew comes to strut their stuff. When we’re feeling sportier, we like running along the greenbelt path (it’s over five miles long!), or taking in some scenic tennis at the free courts near Pier 40 (at West Houston St.).

    WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

    Sections of the park have direct West Side Highway views, not always exactly “scenic.”

    GOOD TO KNOW

    There’re so many activities spread across so many piers that the Hudson River Park can be pretty bewildering for newbies to navigate. If you’re feeling swamped, check out the fantastic interactive map on their website–it shows the entire park and a breakdown of the activities at each location. Also worth checking out in this area are the Chelsea Piers, a luxe sports and entertainment complex on Piers 59-62.

    CLOSEST COMPS

    The High Line (New York); Chelsea Piers (New York)


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