I love creating great experiences that make visiting New York City easier, and since so many people ask "What should we do?" when visiting NYC, I thought I should create a guide that will walk you through the neighborhood the way I would if I could be with you. Most people have an interest in visiting the 9/11 Memorial and the Statue of Liberty, but this neighborhood has so much more to offer if you know where to go! So, I've laid out my insider perspective stop-by-stop in an order that helps you spend a day on foot in this neighborhood anytime of year in order to get the most out of it. If you start this tour around 9am, you'll be in good shape to do all of it! Some sites may require advance tickets to be purchased in order to avoid a long line or not getting in, so please check out those websites in advance if you've interested in spending more time at those sites.
Address: 19 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
Hours: 10am - 10pm
Time: 2 Hours
Cost: Food Court, Restaurants, Retail Shopping
The perfect ending to a full day must include good food and good drink. As the rest of the financial district closes down and empties out in the evening, the Seaport District and Fulton Market area restaurants light up as a place to relax, eat, and drink after a long day. Getting here from the Ferry terminal is either a long walk along the waterfront, or a short taxi ride. You can find restaurants and food options for all diets, as well as indoor or outdoor seating in the good weather months of the year. There are retail stores for all ages as well as a Seaport Museum and a Pier with Brooklyn views along the water. This is one of NYC's hidden districts that often isn't explored by visitors unless someone tells them about it. The district website lists a few of the businesses, but there are many others not listed here:
https://www.seaportdistrict.nyc
Do you have sites you'd recommend to visitors spending a day downtown?
Leave a comment and share your favorites!
9/11 Memorial Park & Pools
Address: 160 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10006
Hours: Park Open 7:30am-9pm, Museum Open 9am-6pm
Hours: Park Open 7:30am-9pm, Museum Open 9am-6pm
Time: 30 minutes for just the park & pools, or 2 hours for the museum
Cost: Free to visit the park & pools, Museum is normally $18-$40 but free Tuesday evenings
Start here in the morning, when the air is cool and the tourists haven't fully crowded the park yet. You'll see the two large pools that are memorial footprints of the buildings and the people who died in 9/11 carved out of the pool's edge. If you have young children, the actual museum may not be the best content or environment for them. If you have older children, you may be interested in visiting the museum, which has a somber and reflective tone as it shares movies, memories, and moments of the day and the people who were lost. If you plan to visit the museum, check in advance for tickets and entry times available:
One World Trade 360ยบ Observatory
Address: 285 Fulton St, New York, NY 10006
Hours: 9am-8pm
Hours: 9am-8pm
Time: 60-90 minutes depending on wait times or lines
Cost: $34-$61
Is the sky clear enough to see the top of the One World Trade Building? If so, you should have a good clear view across the city from the top of the observatory as well. If it's a rainy or low-cloud day, it may not be worth the visit, but if it's clear, take advantage of the weather and enjoy the elevator ride up which has basically been turned into its own amusement ride through time, history, and space as you soar the 100 flights to the top observatory deck over the highest view of NYC.
Oculus / Westfield World Trade Center
Address: 184 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10006
Hours: 10am-7pm
Hours: 10am-7pm
Time: 30 minutes to explore different levels and views without shopping
Cost: Free to enter, Retail shopping available
A modern skeleton designed to be a grand public space for commuting downtown, shopping, and viewing the ever upward skyline and perspectives through the various windows and skylights. Architecturally unique and spectacular as it connects the descent and the ascent of the new world trade center. After walking around here, take the underground tunnel past the Path Train and down the hallway to Brookfield Place, which has many great food options for lunch!
Hudson Eats / Brookfield Place
Address: 230 Vesey St, New York, NY 10281
Hours: 10am - 7pm
Hours: 10am - 7pm
Time: 60-90 minutes to explore, order, wait, and sit down for lunch
Cost: Free to enter, Food Court, Restaurants, and Retail Shopping Available
This is the best place to eat downtown because it has the largest selection of restaurants and high quality food options to stay, to go, or to sit down and enjoy as long as you want. The lower level near the palm tree atrium has grocery and some sit down restaurant options, while the top level has a food court where you can order at individual eateries and then find a table. If you can get a table near the windows overlooking the Hudson Yacht Marina, that's one of the best views here.
Battery Park City Esplanade / South Cove Park
Address: South Cove, Battery Park, New York, NY
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Time: 30 minutes to walk, stop, take photos
Cost: Free
After a good meal at Brookfield Place, take an easy stroll along the waterfront as you make your way down to Battery Park. It's so easy to forget that this metropolis is an island surrounded by brackish river and ocean waters, and a good walk along the water will help put that back into perspective. There are plenty of places for shade to stop and sit, as well as a few public restroom options along the way. If the weather isn't great, it's a short taxi ride to the Ferries at Battery Park.
Take a Ferry - Pick One Option...
Option 1: Ferry to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
Address: Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park, New York, NY
Hours: 8:30am - 5pm
Hours: 8:30am - 5pm
Time: 4 Hours
Cost: $9 - $21.50
If you love history and landmarks, this is the choice for you. Stand at the feet of Lady Liberty or book a visit to climb into her crown. Walk in the footsteps of early immigrants as they journeyed from other countries to create a new life in America. Look up your ancestors in advance through the Ellis Island online registry to see if anyone in your family shared the journey of arriving at Ellis Island. Reserve your ferry time with Statue Cruises, departing from Battery Park:
Option 2: Staten Island Ferry
Address: 4 Whitehall St, New York, NY 1004
Hours: 24hrs
Hours: 24hrs
Time: 2 Hours
Cost: Free
This is the fast & free way to get a closer view of the Statue of Liberty. New Yorkers who don't want to visit Ellis Island will often take their friends and visitors on this ferry just to pass by for photos. It's also great if you're just tapped out and tired and want to sit for a while, which I've found has been appreciated by my family members and friends who aren't used to walking all day long like I am. There isn't much to see in Staten Island right now (they have plans for a large Ferris Wheel attraction), but you still have to hop off when you get to Staten Island, so if you can't catch another Ferry back to Manhattan right away, grab an ice cream cone and look at the little aquarium in the terminal until the next Ferry takes off back to Manhattan. You can find the ferry schedule here:
Option 3: Governor's Island Ferry
Address: 10 South St, New York, NY 10004
Hours: 10am - 6pm Summer May 1 - October 31 (Closed November 1 - April 30)
Time: 4 Hours
Cost: $0 - $2
My personal favorite way to spend a good weather afternoon is at Governor's Island (not open in the winter). Most tourists never even learn about Governor's Island, let alone visit it, which is another reason why New Yorkers love it. It's a place to escape the city while still being close by. The island has zero traffic because it's designed for pedestrians and bikers. There are historic sites on the island that are operated by the National Park Service, there's a small farm and eco-education center, there's a food truck alley, a hammock grove, a slide hill, and a bunch of other things you can discover while you're there. It's a space to relax, breathe some cleaner air, and slow down the pace a little. Find the Governor's Island Ferry Terminal by looking for the historic victorian ferry terminal to the east of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. For information about events happening on the island, visit the website:
https://govisland.com/things-to-doSeaport District Fulton Market
Address: 19 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
Hours: 10am - 10pm
Time: 2 Hours
Cost: Food Court, Restaurants, Retail Shopping
The perfect ending to a full day must include good food and good drink. As the rest of the financial district closes down and empties out in the evening, the Seaport District and Fulton Market area restaurants light up as a place to relax, eat, and drink after a long day. Getting here from the Ferry terminal is either a long walk along the waterfront, or a short taxi ride. You can find restaurants and food options for all diets, as well as indoor or outdoor seating in the good weather months of the year. There are retail stores for all ages as well as a Seaport Museum and a Pier with Brooklyn views along the water. This is one of NYC's hidden districts that often isn't explored by visitors unless someone tells them about it. The district website lists a few of the businesses, but there are many others not listed here:
https://www.seaportdistrict.nyc
Do you have sites you'd recommend to visitors spending a day downtown?
Leave a comment and share your favorites!
