Warm weather sends many New Yorkers to the shoreline, and the cooling breezes of the water conjure reveries of the sea. As the temperatures climb higher, a stroll along the
Battery Park Esplanade and a
ferry ride to Staten Island together make for a relaxing walking and boating experience. When I did this combo yesterday, I was so relaxed I almost fell asleep in mid-stride.
A good place to start would be the
World Financial Center, perhaps taking in a coffee and something to eat while sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine next to the
North Cove Marina. Just looking at the boats docked in the water, including a fleet of sailboats from the Manhattan Sailing School, can set the mind longing for the sea.
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| Begin at the North Cove Marina next to the World Financial Center. |
Just off the marina to the south, look for the tree-lined double paths next to the water. The Battery Park Esplanade, with beautiful landscaping throughout, makes for a wonderful walk, although the presence of bicyclists and runners can be unnerving at times. Stay on the upper level if you feel uneasy. As the sign reads "Yield to Pedestrians," you have my permission to yell at whoever doesn't.
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| Battery Park Esplanade |
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| Battery Park Esplanade |
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| South Cove, Battery Park Esplanade |
This particularly well-designed walkway incorporates public art, including the exceptional
South Cove installation (1988). Located between West Thames Street and 1st Place, this collaborative work by artist Mary Miss, architect Stanton Eckstut, and landscape architect Susan Child consists of a steel viewing tower, a wooden dock lined with blue lights, and a landscaped area of flowers and boulders. Through wholly manmade, the work plays homage to historical waterfronts as it heightens a mystical awareness of our longings for the sea.
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| South Cove, Battery Park Esplanade |
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| View of New York Harbor from the Battery |
The walk concludes in
Battery Park, and if the urge to get on a boat is overwhelming, catch the Staten Island Ferry. It's free, thus affording a convenient excuse for whimsical impulses. While visitors from the world over will be on the decks practically falling over themselves in excitement at the views of the Statute of Liberty and Lower Manhattan, regular commuters will likely be sitting in a favorite spot in the interior, reading a book or taking a quick twenty-minute nap.
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| Looking back at the Battery Park Esplanade from the Staten Island Ferry |
The end of the ferry ride doesn't necessarily conclude the day's reveries. Staten Island offers many options. Before catching the ferry over to the island, look in the terminal building for the video that describes the various places to visit.
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| In the distance, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge links Staten Island with Brooklyn |
For more information on the Staten Island Ferry, see the
official website.
View Battery Park Esplanade to Staten Island Ferry in a larger map
The adventure concludes with
a visit to a secret garden on Staten Island.
Images by Walking Off the Big Apple from April 15, 2012.
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