Walking Off the Big Apple

The western boundary of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood in Manhattan runs up the Hudson River from W. 34th Street to W. 59th Street, parallel with the West Side Highway and on the other side of the highway, a sequence of twelve piers. The piers serve as home to such diverse vessels as the commuter boats of NY Waterway, the Circle Line boats, New York Water Taxi, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (at the Intrepid Museum), and many cruise ships setting off for the Bahamas, Florida, Bermuda, Canada, and many other ports of call.


Joining the mix are a few restaurants, bars, and recreational piers operated by Hudson River Park. At Pier 84 near 42nd Street, there’s a play area, a dog park, and kayaking. Piers 90, 92 and 94 are often used for the big art fairs such as the Armory Show.


The northern part of the western riverfront, especially around W. 57th Street, has undergone significant development in recent years. From the water, the most striking building is VIA 57 West, a residential bui…

Since 2007, I’ve been writing Walking Off the Big Apple, a strolling guide to New York City. I’m pleased to introduce you to a new sister blog, Sailing Off the Big Apple, a boating guide to New York City. I've been wanting to do this for a long time.


From the introductory post, Setting Sail:

“Expect posts on practical matters such as how to take a NYC Ferry, sightseeing tips for places near ferry landings, surveys of developments from the water, a few sailing lessons (I’m taking them), island explorations (City Island, Staten Island, Roosevelt Island, Coney Island, etc.), sunset sails, excursions up the Hudson River, a little beach fun, sightings of large cruise vessels, resources for sailing tourism, history posts, maritime museums, warnings about climate change, lots of oysters, and general navigational guides. As with Walking Off the Big Apple, you’ll also see lots of pictures and maps.”
Other new posts on the site include a visit to the Noble Maritime Collection on Staten Isla…

The Museum Mile Festival typically takes place on a June evening in New York City, but if you happen to miss the festival, this walk up Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 105th Street could stand in as the next best thing. This year’s event unfolded on a day of exceptional weather, with the air at room temperature and the sky free of clouds.


Of course, strolling this stretch of one of the city’s most famous avenues can take place at any time of year and in less than ideal conditions. The annual festival includes the added perk of free admission to select museums.


The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Cooper Hewitt, the Jewish Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and El Museo del Barrio officially participated in this year’s festival. A walk on Museum Mile includes many more points of interest. In fact, the walk works just fine by staying outside the whole time.


In addition to The Met, situated in the park, the mile-long stretch of Fifth Avenue is rich in Beaux-Arts …