Hudson River Park.

Hudson River Park is the park that surprises people. It runs five miles along the west side of Manhattan from Battery Park City up to 59th Street and most of it is a gorgeous waterfront path with piers, playgrounds, gardens, and some of the best sunset views in the city.

I run here (okay, I jog here, let’s be honest) and it has completely ruined running anywhere else for me. You’re on a wide path right along the water with the New Jersey skyline across the river and boats going by and the Statue of Liberty in the distance. It doesn’t feel like exercise. It feels like being in a movie about exercise.

The Pier 45 area in the West Village is my favorite stretch. There’s a big lawn at the end of the pier where people sunbathe and read and just exist. Pier 26 has a tide pool area and a garden. Little Island (the park on stilts that opened in 2021) is technically part of this stretch and it’s worth visiting for the architecture alone even if you skip the performances.

For visitors, I always recommend renting a Citi Bike and riding the whole path from the Financial District up to the Intrepid Museum. It takes about 45 minutes and you’ll see more of Manhattan’s west side than most tourists see in a week.

Where once there was derelict piers, mostly empty parking lots, and a sprawling asphalt wasteland, now lies one of the best parks in New York City. Hudson River Park is a sight to behold, especially considering what came before it.

Where Battery Park ends on the south, Hudson River Park begins and stretches all the way to 59th Street connecting with Riverside Park. Spanning 550 acres along four glorious miles of the Hudson River, this another one of the best New York City Parks for amazing waterfront views.

Wide, well-maintained paved paths stretch the length of the park making for the most popular running and biking route on the west side of Manhattan. The piers have now been converted into beautiful green spaces with recreational fields, driving ranges, bars, restaurants, and a tons of playgrounds.

Hudson River Park, stretching from Battery Park to 59th Street, spans 550 acres with stunning NYC fall foliage views. The wide paved paths are well-kept, making them popular with runners and walkers. You can people-watch to your heart’s content with a cup of good coffee in hand under the canopy of New York City’s fall foliage.

Perhaps the most famous section of the park is the recently-opened Little Island, one of the most unique parks in New York City. The views are spectacular and the experience feels like being on an adult playground. In fact, more than 400 acres of Hudson River Park is located on piers that stretch over the water.