A Walk Through Civic Center and South Street Seaport
Morning
Most subway routes lead to City Hall. When you come up to street level, walk down Broadway to see the lobbies of the
Woolworth Building
and the former
AT&T Building
and the Georgian interior of St. Paul’s Chapel.
Return via Park Row, once
known as Newspaper Row because it was lined with their offices.
Printing House Square has a statue of Benjamin Franklin with his
Pennsylvania Gazette. West of the Row lies small but beautiful City Hall
Park, where the Declaration of Independence was read to George
Washington’s troops in July 1776. The park has a new granite time wheel
telling the city’s history.
A walk along Center and Chambers streets takes you past the ornate Municipal Building.
Afternoon
At midday, head east for a seafood lunch at the Bridge Café
(see Harbour Lights),
housed in a 1794 wood-framed building. From here the East River is a
short stroll away, offering excellent views of lower Manhattan.
Spend the afternoon at
South Street Seaport
, visiting the museum and
maritime crafts center, perhaps taking a cruise on one of the ships.
Have dinner on Pier 17, enjoying Caribbean fare at the lively
Cabana
, or New American fare at
Harbour Lights
.
Maritime Sights
South Street Seaport Museum
The city’s maritime heritage is celebrated in art, photographs, workshops, and ships.
Schermerhorn Row
Federal-style
houses built by Peter Schermerhorn in 1811–12 have restaurants and
shops. They will house the World Port New York exhibition.
Schermerhorn Row
Historic Ships
Seven classic ships, several open for boarding, include the 1885 square-rigger Wavertree, and the landmark, four-masted Peking, built in 1911.
Bowne & Company
Recreation of a 19th-century print shop with working printing presses.
211 Water St
Open 10am–5pm Wed–Sun
Free
Maritime Crafts Center
Marvel at the skill of woodcarvers at work, creating model ships and figureheads.
Pilot House
The
South Street Seaport ticket and information center is housed in this
pilot house, taken from a steam tugboat built in 1923 by the New York
Central Railroad.
South Street Seaport
Open 10am–6pm daily
Pier 17
A pier with three floors of restaurants, food stands and sweeping views of the East River and Brooklyn Bridge.
Pier 17
Harbor Excursions
The 1885 schooner Pioneer offers 90-minute family sails and two-hour cruises in the afternoon and evening.
Titanic Memorial
This lighthouse was built to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic – the largest steamship ever made – in 1912.
Seaman’s Church Institute
Established in 1834, the institute is in a stunning 1991 building with a gallery plus water views.
