waterfrontviews

The West Village waterfront: the Hudson at sundown

Pier 45, the runners, the light off the river, and the long walk down to Tribeca.

Photo: Mike Peel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Drafted by Claude — the editor hasn’t walked this one yet. We’ll update this notice once it’s been verified on the ground.

Distance

3.5 km

Time

~ 80 min

Difficulty

Easy

Start

Christopher St–Sheridan Sq (1)

End

Chambers St (1/2/3)

Best at

evening

Right now

22°C· Clear

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

The West Side gave its waterfront back to the city, and the best way to take it is on foot at the end of the day, walking south with the Hudson on your right and the sun going down over New Jersey. This is three and a half kilometres of river park, from the Christopher Street pier down to where Tribeca takes over — and the whole walk is timed to the light.

Start at Sheridan Square and head straight for the water. Pier 45 runs out into the Hudson — a long deck of lawns and sunbathers that fills up for the sunset; go to the very end. South from there it's all river: the grass at Pier 46, the runners on the bike path, the strange brick Holland Tunnel vent tower standing offshore. Pier 40's old liner terminal hides ballfields in its courtyard, and the downtown skyline starts stacking up ahead.

Pier 26 is the newest piece — a tilted marsh-and-grass pier handing you over to Tribeca. End by turning inland into the cast-iron streets; Chambers Street and the 1/2/3 are minutes east, the river still in your eyes.

The route

On the map.

A soft dashed line, numbered stops. It’s a suggestion, not a turn-by-turn.

Elevation

↑ 64 m·↓ 58 m·-1–23 m ASL

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

01
1
Christopher Street pier (Pier 45)
Walk west from Sheridan Square and the city stops at the water. Pier 45 runs out into the Hudson — a long lawn-and-deck pier, sunbathers by day, a crowd for the sunset. Go to the very end; New Jersey is close enough to read the signs.
01
Christopher Street pier (Pier 45)
Walk west from Sheridan Square and the city stops at the water. Pier 45 runs out into the Hudson — a long lawn-and-deck pier, sunbathers by day, a crowd for the sunset. Go to the very end; New Jersey is close enough to read the signs.
02
2
The lawns at Pier 46
Just south, more grass on the water — joggers, the bike path humming alongside, the light coming off the river in the early evening. You don't have to do anything here. Sit on the grass and let the runners pass.
02
The lawns at Pier 46
Just south, more grass on the water — joggers, the bike path humming alongside, the light coming off the river in the early evening. You don't have to do anything here. Sit on the grass and let the runners pass.
03
3
The Holland Tunnel ventilation tower
The brick-and-stone tower standing in the river off the park — one of the shafts that pulls fresh air down into the Holland Tunnel below the Hudson. An odd, severe industrial object among the lawns. Now you'll see it every time.
03
The Holland Tunnel ventilation tower
The brick-and-stone tower standing in the river off the park — one of the shafts that pulls fresh air down into the Holland Tunnel below the Hudson. An odd, severe industrial object among the lawns. Now you'll see it every time.
04
4
Pier 40
The huge boxy pier at Houston Street — a courtyard of ballfields inside an old ocean-liner terminal, kids' football on a summer evening. Cut around its river side for the clearest run of the downtown skyline coming into view ahead.
04
Pier 40
The huge boxy pier at Houston Street — a courtyard of ballfields inside an old ocean-liner terminal, kids' football on a summer evening. Cut around its river side for the clearest run of the downtown skyline coming into view ahead.
05
5
Pier 26
The newest stretch — a tilted ecological pier of native grasses and a tidal marsh, with a get-down to the water's edge. The Lower Manhattan towers are stacked behind it now; this is where the West Side hands you over to Tribeca.
05
Pier 26
The newest stretch — a tilted ecological pier of native grasses and a tidal marsh, with a get-down to the water's edge. The Lower Manhattan towers are stacked behind it now; this is where the West Side hands you over to Tribeca.
06
6
Chambers Street & Tribeca
Turn inland into Tribeca's cast-iron blocks as the light goes. Chambers Street and the 1/2/3 are a few minutes east. End with the river still in your eyes.
06
Chambers Street & Tribeca
Turn inland into Tribeca's cast-iron blocks as the light goes. Chambers Street and the 1/2/3 are a few minutes east. End with the river still in your eyes.

The West Village waterfront: the Hudson at sundown

On the map.

Things to notice.

Christopher Street pier (Pier 45)

Christopher Street pier (Pier 45)

The lawns at Pier 46

The lawns at Pier 46

The Holland Tunnel ventilation tower

The Holland Tunnel ventilation tower

Pier 40

Pier 40

Pier 26

Pier 26

Chambers Street & Tribeca

Chambers Street & Tribeca

Two more, on similar days.

Chelsea: the white-box galleries and the river

The Brooklyn Bridge: the great crossing