MWA's Biweekly Guide to the Area's Best Waterfront Spots

It's no secret that the coastlines of New York and New Jersey have become generally much cleaner and more accessible -- but many people still don't know how to get to all the new waterfront parks, paths and piers that have opened in recent years. WaterWire to the rescue! Read on, and make this the summer that you discover more of this urban archipelago's beautiful shoreline.
(For previous Waterfront Day Trip ideas, go to the WaterWire archive.)

Day Trip #4

Bicycling Along the Hudson River

From the Battery to the mouth of the Harlem River, the stretch of Hudson River along Manhattan's west side is scenic and mostly flat; in short, a wonderful bike ride. End to end, it's about 14 miles, but cyclists (and pedestrians) can intersect the path at many points along the way. We recommend starting your ride, helmet firmly in place, as early as you can; by 9am, if possible. As the day progresses, the bike path can get crowded.

In this travelogue, we'll begin at Pier A, the landmark Victorian piershed that is the dividing point between leafy, historic Battery Park and Battery Park City. Start pedaling north. You may either cycle up the riverside esplanade used also by pedestrians or the bike path adjacent to the highway.

Past Stuyvesant High School, you've ventured into Hudson River Park territory. Pier 25 will open later this summer featuring a town dock, locations for historic boats, a miniature golf course, beach volleyball and more; Pier 26's opening -- and with it, the River Project -- is not assured until more funding has been obtained. As you cycle north, admire the sloped plantings and satisfying design of the park -- it's a pleasure that increases each time a new segment opens. Photo at right courtesy of Friends of Hudson River Park.




At Pier 54 (near Little West 12th Street), look up at the arched iron entranceway to see the faded remains of letters that once said "Cunard Lines." Titanic survivors were brought to this pier in 1912. In 1915 the Lusitania departed from this pier on a voyage that ended in disaster when the ship was torpedoed by the Germans. The pier was used by Cunard until the 1930s.

It's possible to veer off the bike path at Chelsea Piers and cycle slowly along the waterfront on the other side of the big recreation center and admire the docked boats (e.g. Bateaux New York, Classic Harbor Line, Offshore Sailing School).

Pass Pier 66 Maritime (see photo at left, at 26th Street; have you noticed that you subtract 40 from the pier number to get the cross street?) and if it's too early to stop, make a mental note to return for the burgers, beer, boats and breezes.

Be careful as you approach the midtown waterfront! Vehicles constantly cross the bike path to get to the Circle Line 42 (including the Beast speedboat), World Yacht and NY Waterway. Another block and you're cycling past the Intrepid Sea/Air/Space Museum, the historic aircraft carrier turned into a museum. Don't miss the Growler submarine anchored next to the Intrepid. Two minutes later you're passing the behemoths docked at the Passenger Ship Terminal.

Need a break from pedaling? Now at three locations along the Hudson -- Pier 40 (Houston Street, see photo at right), Pier 96 (56th St.) and near 72nd Street the Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking.

Just south of the city-operated 79th Street Boat Basin is the Pier I Cafe, whose menu starts with espresso, ends with sangria and has a nice assortment of beverage and food options in between. Food, bathrooms, tables with umbrellas; it's a good spot to rest. Another few minutes north is the 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe, a casual, popular open-air restaurant above the bike path.

By now, you're in Riverside Park, approaching the curvy, cherry tree-lined path near 100th Street. Take a break; clamber down to boulders at the water's edge. Note the mysterious driftwood sculptures. At 125th Street is the new West Harlem Piers Park, and a potential pit stop at Fairway Market. Detouring inland for a few blocks around the North River Water Treatment Plant leads to a quiet path near railroad tracks and Queen Anne's Lace.

Look ahead. See the George Washington Bridge? Before you know it, it's looming before you, the Little Red Lighthouse nestled below. Many people stop here. But if you're interested in cycling the entire length of Manhattan, the northern tip -- where the Harlem River meets the Hudson -- is only a couple miles away! Press on.

Fair warning: the northern part of this bike ride is rather hilly. You'll make your way to a bike path that runs adjacent to the Henry Hudson Parkway, high above the river, and eventually you'll find a short set of stairs leading down to Dyckman Street. Before you lies Inwood Hill Park, a beautiful woodland of old trees crisscrossed with paths. Explore. You'll find your way to Spuyten Duyvil, the roiling intersection of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers. Sit for a minute and consider the will and creativity it took to build these 14 miles of waterfront access along the Hudson River. Many waterfront advocates are working to duplicate the success of the Hudson River Greenway elsewhere along the New York and New Jersey coastline. Is there anything you can do to help?