How to Spend a Day in the Battery Park District of New York City

Battery Park is a public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan. The 21-acre park is named for the Dutch and British artillery that was stationed there in order to protect the harbor. At one end of the park is Pier A and Hope Garden, a memorial to AIDS victims. Next to the waterfront, ferries depart for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Explore the park. Battery Park's system of greenspaces, bikeways and promenades extend up the Hudson shoreline. A bikeway runs through the park, connecting it to the Hudson River Park bikeway. Plush greens and scenic spaces make the park a great location for walking, relaxing and enjoying the city views from the southern tip of Manhattan.
2. Gain historical knowledge. Across on State Street to the northeast sits the U.S. Customs House/Museum of the American Indian. Visit this museum to take a look at the lives of our county's original inhabitants. Another historical spot is Castle Clinton, an American fort built on a small off-shore island immediately prior to the War of 1812, and named for mayor DeWitt Clinton. When the land of battery Park was created, the island was enclosed by land.
3. Take in the festival-like atmosphere with food vendors, entertainers, crafters and more. The weekends in Battery Park tend to be more involved than week days. There is always something to eat, see or do when taking a jaunt in this famous park.
4. Take photographs. Battery Park provides the opportunity for a number of photographic gems. The trees and park areas are great in themselves, as are the skyscraper-lined borders of the park. Walking toward the south end, take images of the Navy and Air Force Memorial, which faces the water. Finally, stand at the tip for pictures of both Ellis and Liberty Islands.
5. Catch a ferry. Departing from the Piers within Battery Park, ferries take visitors to the popular Ellis Island, the point of arrival for hundreds of thousands of U.S. immigrants, and Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty. Other ferry tours depart, taking visitors for tours around the various parts of New York City. Touring the areas by boat is relaxing and entertaining, while providing better photo opportunities than one gets from sitting in a tour bus.