August 12, 2025 • 27 mins
Some of the most breathtaking and best views in NYC aren't from the top of an observation deck.
While those views are epic, there are some amazing views that aren't only free, but give you a unique slice of all that New York City has to offer.
🗽 Join the newsletter for free access to the NYC Navigation & Transportation Guide + curated Google Maps lists (including all of these views in one list): https://rebrand.ly/nyc-newsletter
1- The Great Lawn (Free)
The Great Lawn offers views of the Midtown skyline that are unbeatable. You get completely unobstructed views of the iconic mega skyscrapers!
2- MET Cloisters Garden (Paid)
The MET Cloisters has unbelievable gardens and life-changing views of the Hudson River and surrounding area.
3- Top of Forest Hills Stadium (Paid)
Forest Hills Stadium is an old tennis stadium now converted into a phenomenal music venue. If you go to the very top of the stadium seating, you get unreal views of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, coupled with the lights, vibes, and music down on the stage.
4- Edge Observation Deck or Any Observation Deck (Paid)
Observation decks are arguably the best way to get sweeping views of NYC. We recommend the Edge, but check out our breakdown of the best observation decks in NYC here.
5- Governor's Island (Free)
It is a beautiful spot that offers amazing views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan's lower skyline. Even the views from the ferry are iconic!
6- Brooklyn Bridge Park & Brooklyn Heights Promenade (Free)
Near the water in Dumbo is the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The park boasts phenomenal views of downtown Manhattan!
7- Newport Green Park (Free)
It isn't in NYC, but right across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Newport Green Park provides stunning views of downtown Manhattan & Midtown skyline.
8- Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Paid)
NYC's best views aren't just skyscrapers and expansive cityscapes. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a 52-acre space featuring cherry blossoms, rose gardens, Japanese gardens, & much more.
9- Times Square at Night
Times Square is one of the most iconic landmarks in NYC, and for good reason. The first time you step out of the Times Square subway at night and into the flood of bright lights, screens, & energy, it can be awe-inspiring.
10- Flying In & Out of LGA (Paid, Duh)
While we believe La Guardia is the best airport in New York City for many reasons, one of those reasons is the epic views you get at takeoff and landing.
11- Beaches (Free)
Rarely do travelers think of lying on the beach when planning their NYC adventures, but the city has some top-notch beachfront areas in the summer.
The best part? Most of the best NYC beaches are accessible via public transportation. Explore great beach options in NYC here.
12- Biking or Walking Down the Hudson River Parkway (Free-ish)
The Hudson River Parkway is one of our favorite spots in all of NYC. On the far west side of Manhattan, along the water, is a picturesque walkway and bike path with unbeatable views of the Hudson River & the surrounding city.
13- Little Island & Top of Pier 57 (Free)
Little Island provides beautiful views of downtown Manhattan, and you're literally on top of the Hudson River. Right next door, you'll find Pier 57 with its food hall and rooftop park.
14- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir (Free)
While similar-ish to the Great Lawn mentioned in this article, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park has unobstructed views of ALL sides of the surrounding skyline.
What I love most about the reservoir is that it is typically pretty quiet and serene.
15- Any Ferry - Sound View, Staten Island, Rockaway Beach (Paid & Free)
One of the easiest ways to get amazing views of NYC is to
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Welcome to the Better Together Here podcast with your host,
Devin. And Ashley?
Helping you make the most of your time in New York City,
everyone. And welcome to today's episode
of the Better Together Here podcast.
My name is Devin. And my name is Ashley.
Today's episode, we're going to give you 15 different
breathtaking views in New York City.
Many of them are going to be kind of your classic building
(00:23):
skyline views, but we're actually going to give you a
handful that are very unique andmaybe something you aren't
expecting when it comes to viewsin New York, New York City.
So let's get right into it. All right, For each of these,
we're going to let you know if it's free or paid.
Many of them are free, luckily. So here we go.
The first one is the great Lawn.The great lawn is in Central
Park. It's a sprawling grassy area.
There's baseball fields. It's been host to some massive
(00:47):
iconic concerts the likes of Queen, Simon and Garfunkel.
More recently, they do the Global Citizen Festival there
which has names like Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Metallica,
Cardi B, and this area is some of the best views that you can
get of the Midtown skyline. This view is particularly
awesome because not only are youseeing a really huge, beautiful
(01:09):
green space, but behind it you get all of the views of the
midtown skyscrapers, including the very tall new buildings on
Billionaire's Row. Yeah.
So the best place to go here is it's kind of a loop.
The Great Lawn itself is a loop.If you go to the more northern
Uptown part and then look downtown, you'll see this
amazing view and that is completely free to go and
(01:30):
explore and walk around in Central Park.
OK, next on our list, the Met Cloisters.
So the Met Cloisters is related to the Met itself, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is on 5th Ave. on kind of
the Upper East Side. The Met Cloisters is way up in
the most northern part of the Manhattan Island.
And this is a different style ofmuseum.
(01:53):
It's all it's like. More medieval art, right?
Yes, yes, exactly. It's more medieval art.
The Met Clisters is particularlyknown for the Unicorn
Tapestries. Yes.
Which are pretty cool and they're huge.
They're massive and yeah, it's like a monastery style building
and there's like Ashley said, tapestries, manuscripts,
(02:13):
sculptures, like all kinds of info on medieval life.
It's very, very interesting. But argue the best part in the
most beautiful views at the Met Cloisters.
They have unbelievable gardens. They have these well manicured
gardens that have all kinds of herbs and plants and flowers.
And it just feels historic when you're in there because the
building is that kind of old monastery style and there's this
(02:35):
garden next to it. But then additionally, there's
kind of these outdoor walking areas, like I guess you could
call it like a terrace or a balcony, but there's tons of
space and you get these sweepingviews of the Hudson River and
the surrounding area. It's lush, it's green at the
right time of year, and it's just these beautiful, beautiful
views. For the Met Cloisters garden, I
(02:56):
would recommend going anywhere from like the springtime to the
fall time. If you go in the winter, you'll
still see the Hudson, but it's not going to be very green and
pretty. This one does have a cost.
Tickets are around $30. If you're a New York City
resident is pay what you wish. One thing that is nice about the
Cloisters is if you go up to theCloisters at the beginning of
the day and you still have the energy, your ticket to the
(03:18):
Cloisters can actually also get you into the Met.
So you can do both in one day. All right, next on our list,
very much the opposite of a museum, is Forest Hills Stadium.
So Forest Hills Stadium, it's anold tennis stadium that's
actually been converted into a music venue.
Forest Hills is a section of Queens.
It's a bit further outtakes, youknow, 30 to 40 minutes to get
(03:40):
there from Midtown Manhattan. But it is a beautiful venue.
They basically took the kind of where the actual tennis court is
in the one kind of third of it. They turned into a stage and
then the court itself is kind ofthe open glory like.
Standing area. And then there's stadium seating
kind of on the horseshoe around it.
(04:01):
There's some great acts that come through in the summer.
It's this really epic experiencebecause you kind of are down in
like the concourse area and you can't even really hear the
music. And then you step up the stairs
and as you like come out, the music just kind of fills because
it's so soundproofed it it's amazing.
But best part or one of the bestarts is the view O If you go to
(04:24):
Forks Hill Stadium, you go to see a concert.
Make sure you walk to the very top of the stadium seating.
You look out in the distance, you see Forest Hills, which is
just this kind of quaint, almostsuburban feeling neighborhood in
Queens, very lush and green. But then in the distance,
especially at night, you can seethe New York skyline, like the
Manhattan skyline. And then you kind of can just
(04:45):
spin around 180 and you see the concert below you with lights
and lasers and music and people vibing like it is.
It's bliss, honestly. I highly recommend if you're
going to be in the city and you are a fan of concerts, I think
you should check their lineup. Every time we've had the
opportunity to go to a concert at Forest Hills, we've really
enjoyed it. Yeah, For example, this summer,
(05:06):
there's already been a bunch that have already happened, but
they're names like The Black Keys, Leon Bridges, Above and
Beyond, Alabama Shakes, Mount Joy, Chapel, Rhone, I mean, all
kinds of names. And this venue, it's top notch.
We've always had a amazing experience there.
And that view that you get that we described, unbeatable.
(05:26):
All right, next on our list. This is probably what most
people think about when they think about views in New York
City. And that's an observation deck.
We've done an entire episode where we gave you the pros and
cons of each observation deck. We also told you our favorite,
which is the edge, of course, for these, you're going to be
spending anywhere from like 35 to $50.00, but you just can't
get those same views anywhere else.
(05:47):
Anywhere else that's free, you can get good views and you can
get pretty high up. But these observation decks, I
mean, some of them you're like what, 70 stories up or something
like that, and you just get completely unobstructed views of
the entire city of New York. I personally am a fan of
observation decks in general, especially if you're want really
(06:08):
really cool views. I recommend going like an hour
before the sunsets. You get the daytime views, you
get some sunset, and you can getnighttime views depending on how
long you stay. I believe Usually if you're
going to get like a sunset slot they charge you more, but if you
go an hour before usually it's alittle bit cheaper.
Like actually I was saying the sunset views, basically the time
(06:28):
slots are like for most of them it's every like 10 or 15 minute
time slots and they Jack up the price on the sunset slots.
So if you just choose the one right before the sunset timing
starts, it'll be anywhere from 5to $10 cheaper.
You can get there a little bit early, even see the daytime
views, catch the sunset. If you want to make an evening
out of it, you could even stay up there.
(06:49):
Most of them have places for food and drink that's expensive,
but then you can get the nighttime views as well.
So really, an observation deck is like the best way to get
expansive views of the city. And if you're not from a big
city and you haven't been on thetop of a super tall building
before, I personally think it's worth it.
Like, yeah, it's expensive. You're probably going to pay,
like Devon said, anywhere from like 35 to 50 bucks.
(07:10):
But windows, are you going to have an experience like that
where you can be that high up inthe sky and see Manhattan from
the sky? I think it's pretty cool.
Next on our list is Governors Island.
So Governors Island actually used to be, I believe, an Army
base or some type of military base and then it was the the
quarters for the governor, as the name implies.
But now it's kind of just this space that doesn't get a lot of
(07:33):
use and there's not a ton to do out there.
Let me back up. There are some activities to do.
It's not necessarily somewhere that I would like go out of my
way to go. I've only been there twice and
both of them were for an all daysoccer tournament that I played
in. But the views out there are
amazing #1 you get a ferry out. And so as you're taking the
ferry out, you kind of see like the New York City skyline just
(07:55):
going away from you. You end up out on Governors
Island. There's great views of the
downtown skyline. But you can also walk or bike
around Governors Island and kindof go to the far end and you get
this amazing pretty close up view of the Statue of Liberty
with nothing in front of you. And then of course, when you
come back, you kind of just are slowly going into the city is
(08:16):
what it feels like, and it's beautiful views.
What's nice too, on the weekendsbefore 10:30 AM, the ferries are
free. After that, I think it's like 4
or $5, I'm not exactly sure. But if you take the free ferry
out, of course coming back, it'salways free.
Is it free on the weekdays? Weekdays it is not free, but
there are ferries and we'll linkthe full ferry schedule to
(08:37):
Governors Island. But it's definitely something
worth checking out if you want, especially if you like to kind
of just cruise around on a bike and have something that's a
little more leisurely. There's not like a lot of cars
out there and it's a very quiet spot because not a ton of people
go on a frequent basis. So great spot to check out.
Next on our list is Brooklyn Bridge Park and Brooklyn Heights
Promenade. We kind of lump these two
together. They're very close to each
(08:57):
other. We've done an entire episode
about things to do in Dumbo, which is where Brooklyn Bridge
Park is. But I would say those are some
of the best views of downtown Manhattan, like a one World
Trade and that kind of southern tip of Manhattan, because you're
on the Brooklyn side and you just, you're right on the water
in Brooklyn Bridge Park. You've got the bridges to your
right. You've got the skyline in front
(09:18):
of you. It's it's beautiful.
I would say this is one of the more epic views that we have on
the list. Yeah, specifically because you
get the Brooklyn Bridge, views of Manhattan, views of the East
River. It's just a really cool spot.
Yeah, and Brooklyn Bridge Park also has like free activities
and events. There's a market near there that
you can check out which a bunch of food places and then.
Timeout market, we like that place a lot.
(09:40):
Yeah, and we'll link to our episode about Dumbo that you can
kind of learn more about all of that.
And then nearby is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which is kind
of an elevated tree lined walkway, which gives you similar
views but in a little bit more of a serene environment.
So those two are definitely worth checking out.
OK #7 on our list, this is actually not technically in New
York City, but it's right acrossthe Hudson River in New Jersey.
(10:03):
It's Newport Green Park, so it'sroughly parallel to the West
Village. So you get these amazing views
of kind of the whole western side of Manhattan.
So you can see a lot of the downtown things.
You get the midtown skyline. I've only been there once and
it's one of the more unique views that we have on this list
because it's just like you can'treally get that experience
(10:24):
anywhere else other than on the Jersey side of the Hudson.
Newport Green Park in particular, it's a four acre
park. It has a little sandy beach
area, there's a play area, they have special events and you can
get there on the path train for only $3.00.
So it's a pretty affordable way to like go get unique views of
New York and just kind of explore a little bit of New
(10:44):
Jersey. And that leads us to this
episode. You'll have to check it out
segment. The next stop is Russian vodka
room. All right, Russian Vodka room, I
think we had saved this as like a wants on our wants list.
But on Valentine's Day, I think it was we're like, we're just
going to go explore midtown and we're going to go just to new
restaurants or bars that we haven't been to.
(11:05):
And we went into Russian vodka room.
We made it for their happy hour.I would definitely go there
during their happy hour. The prices are a little bit more
affordable but like it's sounds it is all Russian and so much
vodka in a funky room. Yeah, like they really do tell
you exactly what it's going to be before you come in.
I'm pretty sure we had the same bartender waitress both times
that we've been. She's just like this super nice
(11:27):
older Russian lady, super thick accent.
One thing that's like really cool about this place is they
have huge jugs of vodka everywhere that they are like
constantly infusing. So the drinks that you are going
to have are infused there in. House and that's part of their
daily happy hour, which is everyday from 4:00 to 7:00.
There's a few items that are on it, but arguably the best is to
(11:50):
try their vast array of flavoredvodkas for only $7.00.
So you could do a shot of it. You could do you know a vodka
soda. You could do vodka mint like
mixed with something else, but 7bucks.
And they have all kinds of flavors, including pomegranate
Raspberry. And my favorite, just because
it's so unique is the horseradish infused vodka.
I mean, prepare your yourself. It's intense, but it's really
(12:10):
good. I personally don't love the
horseradish one, but I do appreciate that they have it on
the menu because it is unique. I really like the Raspberry one,
that one's really good. They also have great food there.
They have some classic Russian dishes, including different like
dumplings and we had a chicken dish there.
Everything we've had has been very, very good and the vibe is
just great. They have live music most
(12:31):
evenings, funky decor. It just kind of feels cozy and
comfortable, and I've never beento Russia, but I feel like they
probably kind of capture the essence of like what it feels
like in. Russia, the Russian Vodka Room
would actually be a really greatspot for you to go before a
Broadway show. You could hit their happy hour,
have a bite to eat, and then go to your Broadway show.
It's going to be like a 10 minute walk or less to to most
(12:53):
of the theaters. So that's this episode.
You'll have to check it out. Segment Russian vodka Room
that's in Midtown Manhattan. And now back to breathtaking
views in the city. Stand clear of the closing
doors, please. All right, next on our list,
Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is,
I don't want to say underrated because it is pretty well known
(13:14):
and it's pretty popular, but I think like, especially if you're
visiting, it might not be on your radar.
It should be though. It is a 52 acre space.
It has an unbelievable amount and variety of like plants,
trees, flowers. They have a cherry, a bunch of
cherry blossoms at the right time of the year.
They have rose gardens. I mean massive Rose Garden like
(13:35):
the size were like it felt like that scene in Alice in
Wonderland where they're like inlike running through like the
maze of the Rose gardens. You know what I'm talking about.
She doesn't know. Most of you probably know
hopefully what I'm talking aboutthe.
Movie freaked me out as a kid I don't know why I I maybe saw it
like a couple times and it just like scared me.
It's fair. But I'm I'm sure someone's going
(13:57):
to get your analogy. They will hopefully, if not just
no massive sprawling rose gardens, Japanese gardens and so
much more. Obviously, again, time of the
year will make a difference herefor what's like in bloom.
But no matter when you go, it's breathtaking.
And the place that you have to go to for sure inside the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden.
(14:19):
It literally feels like you're being transported to Kyoto.
Like we've been to Japan, We've experienced like all the gardens
and ponds and temples and it feels like that just like
dropped in the middle of Brooklyn.
It's absolutely wild. Like Devin said, depending on
the time of year, you're going to get different flowers and
different things that are in bloom.
When we went, there were like somany different colors of tulips
(14:42):
everywhere and that was really pretty.
I think we had just missed the cherry blossoms, but there were
like the biggest Peony bushes I've ever seen with like the
biggest peonies that smelled incredible.
Really, really fun. Nice spot to walk around.
Highly recommend and. The nice part about the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden is that it is good for all ages, like anywhere
(15:03):
from kids to seniors like it it,it's a great place.
OK, $22.00 per ticket is the price if you are a New York
resident, you can often get in for free via Culture Pass if you
have a library card, but that's the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Definitely check that out. OK, kind of swinging to the
other end of the spectrum here in regards to types of views is
number 9 Times Square, particularly at night Times
(15:27):
Square. It's an iconic landmark in New
York City. The first time you go to Times
Square, if you can, I recommend going and like taking the subway
into Times Square and at night and you pop out and it's just
this flood of bright lights and screens and energy and it, it
really can kind of take your breath away.
Like it's a little awe inspiring.
It's overwhelming, it's intense.Like it's very stimulating.
But there's not very many placeslike that where you just
(15:50):
engulfed in like lights and colors and screens.
It definitely can be a really crowded area.
Like I wouldn't necessarily recommend hanging out here for
like an extended amount amount of time.
But it is really cool to like, like Devin said, pop out of the
subway and just see all of the lights, all of the performers.
There's going to be people trying to sell you things.
There might be people trying to swindle you.
(16:12):
Don't fall for that. We have a whole episode on how
to avoid getting trapped by things like that.
But really, like, there's nothing that compares to the
energy of Times Square at night.Like I actually said, once
you're there, it's free to just walk and roam around, but we
recommend when you're ready to leave, go explore somewhere
nearby like Hell's Kitchen. We have an entire neighborhood
guide covering Hell's Kitchen. Unbelievable amounts of
(16:33):
restaurants, bars, fun things todo.
We're going to take a quick break to mention our free
transportation guide. If you were coming to New York
City for the first time or the 10th time and you need a
refresher on how to get around the Big Apple, this is the
answer. It is 100% free and it covers
everything from navigating the subway, getting a taxi, getting
to and from the airports, bikingaround the city, and all the
(16:54):
things that are important to make sure you maximize your time
New York City. So go to bettertogetherhere.com
and click the button that says free navigation guide to sign
up. All right, next on our list, you
might not think of this again. This is kind of one of the more
unique ones we wanted to include.
But flying in and out of LaGuardia, obviously this is
paid, you know, the cost of yourairplane ticket, but you've
(17:14):
likely got to fly into somewhere.
So these views, when you take off and land in LaGuardia,
they're a million times better than Newark.
They're a lot better than JFK, and you just get these
unparalleled views of like the expansiveness that is New York.
Obviously you're gonna need a window seat ideally for this,
but when you take off in particular, a lot of the runways
(17:34):
like you'll take off and they'lldo like really?
Like they'll turn to give you the view.
Yeah, I don't know if they're doing that for the view or just
to change directions that. Might just be their flight path,
but. Let's just say it's for the
views, but either way, yeah. Pilots like look at this.
Yeah, to the right side you'll see the Manhattan skyline.
But it really is beautiful. And it's, I, I feel like
especially if it's your first time coming into New York and
(17:56):
you can land in LaGuardia and just like look out the window
and just see what you're about to experience.
It's pretty. Iconic Landing in LaGuardia is
kind of crazy too, because you're like pretty much above
the water, like right before youland and you're like, are we
about to land in the water and then the runway's under you?
We have a full episode comparingthe best airports to fly in and
out of. Spoiler, it's LaGuardia.
OK, on to the next 1 #11 The beaches.
(18:19):
You probably don't think of lying on the beach when you plan
a New York City adventure, but the city really does have some
top notch beachfront areas. The best part, most of them are
accessible via public transit. And that like is again, the
whole of New York for so many reasons.
And like the calling card in NewYork is like you can get so many
places that are unique and have variety via public transit.
(18:41):
So some of the popular beaches, obviously mostly in the summer,
but Coney Island, Long Beach, Rockaway Beach, Orchard Beach,
Jones Beach, I mean, there's a ton of them.
We'll link to a great article I found that kind of goes through
seven of the popular ones. But again, they're free to go to
in most cases. You just have to pay for your
public transit to get there, which is anywhere from like
$2.90 or if you take the ferry, for example, to Rockaway Beach,
(19:05):
it's I think $4.50, but very affordable.
Beautiful beaches, some of them better than others, but a great
kind of unique way to have a different experience in your New
York travels. OK #12 One of our favorite
things to do overall, but some of our favorite views is biking
or walking down the Hudson RiverPkwy.
(19:26):
It's on the far West side of Manhattan.
It's along the water and it's just this picturesque walkway
and bike path where you get unbeatable views of the Hudson
River and then the kind of surrounding city.
And you also kind of get some great views of Jersey in certain
parts. Certain parts.
You can see the Statue of Liberty off in the distance.
I mean, it, it's, it's massive to it.
It goes from basically like 50 9th St. in Midtown all the way
(19:51):
down to like the financial district.
It's pretty much the entire Westside of Manhattan.
For me, there's just something about like being near the water
or on the water that's really special to me.
So I love like pretty much anytime Devin and I are going to
go downtown and we're not in a rush or late, we are hopping on
a bike, popping over to the Hudson River Pkwy and riding
(20:13):
down. It's really cool because you
have a wide array of things to look at on your way down.
They have everything landscaped really beautifully.
So throughout the year you have different flowers that you're
kind of riding your bike past onyour right.
If you're going South, you're going to see the Intrepid, which
is an old naval ship that's beensince retired.
It's been turned into a museum. But that's like a really huge,
(20:35):
crazy thing to see just in the middle of Manhattan.
Lots of like landscaped parks. Really beautiful spot to ride a
bike or walk down. Yeah, and what's nice too is you
don't have to like, make a full day out of it or a full
experience. You can even if you're just kind
of more on the West side, you could just pop over to the
Hudson River Pkwy, walk for 10 or 15 minutes and end up back in
(20:57):
the city. You know, or like Ashley said,
get a city bike near Midtown, bike all the way down to the
Financial District. I mean, it is absolutely
beautiful, especially at the right time of year.
And iconic experience we've had a couple times is on 4th of July
when the fireworks were happening kind of more on the
southern tip or maybe even the West in the Hudson.
I don't remember for sure. But we just biked down the
(21:17):
Hudson River Pkwy as the fireworks were going off.
And so we're like biking, seeingthe fireworks, the bright lights
of the city, I mean it unparalleled.
So we highly, highly recommend exploring the Hudson River Pkwy,
which one of the places that youmay stumble into if you do that
is number 13 on our list, and that is Little Island and the
(21:37):
top of Pier 57. We've done an entire episode
about Pier 57. Know this.
Pier 57 has a food hall and a rooftop park.
The rooftop park is completely free and it's open for a pretty
wide part of the day. You get amazing views of
downtown Manhattan from the rooftop at Pier 57.
Because you're on a pier, you'rekind of like jetted out into the
(21:59):
water a little bit. So you just have a better
vantage point to look at the Manhattan skyline that you would
if you're actually like on the island of Manhattan.
And then Little Island, which isright next to it, is a unique
park that is built on top of thewater.
It's beautifully landscaped. It kind of has this winding path
that traverses up to this lookout point.
(22:19):
It can be very crowded dependingon the time of day.
So if you can go during more of like off hours, that's better.
But again, beautifully landscaped, tons of trees and
flowers. I mean, this little pocket of
the Hudson River Pkwy unbeatablewhen it comes to views of the
city. I.
Specifically recommend this areaif you want to go and have like
like a snack or like a drink before you're going to go to
(22:41):
dinner. Like go grab some food, grab a
drink, head up to the roof and watch the sunset and then you
can go to your dinner plan somewhere.
Great, great idea. OK, next on our list #14 the
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
This is in in Central Park as well.
The views are similar ish to what you get at the great lawn.
But what's unique about the reservoir is it's a circular
(23:04):
reservoir. It's actually like 1.58 miles
and it has kind of a walking andrunning track.
So you could go do that full loop.
But the really cool part about the reservoir is that you get
these amazing views of basicallyall the city that surrounds the
park. So you can see the West side
buildings, you can see the east side buildings, you can see some
(23:25):
of the downtown buildings, you can see some of the Uptown
buildings. Like it's, I honestly recommend
doing the full loop. It's not super far again, like
1.5 miles like, but if you walk that for, you know, 30 to 40
minutes, you're just going to get these unbelievable views of
all kinds of parts of the park. And there's the reservoir right
there, which is beautiful. Sometimes there's a fountain,
big old like fountain thing that's on.
(23:46):
It's amazing. Usually a lot of ducks and other
birds kind of chilling in the water.
If you're a bird nerd, this would be a good spot to do some
bird nerding. And it's typically pretty quiet
and serene. Other water features in Central
Park, like the lake which is near Bethesda Fountain is often
just a little more crowded and there's more going on.
(24:07):
But the reservoir is much more quiet and serene.
Great place to just have a chat with a friend, listen to some
music, and it's completely free.You get great, great views.
OK, last unlist, are any of the ferries?
So New York City has a very extensive ferry system.
Most of it is for commuting. Obviously there are the subways
that can get you around, but they have ferry options as well
(24:30):
that bring people from differentboroughs and different parts of
the city into other areas. So there are a bunch of them,
but some of the popular ones forreally nice views is the
Soundview, the Staten Island Ferry, and the Rockaway Beach
Ferry. The main ferry system in New
York City, it's $4.50. So it's a little bit more
expensive than the subway, but really to get out on the water
(24:51):
and to see these amazing views for four dollars and $0.50.
Like there are paid boat tour options that you can't take and
some of them are worth the money.
And it's a different experience,but like to be able to get out
for that cheap onto the water and see the skyline from close
up. But out on the water, it's just
you can't really beat it. I feel like taking a ferry is a
really good way to, like, grasp how large the city is because, I
(25:16):
don't know, like, New York City feels huge even when you're just
on the street, walking around, looking up at the tall
buildings. But when you zoom out and you're
seeing that from a boat on the water, you see truly how large
Manhattan is. And one of the best ferry
options that we recommend is theStaten Island Ferry. 2 Reasons
why it's really good. Number one, it's completely
free, which don't get scammed. People will try and sell you
(25:39):
tickets for the Staten Island Ferry.
They are scammers. So it's free, number one.
But #2 it takes you to Staten Island, but you go pretty close
to the Statue of Liberty. So a lot of people we recommend
instead of doing the full like day of going to Ellis Island and
going to the Statue of Liberty and paying the money and like,
it's a good three to five hour experience, you take the Staten
Island Ferry. It's like roughly 20 to 30
(26:01):
minutes actually out on the water.
And then as soon as you get to Staten Island, you can hustle
over and just take the next boatthat's coming straight back to
Manhattan and you get unbelievable views of the city,
of the Statue of Liberty, just the expansiveness of New York.
And it is amazing. All right, we flew through
those. But those are 15 unique,
breathtaking views that you can get in New York City.
(26:23):
We hope that you get to do at least a handful of these.
Honestly, you could probably do a bunch in your trip and justice
tack them on to different parts of your itinerary.
If you have not already, sign upfor a newsletter bettertogether
here.com back slash newsletter. We e-mail once a week.
Also, when you sign up, you get access to our Ultimate NYC
Transportation Guide which covers everything you need to
(26:43):
know about getting around the city, using the subway, getting
to and from the airport, hailingtaxis, biking, it's expanse.
I think it's like 40 plus pages.I don't it might even be 60
pages. It is a ton of information.
Sign up for that. And when you sign up for a
newsletter, you get access to our curated collection of Google
Maps lists, which we have categorized by cuisine bars.
(27:05):
This views list is on there, so make sure you sign up at
bettertogetherhere.com back slash newsletter And other than
that, we'll catch you on the next episode.
Welcome to the Better Together Here podcast with your host,
Devin. And Ashley?
Helping you make the most of your time in New York City,
everyone. And welcome to today's episode
of the Better Together Here podcast.
My name is Devin. And my name is Ashley.
Today's episode, we're going to give you 15 different
breathtaking views in New York City.
Many of them are going to be kind of your classic building
(00:23):
skyline views, but we're actually going to give you a
handful that are very unique andmaybe something you aren't
expecting when it comes to viewsin New York, New York City.
So let's get right into it. All right, For each of these,
we're going to let you know if it's free or paid.
Many of them are free, luckily. So here we go.
The first one is the great Lawn.The great lawn is in Central
Park. It's a sprawling grassy area.
There's baseball fields. It's been host to some massive
(00:47):
iconic concerts the likes of Queen, Simon and Garfunkel.
More recently, they do the Global Citizen Festival there
which has names like Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Metallica,
Cardi B, and this area is some of the best views that you can
get of the Midtown skyline. This view is particularly
awesome because not only are youseeing a really huge, beautiful
(01:09):
green space, but behind it you get all of the views of the
midtown skyscrapers, including the very tall new buildings on
Billionaire's Row. Yeah.
So the best place to go here is it's kind of a loop.
The Great Lawn itself is a loop.If you go to the more northern
Uptown part and then look downtown, you'll see this
amazing view and that is completely free to go and
(01:30):
explore and walk around in Central Park.
OK, next on our list, the Met Cloisters.
So the Met Cloisters is related to the Met itself, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is on 5th Ave. on kind of
the Upper East Side. The Met Cloisters is way up in
the most northern part of the Manhattan Island.
And this is a different style ofmuseum.
(01:53):
It's all it's like. More medieval art, right?
Yes, yes, exactly. It's more medieval art.
The Met Clisters is particularlyknown for the Unicorn
Tapestries. Yes.
Which are pretty cool and they're huge.
They're massive and yeah, it's like a monastery style building
and there's like Ashley said, tapestries, manuscripts,
(02:13):
sculptures, like all kinds of info on medieval life.
It's very, very interesting. But argue the best part in the
most beautiful views at the Met Cloisters.
They have unbelievable gardens. They have these well manicured
gardens that have all kinds of herbs and plants and flowers.
And it just feels historic when you're in there because the
building is that kind of old monastery style and there's this
(02:35):
garden next to it. But then additionally, there's
kind of these outdoor walking areas, like I guess you could
call it like a terrace or a balcony, but there's tons of
space and you get these sweepingviews of the Hudson River and
the surrounding area. It's lush, it's green at the
right time of year, and it's just these beautiful, beautiful
views. For the Met Cloisters garden, I
(02:56):
would recommend going anywhere from like the springtime to the
fall time. If you go in the winter, you'll
still see the Hudson, but it's not going to be very green and
pretty. This one does have a cost.
Tickets are around $30. If you're a New York City
resident is pay what you wish. One thing that is nice about the
Cloisters is if you go up to theCloisters at the beginning of
the day and you still have the energy, your ticket to the
(03:18):
Cloisters can actually also get you into the Met.
So you can do both in one day. All right, next on our list,
very much the opposite of a museum, is Forest Hills Stadium.
So Forest Hills Stadium, it's anold tennis stadium that's
actually been converted into a music venue.
Forest Hills is a section of Queens.
It's a bit further outtakes, youknow, 30 to 40 minutes to get
(03:40):
there from Midtown Manhattan. But it is a beautiful venue.
They basically took the kind of where the actual tennis court is
in the one kind of third of it. They turned into a stage and
then the court itself is kind ofthe open glory like.
Standing area. And then there's stadium seating
kind of on the horseshoe around it.
(04:01):
There's some great acts that come through in the summer.
It's this really epic experiencebecause you kind of are down in
like the concourse area and you can't even really hear the
music. And then you step up the stairs
and as you like come out, the music just kind of fills because
it's so soundproofed it it's amazing.
But best part or one of the bestarts is the view O If you go to
(04:24):
Forks Hill Stadium, you go to see a concert.
Make sure you walk to the very top of the stadium seating.
You look out in the distance, you see Forest Hills, which is
just this kind of quaint, almostsuburban feeling neighborhood in
Queens, very lush and green. But then in the distance,
especially at night, you can seethe New York skyline, like the
Manhattan skyline. And then you kind of can just
(04:45):
spin around 180 and you see the concert below you with lights
and lasers and music and people vibing like it is.
It's bliss, honestly. I highly recommend if you're
going to be in the city and you are a fan of concerts, I think
you should check their lineup. Every time we've had the
opportunity to go to a concert at Forest Hills, we've really
enjoyed it. Yeah, For example, this summer,
(05:06):
there's already been a bunch that have already happened, but
they're names like The Black Keys, Leon Bridges, Above and
Beyond, Alabama Shakes, Mount Joy, Chapel, Rhone, I mean, all
kinds of names. And this venue, it's top notch.
We've always had a amazing experience there.
And that view that you get that we described, unbeatable.
(05:26):
All right, next on our list. This is probably what most
people think about when they think about views in New York
City. And that's an observation deck.
We've done an entire episode where we gave you the pros and
cons of each observation deck. We also told you our favorite,
which is the edge, of course, for these, you're going to be
spending anywhere from like 35 to $50.00, but you just can't
get those same views anywhere else.
(05:47):
Anywhere else that's free, you can get good views and you can
get pretty high up. But these observation decks, I
mean, some of them you're like what, 70 stories up or something
like that, and you just get completely unobstructed views of
the entire city of New York. I personally am a fan of
observation decks in general, especially if you're want really
(06:08):
really cool views. I recommend going like an hour
before the sunsets. You get the daytime views, you
get some sunset, and you can getnighttime views depending on how
long you stay. I believe Usually if you're
going to get like a sunset slot they charge you more, but if you
go an hour before usually it's alittle bit cheaper.
Like actually I was saying the sunset views, basically the time
(06:28):
slots are like for most of them it's every like 10 or 15 minute
time slots and they Jack up the price on the sunset slots.
So if you just choose the one right before the sunset timing
starts, it'll be anywhere from 5to $10 cheaper.
You can get there a little bit early, even see the daytime
views, catch the sunset. If you want to make an evening
out of it, you could even stay up there.
(06:49):
Most of them have places for food and drink that's expensive,
but then you can get the nighttime views as well.
So really, an observation deck is like the best way to get
expansive views of the city. And if you're not from a big
city and you haven't been on thetop of a super tall building
before, I personally think it's worth it.
Like, yeah, it's expensive. You're probably going to pay,
like Devon said, anywhere from like 35 to 50 bucks.
(07:10):
But windows, are you going to have an experience like that
where you can be that high up inthe sky and see Manhattan from
the sky? I think it's pretty cool.
Next on our list is Governors Island.
So Governors Island actually used to be, I believe, an Army
base or some type of military base and then it was the the
quarters for the governor, as the name implies.
But now it's kind of just this space that doesn't get a lot of
(07:33):
use and there's not a ton to do out there.
Let me back up. There are some activities to do.
It's not necessarily somewhere that I would like go out of my
way to go. I've only been there twice and
both of them were for an all daysoccer tournament that I played
in. But the views out there are
amazing #1 you get a ferry out. And so as you're taking the
ferry out, you kind of see like the New York City skyline just
(07:55):
going away from you. You end up out on Governors
Island. There's great views of the
downtown skyline. But you can also walk or bike
around Governors Island and kindof go to the far end and you get
this amazing pretty close up view of the Statue of Liberty
with nothing in front of you. And then of course, when you
come back, you kind of just are slowly going into the city is
(08:16):
what it feels like, and it's beautiful views.
What's nice too, on the weekendsbefore 10:30 AM, the ferries are
free. After that, I think it's like 4
or $5, I'm not exactly sure. But if you take the free ferry
out, of course coming back, it'salways free.
Is it free on the weekdays? Weekdays it is not free, but
there are ferries and we'll linkthe full ferry schedule to
(08:37):
Governors Island. But it's definitely something
worth checking out if you want, especially if you like to kind
of just cruise around on a bike and have something that's a
little more leisurely. There's not like a lot of cars
out there and it's a very quiet spot because not a ton of people
go on a frequent basis. So great spot to check out.
Next on our list is Brooklyn Bridge Park and Brooklyn Heights
Promenade. We kind of lump these two
together. They're very close to each
(08:57):
other. We've done an entire episode
about things to do in Dumbo, which is where Brooklyn Bridge
Park is. But I would say those are some
of the best views of downtown Manhattan, like a one World
Trade and that kind of southern tip of Manhattan, because you're
on the Brooklyn side and you just, you're right on the water
in Brooklyn Bridge Park. You've got the bridges to your
right. You've got the skyline in front
(09:18):
of you. It's it's beautiful.
I would say this is one of the more epic views that we have on
the list. Yeah, specifically because you
get the Brooklyn Bridge, views of Manhattan, views of the East
River. It's just a really cool spot.
Yeah, and Brooklyn Bridge Park also has like free activities
and events. There's a market near there that
you can check out which a bunch of food places and then.
Timeout market, we like that place a lot.
(09:40):
Yeah, and we'll link to our episode about Dumbo that you can
kind of learn more about all of that.
And then nearby is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which is kind
of an elevated tree lined walkway, which gives you similar
views but in a little bit more of a serene environment.
So those two are definitely worth checking out.
OK #7 on our list, this is actually not technically in New
York City, but it's right acrossthe Hudson River in New Jersey.
(10:03):
It's Newport Green Park, so it'sroughly parallel to the West
Village. So you get these amazing views
of kind of the whole western side of Manhattan.
So you can see a lot of the downtown things.
You get the midtown skyline. I've only been there once and
it's one of the more unique views that we have on this list
because it's just like you can'treally get that experience
(10:24):
anywhere else other than on the Jersey side of the Hudson.
Newport Green Park in particular, it's a four acre
park. It has a little sandy beach
area, there's a play area, they have special events and you can
get there on the path train for only $3.00.
So it's a pretty affordable way to like go get unique views of
New York and just kind of explore a little bit of New
(10:44):
Jersey. And that leads us to this
episode. You'll have to check it out
segment. The next stop is Russian vodka
room. All right, Russian Vodka room, I
think we had saved this as like a wants on our wants list.
But on Valentine's Day, I think it was we're like, we're just
going to go explore midtown and we're going to go just to new
restaurants or bars that we haven't been to.
(11:05):
And we went into Russian vodka room.
We made it for their happy hour.I would definitely go there
during their happy hour. The prices are a little bit more
affordable but like it's sounds it is all Russian and so much
vodka in a funky room. Yeah, like they really do tell
you exactly what it's going to be before you come in.
I'm pretty sure we had the same bartender waitress both times
that we've been. She's just like this super nice
(11:27):
older Russian lady, super thick accent.
One thing that's like really cool about this place is they
have huge jugs of vodka everywhere that they are like
constantly infusing. So the drinks that you are going
to have are infused there in. House and that's part of their
daily happy hour, which is everyday from 4:00 to 7:00.
There's a few items that are on it, but arguably the best is to
(11:50):
try their vast array of flavoredvodkas for only $7.00.
So you could do a shot of it. You could do you know a vodka
soda. You could do vodka mint like
mixed with something else, but 7bucks.
And they have all kinds of flavors, including pomegranate
Raspberry. And my favorite, just because
it's so unique is the horseradish infused vodka.
I mean, prepare your yourself. It's intense, but it's really
(12:10):
good. I personally don't love the
horseradish one, but I do appreciate that they have it on
the menu because it is unique. I really like the Raspberry one,
that one's really good. They also have great food there.
They have some classic Russian dishes, including different like
dumplings and we had a chicken dish there.
Everything we've had has been very, very good and the vibe is
just great. They have live music most
(12:31):
evenings, funky decor. It just kind of feels cozy and
comfortable, and I've never beento Russia, but I feel like they
probably kind of capture the essence of like what it feels
like in. Russia, the Russian Vodka Room
would actually be a really greatspot for you to go before a
Broadway show. You could hit their happy hour,
have a bite to eat, and then go to your Broadway show.
It's going to be like a 10 minute walk or less to to most
(12:53):
of the theaters. So that's this episode.
You'll have to check it out. Segment Russian vodka Room
that's in Midtown Manhattan. And now back to breathtaking
views in the city. Stand clear of the closing
doors, please. All right, next on our list,
Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is,
I don't want to say underrated because it is pretty well known
(13:14):
and it's pretty popular, but I think like, especially if you're
visiting, it might not be on your radar.
It should be though. It is a 52 acre space.
It has an unbelievable amount and variety of like plants,
trees, flowers. They have a cherry, a bunch of
cherry blossoms at the right time of the year.
They have rose gardens. I mean massive Rose Garden like
(13:35):
the size were like it felt like that scene in Alice in
Wonderland where they're like inlike running through like the
maze of the Rose gardens. You know what I'm talking about.
She doesn't know. Most of you probably know
hopefully what I'm talking aboutthe.
Movie freaked me out as a kid I don't know why I I maybe saw it
like a couple times and it just like scared me.
It's fair. But I'm I'm sure someone's going
(13:57):
to get your analogy. They will hopefully, if not just
no massive sprawling rose gardens, Japanese gardens and so
much more. Obviously, again, time of the
year will make a difference herefor what's like in bloom.
But no matter when you go, it's breathtaking.
And the place that you have to go to for sure inside the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden.
(14:19):
It literally feels like you're being transported to Kyoto.
Like we've been to Japan, We've experienced like all the gardens
and ponds and temples and it feels like that just like
dropped in the middle of Brooklyn.
It's absolutely wild. Like Devin said, depending on
the time of year, you're going to get different flowers and
different things that are in bloom.
When we went, there were like somany different colors of tulips
(14:42):
everywhere and that was really pretty.
I think we had just missed the cherry blossoms, but there were
like the biggest Peony bushes I've ever seen with like the
biggest peonies that smelled incredible.
Really, really fun. Nice spot to walk around.
Highly recommend and. The nice part about the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden is that it is good for all ages, like anywhere
(15:03):
from kids to seniors like it it,it's a great place.
OK, $22.00 per ticket is the price if you are a New York
resident, you can often get in for free via Culture Pass if you
have a library card, but that's the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Definitely check that out. OK, kind of swinging to the
other end of the spectrum here in regards to types of views is
number 9 Times Square, particularly at night Times
(15:27):
Square. It's an iconic landmark in New
York City. The first time you go to Times
Square, if you can, I recommend going and like taking the subway
into Times Square and at night and you pop out and it's just
this flood of bright lights and screens and energy and it, it
really can kind of take your breath away.
Like it's a little awe inspiring.
It's overwhelming, it's intense.Like it's very stimulating.
But there's not very many placeslike that where you just
(15:50):
engulfed in like lights and colors and screens.
It definitely can be a really crowded area.
Like I wouldn't necessarily recommend hanging out here for
like an extended amount amount of time.
But it is really cool to like, like Devin said, pop out of the
subway and just see all of the lights, all of the performers.
There's going to be people trying to sell you things.
There might be people trying to swindle you.
(16:12):
Don't fall for that. We have a whole episode on how
to avoid getting trapped by things like that.
But really, like, there's nothing that compares to the
energy of Times Square at night.Like I actually said, once
you're there, it's free to just walk and roam around, but we
recommend when you're ready to leave, go explore somewhere
nearby like Hell's Kitchen. We have an entire neighborhood
guide covering Hell's Kitchen. Unbelievable amounts of
(16:33):
restaurants, bars, fun things todo.
We're going to take a quick break to mention our free
transportation guide. If you were coming to New York
City for the first time or the 10th time and you need a
refresher on how to get around the Big Apple, this is the
answer. It is 100% free and it covers
everything from navigating the subway, getting a taxi, getting
to and from the airports, bikingaround the city, and all the
(16:54):
things that are important to make sure you maximize your time
New York City. So go to bettertogetherhere.com
and click the button that says free navigation guide to sign
up. All right, next on our list, you
might not think of this again. This is kind of one of the more
unique ones we wanted to include.
But flying in and out of LaGuardia, obviously this is
paid, you know, the cost of yourairplane ticket, but you've
(17:14):
likely got to fly into somewhere.
So these views, when you take off and land in LaGuardia,
they're a million times better than Newark.
They're a lot better than JFK, and you just get these
unparalleled views of like the expansiveness that is New York.
Obviously you're gonna need a window seat ideally for this,
but when you take off in particular, a lot of the runways
(17:34):
like you'll take off and they'lldo like really?
Like they'll turn to give you the view.
Yeah, I don't know if they're doing that for the view or just
to change directions that. Might just be their flight path,
but. Let's just say it's for the
views, but either way, yeah. Pilots like look at this.
Yeah, to the right side you'll see the Manhattan skyline.
But it really is beautiful. And it's, I, I feel like
especially if it's your first time coming into New York and
(17:56):
you can land in LaGuardia and just like look out the window
and just see what you're about to experience.
It's pretty. Iconic Landing in LaGuardia is
kind of crazy too, because you're like pretty much above
the water, like right before youland and you're like, are we
about to land in the water and then the runway's under you?
We have a full episode comparingthe best airports to fly in and
out of. Spoiler, it's LaGuardia.
OK, on to the next 1 #11 The beaches.
(18:19):
You probably don't think of lying on the beach when you plan
a New York City adventure, but the city really does have some
top notch beachfront areas. The best part, most of them are
accessible via public transit. And that like is again, the
whole of New York for so many reasons.
And like the calling card in NewYork is like you can get so many
places that are unique and have variety via public transit.
(18:41):
So some of the popular beaches, obviously mostly in the summer,
but Coney Island, Long Beach, Rockaway Beach, Orchard Beach,
Jones Beach, I mean, there's a ton of them.
We'll link to a great article I found that kind of goes through
seven of the popular ones. But again, they're free to go to
in most cases. You just have to pay for your
public transit to get there, which is anywhere from like
$2.90 or if you take the ferry, for example, to Rockaway Beach,
(19:05):
it's I think $4.50, but very affordable.
Beautiful beaches, some of them better than others, but a great
kind of unique way to have a different experience in your New
York travels. OK #12 One of our favorite
things to do overall, but some of our favorite views is biking
or walking down the Hudson RiverPkwy.
(19:26):
It's on the far West side of Manhattan.
It's along the water and it's just this picturesque walkway
and bike path where you get unbeatable views of the Hudson
River and then the kind of surrounding city.
And you also kind of get some great views of Jersey in certain
parts. Certain parts.
You can see the Statue of Liberty off in the distance.
I mean, it, it's, it's massive to it.
It goes from basically like 50 9th St. in Midtown all the way
(19:51):
down to like the financial district.
It's pretty much the entire Westside of Manhattan.
For me, there's just something about like being near the water
or on the water that's really special to me.
So I love like pretty much anytime Devin and I are going to
go downtown and we're not in a rush or late, we are hopping on
a bike, popping over to the Hudson River Pkwy and riding
(20:13):
down. It's really cool because you
have a wide array of things to look at on your way down.
They have everything landscaped really beautifully.
So throughout the year you have different flowers that you're
kind of riding your bike past onyour right.
If you're going South, you're going to see the Intrepid, which
is an old naval ship that's beensince retired.
It's been turned into a museum. But that's like a really huge,
(20:35):
crazy thing to see just in the middle of Manhattan.
Lots of like landscaped parks. Really beautiful spot to ride a
bike or walk down. Yeah, and what's nice too is you
don't have to like, make a full day out of it or a full
experience. You can even if you're just kind
of more on the West side, you could just pop over to the
Hudson River Pkwy, walk for 10 or 15 minutes and end up back in
(20:57):
the city. You know, or like Ashley said,
get a city bike near Midtown, bike all the way down to the
Financial District. I mean, it is absolutely
beautiful, especially at the right time of year.
And iconic experience we've had a couple times is on 4th of July
when the fireworks were happening kind of more on the
southern tip or maybe even the West in the Hudson.
I don't remember for sure. But we just biked down the
(21:17):
Hudson River Pkwy as the fireworks were going off.
And so we're like biking, seeingthe fireworks, the bright lights
of the city, I mean it unparalleled.
So we highly, highly recommend exploring the Hudson River Pkwy,
which one of the places that youmay stumble into if you do that
is number 13 on our list, and that is Little Island and the
(21:37):
top of Pier 57. We've done an entire episode
about Pier 57. Know this.
Pier 57 has a food hall and a rooftop park.
The rooftop park is completely free and it's open for a pretty
wide part of the day. You get amazing views of
downtown Manhattan from the rooftop at Pier 57.
Because you're on a pier, you'rekind of like jetted out into the
(21:59):
water a little bit. So you just have a better
vantage point to look at the Manhattan skyline that you would
if you're actually like on the island of Manhattan.
And then Little Island, which isright next to it, is a unique
park that is built on top of thewater.
It's beautifully landscaped. It kind of has this winding path
that traverses up to this lookout point.
(22:19):
It can be very crowded dependingon the time of day.
So if you can go during more of like off hours, that's better.
But again, beautifully landscaped, tons of trees and
flowers. I mean, this little pocket of
the Hudson River Pkwy unbeatablewhen it comes to views of the
city. I.
Specifically recommend this areaif you want to go and have like
like a snack or like a drink before you're going to go to
(22:41):
dinner. Like go grab some food, grab a
drink, head up to the roof and watch the sunset and then you
can go to your dinner plan somewhere.
Great, great idea. OK, next on our list #14 the
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
This is in in Central Park as well.
The views are similar ish to what you get at the great lawn.
But what's unique about the reservoir is it's a circular
(23:04):
reservoir. It's actually like 1.58 miles
and it has kind of a walking andrunning track.
So you could go do that full loop.
But the really cool part about the reservoir is that you get
these amazing views of basicallyall the city that surrounds the
park. So you can see the West side
buildings, you can see the east side buildings, you can see some
(23:25):
of the downtown buildings, you can see some of the Uptown
buildings. Like it's, I honestly recommend
doing the full loop. It's not super far again, like
1.5 miles like, but if you walk that for, you know, 30 to 40
minutes, you're just going to get these unbelievable views of
all kinds of parts of the park. And there's the reservoir right
there, which is beautiful. Sometimes there's a fountain,
big old like fountain thing that's on.
(23:46):
It's amazing. Usually a lot of ducks and other
birds kind of chilling in the water.
If you're a bird nerd, this would be a good spot to do some
bird nerding. And it's typically pretty quiet
and serene. Other water features in Central
Park, like the lake which is near Bethesda Fountain is often
just a little more crowded and there's more going on.
(24:07):
But the reservoir is much more quiet and serene.
Great place to just have a chat with a friend, listen to some
music, and it's completely free.You get great, great views.
OK, last unlist, are any of the ferries?
So New York City has a very extensive ferry system.
Most of it is for commuting. Obviously there are the subways
that can get you around, but they have ferry options as well
(24:30):
that bring people from differentboroughs and different parts of
the city into other areas. So there are a bunch of them,
but some of the popular ones forreally nice views is the
Soundview, the Staten Island Ferry, and the Rockaway Beach
Ferry. The main ferry system in New
York City, it's $4.50. So it's a little bit more
expensive than the subway, but really to get out on the water
(24:51):
and to see these amazing views for four dollars and $0.50.
Like there are paid boat tour options that you can't take and
some of them are worth the money.
And it's a different experience,but like to be able to get out
for that cheap onto the water and see the skyline from close
up. But out on the water, it's just
you can't really beat it. I feel like taking a ferry is a
really good way to, like, grasp how large the city is because, I
(25:16):
don't know, like, New York City feels huge even when you're just
on the street, walking around, looking up at the tall
buildings. But when you zoom out and you're
seeing that from a boat on the water, you see truly how large
Manhattan is. And one of the best ferry
options that we recommend is theStaten Island Ferry. 2 Reasons
why it's really good. Number one, it's completely
free, which don't get scammed. People will try and sell you
(25:39):
tickets for the Staten Island Ferry.
They are scammers. So it's free, number one.
But #2 it takes you to Staten Island, but you go pretty close
to the Statue of Liberty. So a lot of people we recommend
instead of doing the full like day of going to Ellis Island and
going to the Statue of Liberty and paying the money and like,
it's a good three to five hour experience, you take the Staten
Island Ferry. It's like roughly 20 to 30
(26:01):
minutes actually out on the water.
And then as soon as you get to Staten Island, you can hustle
over and just take the next boatthat's coming straight back to
Manhattan and you get unbelievable views of the city,
of the Statue of Liberty, just the expansiveness of New York.
And it is amazing. All right, we flew through
those. But those are 15 unique,
breathtaking views that you can get in New York City.
(26:23):
We hope that you get to do at least a handful of these.
Honestly, you could probably do a bunch in your trip and justice
tack them on to different parts of your itinerary.
If you have not already, sign upfor a newsletter bettertogether
here.com back slash newsletter. We e-mail once a week.
Also, when you sign up, you get access to our Ultimate NYC
Transportation Guide which covers everything you need to
(26:43):
know about getting around the city, using the subway, getting
to and from the airport, hailingtaxis, biking, it's expanse.
I think it's like 40 plus pages.I don't it might even be 60
pages. It is a ton of information.
Sign up for that. And when you sign up for a
newsletter, you get access to our curated collection of Google
Maps lists, which we have categorized by cuisine bars.
(27:05):
This views list is on there, so make sure you sign up at
bettertogetherhere.com back slash newsletter And other than
that, we'll catch you on the next episode.
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