FIDI
Find gorgeous views, public art, and lots of history in oldest part of Manhattan.
Also see our guide to nearby Seaport.
EVENTS
Smorgasburg WTC
May 27, 11:00 amThe Oculus at the World Trade Center
Sample creative global treats from 10 vendors at an open-air food market flanked by colorful murals.
Japan Performing Arts Early Summer Festival
May 28, 12:00 pmGovernors Island
Japan Performing Arts presents Japanese food vendors, performances, a playground area, kimono dressing demonstrations and workshops on Awaodori and Gujo Odori.
See our guide to Governor’s Island.
Sing for Hope Pianos on the Plaza
Jun 3, 9:00 am10 Sing for Hope Pianos— each a unique work of art — are gathered are on display top be admired and played before being donated to local schools. See a performance at 12 pm with over 100 youth choristers– Sing for Hope Youth Chorus, the Senior Chorus from the renowned Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, student musicians from P.S. 191, and TV star Alex Garfin (Superman & Lois) — in uplifting musical selections.
The Skyscraper Museum Family Program
Jun 4, 10:30 amThe Skyscraper Museum
Engage with a Skyscraper Museum educator to explore the principles of urbanism, architecture, and engineering through hands-on activities.
Free, but online registration required. Walk-in spots sometimes available.
Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music
Jun 5, 2:00 pmThe Seaport
South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music continues – virtually.
Join South Street Seaport Museum in person or virtually for a round-robin of shared sea songs, featuring members of The New York Packet and friends. Listen in, lead or request a song, and belt out the choruses for your neighbors to hear. Hosted by singers from the New York Packet.
Sing for Hope Monday Melodies
Jun 6, 12:00 pmWestfield World Trade Center Oculus
Enjoy live performances by Sing for Hope artist on a beautiful & unique Sing for Hope piano, painted by local artist Lance Johnson, in the striking Oculus. Make a request and enjoy the powerful acoustics of the unique space
From 8 am – 7 pm, all are welcome to play on the piano.
TO DO
Staten Island Ferry
Take a free ferry ride from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan to Staten Island and back for great views of The Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan & Brooklyn skylines. 25 minute trips (1 hour round trip) depart every half hour (every fifteen minutes during rush hour). Masks required.
For a quicker trip, take the…
Battery Playscape
Explore a new playground with five ecology zones—Bluff, Marsh, Dune, Meadow, and Riverbed– in resilient design, post-Superstorm Sandy when the park survived the full force of the 15-foot storm surge and became a focal point of sea level rise. Lyrical patterns of water illuminate the portal, fence, and custom seating. Daylight filters through the punctuated…
Nelson A. Rockefeller & Teardrop Park
Frolic on wide waterfront lawns and explore multiple playgrounds plus gardens, public art pieces, and a sheltered pavilion.
In Rockefeller Park, climb large jungle gyms with swinging bridges, netting, slides, poles and more. Ride a pedal-powered merry-go-round and dig in multiple sandboxes and a handicapped-accessible sand table. In warm weather, be sprayed by an elephant…
Seaglass Carousel
Spin under the sea in an aquatic carousel in historic Battery Park. Sit within iridescent fiberglass fish that glide through a (covered) spiraling nautilus of glass and steel. LED color-changing lighting combined with “water effect” light projectors and oceanic music create a magical underwater atmosphere for kids of all ages.
Purchase tickets at the carousel…
One World Observatory
Elevators climb 102 stories in 47 seconds to the 102nd floor of the Freedom Tower, the tallest building in America at a symbolic 1,776 feet. Incredible views plus lots of interactive and digital features including immersive audiovisual experiences, a 14-foot wide circular glass disc with high definition footage of the streets 100 floors below and…
Governors Island
Oasis-with-a-view Governors Island is just a short ferry ride away. Lots of room to roam and play on this 172 acre former military post.
* Relax in Hammock Grove’s cozy hammocks (and say hello to sheep), find breathtaking 360-degree views in The Hills and camp out in Adirondack chairs at Picnic Point. Throughout the island…
The Statue of Liberty
Take a ferry to Liberty Island, home of the iconic statue. After a lovely 15-minute boat ride with amazing views and no crowds. Walk among paved, stroller-friendly paths and relax in shady grassy areas.
At the Statue of Liberty Museum, explore the story of the Statue’s creation, her history, and her evolving meaning to people…
play:groundNYC’s The Yard
Get creative at a 50,000 square-foot adventure playground stocked with loose parts, tools and space for kids to play, imagine and dream big.
See our compete guide to Governor’s Island.
Hamilton: The Scavenger Hunt for Families
Follow in Alexander Hamilton’s footsteps through the streets of Lower Manhattan, from Wall Street to Battery Park. Kids and adults collaborate on teams to discover the places where the feisty Founding Father worked, played, debated, fought, and planned his fatal duel. Great for fans of the musical Hamilton.
No knowledge of Alexander Hamilton or…
ART
Dubuffet Sculpture
An office tower plaza features a dynamic Jean Dubuffet sculpture and a peaceful Noguchi rock garden fountain.
WTC Street Murals & Memorial
Street artists from around the world vibrantly transformed the streets surrounding 3 World Trade Center with fun, colorful murals, bringing love and joy to a place of mourning.
At the 9/11 Memorial, two 1-acre pools with the largest man-made waterfalls in the United States comprise the footprints of the Twin Towers, symbolizing the loss of…
Art Walk at Brookfield Place
Look for works ranging in composition from oil on canvas to handmade ceramics throughout the 40-foot palms and glass decor in this shopping and office complex.
In addition to a permanent collection on view, new artists exhibit their work throughout the year. Right now see vivid & colorful art installations by Laci Jordan on the…
Bird’s-Eye View & Battery Park City Art
Experience Bird’s Eye View, an augmented reality (AR) artwork by technology innovator and artist Shuli Sadé. The piece is inspired by relocation and movement along the lower Hudson River through fascinating studies of bird migration and human immigration.
Scan one of 70 QR codes on any of the 14 signs along the water to see…
National Museum of the American Indian–New York
All ages can learn about the culture and contributions of Native Americans at the engaging New York branch of this DC museum. Lots of opportunities for hands-on exploration in multiple rooms. Touch a buffalo hide, match animal drawings, learn about Mayan math, play in a teepee and more.
Pick up a fantastic family guide and…
The Skyscraper Museum
Celebrate NYC’s rich vertical architectural heritage in a small but very cool stainless-steel space. See mini-Manhattan models, dramatic photographs, scale models of the tallest buildings throughout world and history and rotating exhibits. Explore tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence.
…
Sing for Hope Monday Melodies
Enjoy live performances by Sing for Hope artist on a beautiful & unique Sing for Hope piano, painted by local artist Lance Johnson, in the striking Oculus. Make a request and enjoy the powerful acoustics of the unique space
From 8 am – 7 pm, all are welcome to play on the piano.
TO EAT
Eataly NYC Downtown
The 40,000 square feet outpost of Italian marketplace Eataly is focused on bread, but you can also find delizioso pizza, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, pasta, rotisserie chicken, chocolate, gelato and (post-pandemic) weekend kids cooking classes.
Choose from five restaurants, nine take-away counters (including gelato), two caffès, and one wine bar. Shop more than 10,000 high-quality…
Greek From Greece Bakery &Cafe
Feast on authentic Greek pastries both sweet (backlava, kataifi, walnut cake) and savory (spinach pies & a variety of cheese pies) plus soups, salads, sandwiches, house-made Greek yogurt and more at this friendly bakery/cafe.
Le District
Mangez on freshly made croissants, crepes, frites and more delicious treats in a French shopping district within happening Brookfield Place. Take your treat to the terrace for a view of the French-in-origin Lady Liberty.
Adrienne’s Pizza Bar
Eat thin-crust square pies (plus classic round pies, salads, pastas and more) on indoor and outdoor seating overlooking historic, cobbled Stone Street at this casual yet classy pizzeria.
Smorgasburg WTC
Sample creative global treats from 10 vendors at an open-air food market flanked by colorful murals.