The High Line is New York's first major attraction of the 21st century. When it opened in 2009, locals and visitors climbed up the former elevated railway line with excited curiosity. It now seems like this "park" has been a part of the city as long as the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building have. Here is what not to miss on the High Line.
View an interactive Google Maps list of everything to do near New York's High Line Park.
1. The Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney isn't exactly attached to the High Line but it should be, as it sits right at the elevated park's southern end. Designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano, the museum boasts an excellent collection of works by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and others. The top-floor terrace offers incredible views of the skyline and the High Line.
This former Nabisco factory no longer churns out Oreos, but it does produce some great food. The hungry and the indecisive may never leave here. From excellent tacos to Southeast Asian sandwiches to pasta to seafood, if you can't find something to eat here, you might not be a sentient being. The Food Network occupies the upper floors, so don't be surprised if you see your favorite celebrity chef traipsing by.
3. The Amphitheater
When the "railway" crosses Tenth Avenue, we get to one of the most dazzling attractions during the 1.5-mile stretch: the amphitheater with its large picture-window framing Tenth Avenue, thus turning the bustle of the city into entertainment. This is a great place to take a seat on the bleacher-like seating and watch the city go by beneath and in front of you.
4. 23rd Street Lawn
The only grass on the entire 1.5-mile stretch is at W. 23rd Street. Lounge here and take in the massive London Terrace apartment building which stretches an entire block from Ninth to Tenth Avenues. Built in the early 1930s, the building has 1,700 apartments. Babe Ruth once turned up at the building dressed as Santa Claus to give gifts to kids.
5. 520 W. 28th Street
There are a lot of buildings designed by "starchitects" along the High Line. Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, and Renzo Piano are just a few. One of the most striking, though, is at W. 28th Street: Zaha Hadid designed this apartment building, incorporating chevron-like patterns into the design to create a very sleek retro-futuristic structure for the ages.
6. Hudson Yards
Opened in Spring 2019, this massive (and controversial) project is made up of a shopping mall, several celebrity chef restaurants, a great Spanish food hall, a futuristic-looking performance space called The Shed, and hotel. It makes for a great end to the High Line experience, especially if you're hungry.
7. The Vessel
Sixteen stories high with 154 flights of stairs and 2,500 steps, this structure gives new meaning to the workout machine "StairMaster." Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the Vessel, as it's officially called, has no really purpose except for people who need a workout or desire a punishing stair climb to get a nice view. The press has labeled it "New York's answer to the Eiffel Tower" and locals have branded it "the shawarma" because it looks like a giant rotating hunk of meat. Entry is free but you have to reserve in advance.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
