A perfect place no matter what time of year you are visiting!
23rd St. & Hudson River Park, New York, NY 10011.
In their first life, these were ocean-liner berths. The Titanic was supposed to tie up at Pier 59 in 1912; she never made it, but the survivors did, brought back aboard the Carpathia. Jesse Owens shipped out from Pier 60 on his way to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The buildings were originally designed by Warren and Wetmore — the same firm that did Grand Central. After decades as a cargo terminal and a near-miss with a highway that thankfully never got built, a private group rebuilt the whole thing into the sports complex that opened in 1995.
Now, it’s a 28-acre stretch of West Side Manhattan where you can hit golf balls into the Hudson, dock a yacht, bowl a few frames, take a sailing lesson, sweat through a spin class, and grab a steak — all without crossing the West Side Highway. This reviewer loves it. It is also really close to that other magic pier, Pier 57 – with lots to eat and drink.
Ask most visitors what to do in New York, and you’ll hear the same five answers: Times Square, the Empire State, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the High Line. Ask a New Yorker where they actually go, and a surprising number will point you west to the Hudson. Chelsea Piers and its surrounding stretch of Hudson River Park is Manhattan’s best-kept secret: 28 acres of sports, sailing, skating, and skyline views hiding in plain sight between 17th and 23rd Street.
Here’s how to do it right.
Pier 59 is also the marina, which is the only real megayacht dock in Manhattan, where boats up to 400 feet can tie up. If you’ve ever wondered where all the vessels you see floating past the High Line actually park, it’s Chelsea Piers. Smaller operators run out of here, too: Classic Harbor Line sails out on schooners, a few private charter outfits do skyline cruises, and the dinner boats use the slips year-round. Dockhands get great reviews across the board.
Right next door, adjacent to the carousel, you’ll find one of the best free skate parks in NYC — a 15,000-square-foot California-style concrete bowl that draws skaters from across the city. It’s free, it’s open to the public, and even if you don’t skate, the people-watching alone is worth the detour. Bring a board, or grab a bench, and watch the locals send it.
Another great thing to check out is the ARTE museum. I went there and loved it. Check out the review of ARTE
Just north of the main sports complex, on Pier 62, sits one of the most charming free-ish attractions in the city: the Pier 62 Carousel. It’s hand-carved, river-themed (think sturgeon, sea turtles, and peregrine falcons instead of horses), and runs seasonally. Rides are a couple of bucks. Bring a kid, or don’t, nobody’s checking.
Now for the main event. The Chelsea Piers Field House and the rest of the sports complex are where the magic really happens. This is “Manhattan’s ultimate playground” — and they’re not kidding.
Want to spend some time indoors, but still enjoy Ice Skating? Chelsea Piers is the place to go. It’s not as crowded as the outdoor places and a lot warmer!
Not so great at the pier, but walk about 3/4 a mile to go to the Frying Pan – great drinks and amazing sunset views. And of course, there is Pier 57 – not only an indoor food court, but also has great views of the city on their top floor.
This is the beautiful park that is smack up against Chelsea Piers. It is truly a beautiful part of the city on Manhattan’s west side. This picture of the water wheel is Long Time, a water wheel that captures the beauty of the majestic Hudson River while harkening back to its shipping and milling history. The wheel is constructed of stainless steel and has a diameter of 26 feet. Artist Paul Ramirez-Jonas was commissioned to create this stunning piece. At certain times, the wheel moves with the tide as the river ebbs and flows. Designed to be a beautiful sight at any time of day, it is particularly magnificent at sundown.
Chelsea Piers Fitness is the 150,000-square-foot health club at Pier 60, and it might be the most fully-loaded gym in Manhattan that isn’t Equinox. Quarter-mile indoor track. Six-lane pool with a sundeck looking out over the Hudson. Basketball courts, an indoor sand volleyball court, a boxing ring, a rock-climbing wall, the usual deep bench of strength and cardio plus more than a hundred group classes a week. The recovery side has all the new toys — saunas, steam rooms, cold plunge, contrast therapy — with Malin + Goetz toiletries in the locker rooms. Membership starts around $295 a month for a single adult and climbs from there. Members will tell you the pool gets crowded (classes get priority over lap swimmers, which is the main gripe), but the rest of the facility holds up.
VISIT CHELSEA PIERS WEBSITE
Chelsea Piers is a 28-acre sports and entertainment complex on Manhattan’s West Side, built across Piers 59, 60, and 61 along the Hudson River between 17th and 23rd Streets. The complex opened in 1995 on the site of former ocean-liner terminals and now houses a golf range, fitness club, bowling alley, marina, two ice rinks, a gymnastics center, and event spaces.
Chelsea Piers sits along Twelfth Avenue (the West Side Highway) between West 17th and West 23rd Streets in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. The closest subway stops are the C/E at 23rd Street and the 1 train at 18th Street, both about a 10-minute walk east.
Yes, Chelsea Piers itself is free to enter — you only pay for the specific activities you choose to do. Walking the riverfront path, watching the boats at the marina, and browsing the head house cost nothing.
The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers is a four-tier driving range with a 200-yard fairway over the Hudson, and you pay per bucket using a prepaid card at automated tees that feed balls up after each swing. A basic bucket runs around $30 for roughly 160 balls, plus about $4 if you need to rent clubs. No tee time is required, but waits can stretch to an hour on weekend afternoons.
No, most of Chelsea Piers is open to walk-ins, including the driving range, Lucky Strike bowling, ice skating sessions, and the boat charters. Memberships are only required for Chelsea Piers Fitness (the health club) and certain organized leagues.
Yes, Lucky Strike Chelsea Piers (formerly Bowlero) has 40 lanes plus an arcade, laser tag, a sports bar, and private bowling rooms for events and birthdays. Lanes can be reserved online and weekend nights book up days in advance.
Chelsea Piers Fitness memberships start around $185 per month for a single adult and run up to about $349 per month for family plans, with all plans requiring a one-year commitment. The joining fee is typically waived during promotions, which the club runs regularly.
Chelsea Piers Fitness includes a recovery suite with traditional saunas, steam rooms, an infrared sauna, cold plunges, and contrast therapy, but it is not a full-service day spa offering massages or facials. Access is included with a gym membership.
Yes, Chelsea Piers Marina at Pier 59 has 65 slips and accommodates vessels up to 400 feet, including 25 megayacht berths with 30, 50, and 100-amp shore power. Reservations can be booked through Dockwa, with short-term dockage running about $5 per foot.
Yes, Chelsea Piers is one of Manhattan’s main launch points for sightseeing cruises, sailing trips, and private charters. Operators based there include Classic Harbor Line (schooner sails), City Cruises, and Go Sailing NYC, with most tours covering the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Manhattan skyline.
Chelsea Piers has a few on-site options including casual food at Lucky Strike bowling and a restaurant inside the Golf Club, but most visitors walk to nearby spots. The Frying Pan at Pier 66 (just north) is the local pick for outdoor riverfront drinks, and Chelsea Market (about 10 minutes east) has dozens of vendors including Los Tacos No. 1, Cull & Pistol, and Miznon.
Yes, Chelsea Piers is one of the most kid-friendly destinations in Manhattan, with a gymnastics center, two full-sized indoor ice rinks, the Field House for indoor soccer and basketball, summer camps for ages 3–17, and Lucky Strike’s arcade and laser tag. Most programs accept kids as young as age three.
Chelsea Piers opened in 1910 as luxury ocean-liner terminals for the rival Cunard and White Star Lines, and Pier 59 was the intended docking point for the Titanic in 1912. The complex later served as a cargo terminal and a WWII troop-deployment site before being redeveloped into the current sports village in 1995.
Yes, Chelsea Piers has paid on-site parking in lots and a garage at the complex, with rates that vary by activity and length of stay. Some venues inside the complex offer validated parking, so it’s worth asking when you check in.
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