Basic Information
Date of Adventure: 12/05/2021
Location: Gansevoort Street to 34th Street and 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue, NYC.
Distance: 1.45 mile one-way
How to get there: take NYCT Subway
- A, C, E, L train to 14th Street and 8th Avenue to enter the southern part of the park
- A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 train to Penn Station or 7 train to 35th Street-Hudson Yards to enter the northern part of the park
- C, E, 1, 2, 3 train for entrances in between the south and north parts of the park
Entrance locations:
- Gansevoort Street and Washington Street
- 14th Street
- 16th Street
- 17th Street
- 20th Street
- 23rd Street
- 26th Street
- 28th Street
- 30th Street
Restrooms: Ganesvoort Street, 16th Street, and 30th Street
Background
The Vessel and High Line Park are part of the Hudson Yards, NYC’s newest neighborhood, which also contains numerous shops, restaurants, bars, offices, art galleries, cultural institutions, residences, public plazas, gardens, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, and a hotel. This neighborhood is often termed as the New West Side.
The Vessel
The Vessel is an interactive piece of artwork and visitor attraction located in the Hudson Yards Public Square that became the centerpiece of the Hudson yards. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, it rises 16 stories high and is comprised of 154 flights of stairs, almost 2,500 steps, and 80 landings. It can hold up to 1,000 people at a time. Unfortunately, the Vessel is no longer open to the public due to four suicide attempts.
High Line Park
The High Line Park is a 1.45-mile-long elevated linear trail park that was built on an abandoned New York Central Railroad spur that runs along the West Side of Manhattan and passes through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District.
Our Impressions
This was my second time visiting the Vessel and High Line Park. The first time was in the spring of 2019, a few months before Sheldon and I met. I went there with my kids and friends. Lucky for us, the Vessel was still open to the public so we had a chance to climb up to the top. The kids had a blast running through the labyrinth of stairways. The views were incredible. Although we did not do much walking along the High Line as it would have been nearly impossible with 4 whiny children, we did have a blast at the Pershing Square Beams Playground located at 30th Street section of the park. The playground is made from the the original steel beams and girders, coated in a silicone surface for safety. (As of today, the website indicates this playground is temporarily closed).
This time, with Sheldon, we appreciated the immensity of the Vessel from the ground and enjoyed the whole span of the High Line Park North to South and back. Despite the crowds, this is a well worth attraction to visit. We enjoyed the gorgeous architecture, city and Hudson River views, plants, and artwork along the pathway.
Have a wonderful day trip and let us know what you think in the comments!
