Hanging out in Lower Manhattan

I spent  a week in New York City at the end of the summer while my daughter went to orientation for grad school. Later in the week Mr. UR met us there and we moved her into her new apartment. While I've been to New York a few times, I've never really explored the Lower Manhattan area. Fueled by the building of the One World Trade Center and the opening of the 9/11 Museum, there has been quite a bit happening in this area of Manhattan. And I found out that there's alot to like here.

Battery Park Other than walking through to get on the boat to visit the Statue of Liberty, I had never really explored Battery Park. The park is located at the southern tip of Manhattan where the Hudson and East rivers come together. All the way back to the founding of the city, this is where the first cannons were erected to protect it - hence, "the battery." The park had become quite neglected by the 1980's so a master plan was created to bring it back to being a prominent Manhattan park.  There is a small cafe that is open seasonally, snack vendors, gardens, monuments and memorials, a labryinth, and a waterfront promenade. 

View of Lower Manhattan from Battery Park

Good ole Lady Liberty from the park

Battery Park

We were there on a very pleasant summer day and though there were quite a few people there, it wasn't overly crowded. We took in the views of the harbor and Lady Liberty. Saw the statue honoring immigrants to the US, witnessed a confrontation between 2 groups of tour bus operators (apparently one group was encroaching upon the others sales territory!) and took a ride on the (somewhat) new Seaglass Carousel at the Battery Park Conservancy. Of course, you can go there and have a wander around, grab an ice cream bar and watch the boats go in and out of the harbor if you'd rather - and just watch the world go by!

Monument to The Immigrants

Sea Glass Carousel

South Street Seaport
A historic district underneath the Brooklyn Bridge - on the Manhattan side - the South Street Seaport includes some of the island's oldest buildings. Now a shopping, dining and entertainment area, the Seaport features views of the Brooklyn Bridge and includes historical buildings, renovated ships and the former Fulton Fish Market. You can take your pick of restaurants, bars and coffee houses or pick up a drink from the food trucks and sit at the tables on the street - in the summer. There is also the South Street Seaport Museum which houses ongoing seafaring exhibits and historic ship tours (there are 5 historic vessels that you can pay to visit) And they host historical walking tours with different themes. 

Titanic Memorial

It was a bit to early for us to dine, so we wandered down and a did a bit of window shopping and people watching. If I get back, I'd love to visit the museum and do a walking tour.(Technically, the South Street Seaport isn't included in Lower Manhattan but it was within walking distance from our hotel so I'm including it in our visit)

The Occulus
The Occulus is the centerpiece of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Designed by world famous architect Santiago Calatrava, it's the third largest transportation hub in NYC. It incorporates "78,000 square feet of multi-level, state of the art retail and dining." This futuristic building is designed to bring light down into the subterannean level rail station. 

I visited for one purpose - to have lunch at the famous Eataly. After getting directions from an employee - this place is Large - I set off to enjoy an Italian birthday meal. But it wasn't to be. The lines to get into the market/restaurants/cafe were down the escalator going up. I finally made it inside Eataly but I knew the wait was going to be forever. So I exited the mall at Liberty St. and walked straight to "pizza by the slice" Majestic Pizza. And enjoyed every bite. You just can't beat New York Pizza!

Trinity Church and the Wall Street Bull Statue
Alexander Hamilton is buried in the Trinity Church Cemetery and due to the success of Hamilton on Broadway, this graveyard has become THE place to visit for fans of the show. We walked by and thought we would come back later in the day when there was less of a crowd, but it was closed. So we took a look from outside the gates. Another thing to do when I go back. And another very popular sight to see is the Charging Bull Statue located in Bowling Green Park in the Financial District. I don't have a photo because it was mobbed. There were people in front of it, behind it and on top of it. I had no idea that it was so popular! So try your luck at seeing it - and getting a photo. Maybe you'll do better than I did!

Hang out at the waterfront
You can spend some time down at the piers - there are multiple - and grab a hot dog from a cart or a drink from a bar and watch the boats come and go. Mr. UR and I caught the East River Ferry here to go across to Brooklyn and we enjoyed sitting at the Industry Kitchen open air bar before hand while watching all the river traffic. 

As always with such a large city as New York there is still so much left undone. I didn't make it to Fraunces Tavern and Stone Street, One World Trade Center, the African Burial Ground National Monument, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum or, even though I've been to the 9/11 memorial, the 9/11 Museum. And all of that is in Lower Manhattan. I think I need quite a few more trips to New York - but then, one can never do it all, can one?

If you go: 
The Sea Glass Carousel is located in the Conservancy in Battery Park . It is open weekends and NYC Public School Holidays. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased on site. The entrance is located at State St. and Water St.

Have you been to New York City? What did you enjoy doing there?

This post is part of a link-up with: Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox , Weekend Wanderlust Travel Blog Party and Weekend Travel Inspiration at Malaysian Meanders!