Hi friends, welcome back! Today I’m taking you on a tour of the Seaport District in Lower Manhattan along the East River. This area is a few blocks away from our apartment, so Jon and I frequently come here for coffee and treats. Along with being a designated historic district, this neighborhood also has restaurants, dessert shops, coffee shops, art galleries, a few clothing stores, a book shop, boxing studio, museums, a movie theater, and it hosts many events throughout the year. Another draw to this area is its excellent location along the East River with incredible views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge. There’s something for everyone in the Seaport District making it a popular destination in NYC! (The Seaport District is rich in history, but I’m saving that for a separate post, todays post will focus on the current happenings in this unique area.)
One of the things I love most about the Seaport District is that it feels like you’re transported back in time to the 1800s. The cobblestone streets and well maintained/restored historic buildings are such a contrast to the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan. The Seaport District has been around since the 17th Century and I’m happy they’ve left the area looking historic and charming.
The Seaport is also fun to check out at Halloween and Christmas! In Home Alone 2, Marv and Harry made an appearance in the area, but it looks pretty different nowadays.
There’s no shortage of ice cream in the Seaport District, my favorite ice cream shops are Mister Dips (their cones change every month), Van Leeuwen, and Big Gay Ice Cream (pictured in order below).
We haven’t explored many of the restaurants down here, but they always seem to be packed. We’ve tried sushi before from SUteiShi and I LOVED the popup restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn. Some of the other restaurants get average Yelp reviews, so we haven’t tried them, but I’d love to try Barbalu, Il Brigante, and Carne Mare.
Some of the best cookies in NYC can be found at Funny Face Bakery.
I haven’t done much shopping in the area or checked out the art galleries, but the Seaport District seems like a great spot if you’re into those activities.
Our favorite spot in the Seaport District is Pier 17. We love sitting here and taking in the Manhattan Skyline. In the summer there are farmers markets and food festivals on the pier that are fun to check out.
Walking around the pier you’re greeted with, in my opinion, the best views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge. We like to sit on one of the benches with our coffee on the weekends when the weather is nice. There’s something about being by the water that’s a calming way to start the day.
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy absolutely devastated the Seaport District. Pier 17 was essentially rebuilt from the ground up and reopened to the public in 2018. I moved to NYC in 2018, so this beautiful area is all I’ve known and I had no idea the resiliency of this neighborhood until I started reading more.
In the summer there are concerts on top of the building on Pier 17, but we haven’t been to one yet. They also put little green houses and a skating rink on top in the winter and little “yards” up there in the summer you can rent with friends. I think they’ve done a great job of making the whole pier a desired spot to hang out.
ESPN has offices and studios here and they film some of their shows including “First Take,” Around the Horn” and “Get Up!”. In the summer of 2021, the ESPY Awards were held on top of the building.
I believe the Seaport District is a hidden gem, and I feel so fortunate to live only a few blocks away! This small area has almost everything you could possibly need along with great spaces to relax and hang out. The Seaport District is out of the way from most major sites in NYC, so it doesn’t get overcrowded or feel draining after spending too long here like some other places. It has the perfect balance of liveliness and relaxing, which is why I enjoy this area so much! Stay tuned for another Seaport District post featuring the museum and two ships that we toured. Have you checked out the Seaport District yet?
