Watch the Sunset Behind the Manhattan Skyline in Long Island City
Time your evening for the open piers, where the Midtown skyline turns gold as the sun drops behind it.
🌇 Sundown Over the East River
Gantry Plaza sits on the Long Island City waterfront, directly across the East River from Midtown Manhattan. The park faces west, and the whole skyline turns into a backdrop as the sun drops behind the towers.
Walk out onto the old rail piers, past the two black steel gantries that once loaded barges, and claim a curved granite bench at the railing. The gantries frame the skyline like a giant window when the light goes amber, and the water picks up every color overhead. Willows and open lawns offer softer seats when the piers fill up, and the crowd stays easy into the evening. Reviewers land it at 4.8 across more than 10,000 visits. Arrive an hour before sundown, hold a bench, and stay for blue hour when Midtown lights up.
