Waterfront Park Near Me: Pier 57 Rooftop Park Above the Hudson

When you are on the West Side and search for a waterfront park near me, the answer might be on a roof. Pier 57 Rooftop Park sits on top of a historic Hudson River pier at 25 11th Avenue, at 15th Street in Chelsea, and gives the public a nearly two-acre lawn with panoramic views of Lower Manhattan and New York Harbor. It is part of Hudson River Park, it is open daily from 6 am to 1 am, and it is one of the largest public rooftop parks in the city.

Pier 57's own history page calls the structure an engineering marvel. It was first built in 1907 as a shipping and storage terminal, then reconstructed by the city's Department of Marine and Aviation in 1952 to a design by Emil H. Praeger, who floated the pier on three hollow concrete caissons. It reopened in 1954 as the terminal for the Grace Line, whose ships sailed to Latin America. The pier is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Later the building became the Hudson Pier Bus Depot, and according to Handel Architects it served as a parking garage for the city's buses for three decades before sitting vacant from 2003. Redevelopment brought Handel Architects and !Melk Landscape Architecture together to design the roughly 80,000-square-foot rooftop park, which opened in spring 2022. The rest of the pier reopened on April 1, 2023, as a partnership between the Hudson River Park Trust, Google, RXR Realty, Youngwoo and Associates, and Jamestown.

The rooftop is mostly lawn, and its quirkiest feature is a set of round skylights set into the grass that bring daylight down to the offices below. A slim glass pavilion stands at one side, and the edges open onto river views in three directions: south to Lower Manhattan and the harbor, west to New Jersey and north toward Chelsea Piers. Because the roof sits a few stories above the water, you get a wider horizon than you do from the riverside path.

The roof is also an event space. This October it hosted a Rooftop Films screening of "Practical Magic," with doors at 6 pm and the film starting at 7 pm, and a dog-friendly morning on October 17 that offered complimentary pup cups and treats. Downstairs, Market 57 is throwing Halloween festivities on October 31 from 11 am to 8 pm, with trick-or-treating at the kiosks. Check the pier's events page a few days ahead, since screenings require an RSVP.

The ground floor holds Market 57, a food hall curated by the James Beard Foundation, along with City Winery, the JBF Platform kitchen, ofCorsica!, El Bar and Miru. The easy plan is to pick up food from the market kiosks and carry it upstairs for a picnic on the lawn. The rooftop page itself describes the space as the perfect place for a picnic, a gathering with friends or an unforgettable sunset, and that is how most people use it.

Because the roof is part of Hudson River Park, the Trust's park-wide rules apply. Dogs must be properly licensed and on a leash no longer than six feet. Drinking alcohol is prohibited except where the Trust specifically permits it, and fires or grills of any kind are not allowed. Bicycles are limited to designated service roads and the Hudson River Greenway, so lock up at street level before heading to the roof rather than wheeling a bike through the building.

The entrance is easy to miss the first time. Pier 57's directions say to head to the south gate near City Winery and walk along the pathway to the main entrance, which faces Little Island directly across the water. Once inside, take the stairs or the elevator up to the roof. Access is from the West Side Highway, so cross at 15th Street if you are walking from Chelsea.

Sunset is the obvious peak, when the Hudson turns orange and the lawn fills with picnic blankets. Weekday mornings after the 6 am opening are almost empty, with a few runners stretching and office workers drinking coffee before work. Because the roof stays open until 1 am, it is also one of the rare places in Manhattan where you can sit on grass by the river late at night, with the lit skyline to the south.

Take the A, C, E or L train to 14th Street–8th Avenue and walk west to the West Side Highway and 15th Street. The M14, M20 and M11 buses stop along 14th Street. If you drive, paid parking is available in the garage beneath the pier, and the Hudson River Greenway brings cyclists right to the door. Walking from the Meatpacking District takes about ten minutes along the river.

Pier 57 is perfectly placed for a short river walk. Little Island, the park raised on concrete tulip-shaped pots, sits directly across from the rooftop entrance and is free to enter. Head north instead and the riverside path leads to Chelsea Piers, with its sports complex and marina. Combine all three and you have a two-hour loop of Hudson River Park without leaving the waterfront.

The rooftop suits office workers who want a lunch break on grass, couples looking for a free sunset with harbor views, and visitors staying in Chelsea or the Meatpacking District who need a calm break from the crowds. It is less suited to anyone wanting playgrounds or sports courts, which are better found at the nearby piers. For a quick escape from Midtown noise, few places are closer.

Pier 57 Rooftop Park is at 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10011, at 15th Street in Hudson River Park. Hours: open daily 6 am to 1 am. Entry to the rooftop park is free. Enter through the south gate near City Winery, then take the stairs or elevator. Subway: A/C/E/L to 14th Street–8th Avenue. Bus: M14, M20 or M11. Dogs on a leash of six feet or less; no grills; alcohol only where the Trust permits it. Ask Karpo in the Karpo APP to pick a Chelsea dinner spot after sunset.