Strolling the NYC Extreme Line

The first time my husband and I walked the Extreme Line in NYC was correct after the third a part of this elevated public park opened. That was spherical 2014.

We’d merely dropped our youthful daughter off for a college go to appointment and had only a few hours to kill. So, we headed west, on foot, on thirty fourth Street until we purchased to the Jacob Javits Convention Center between eleventh and twelfth Avenues. There, we entered the Extreme Line.

Since our first go to, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has extended the Amount 7 (purple) subway to have a stop at Hudson Yards. It lets you out not solely near a Extreme Line entry stage however moreover the enduring Vessel setting up along with The Edge NYC.

This earlier winter I went once more and walked your complete factor as soon as extra. I was visiting NYC to have a great time my birthday. Strolling the Extreme Line in winter is so completely totally different than all through warmth local weather. Sure, it’s chilly nonetheless you could want your complete place to your self like I did. It was heavenly!

Extreme Line in Manhattan: An elevated oasis in NYC

Very just like the Rails to Trails concept all through America, New York Metropolis’s Extreme Line is a public park constructed on an elevated railway line. In precise truth, the Extreme Line is included inside the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Initially, these rail strains launched objects to warehouses alongside the West Facet of Manhattan. These warehouses had been located in what’s now usually known as the Meatpacking District and the Chelsea neighborhood.

Nonetheless, with the looks of trucking and interstate highways, New York Metropolis abandoned these warehouses and the rail strains, and eventually they fell into disrepair.

Who constructed the NYC Extreme Line

In 1999, neighborhood activists long-established Associates of the Extreme Line to place it other than demolition. Their efforts paid off when New York Metropolis permitted a plan to transform the railway proper right into a public park.

In June 2009, the first a part of the Extreme Line opened to friends. Since then, two additional areas have been added — Half 2 opened in June 2011 and Half 3 in September 2014.

In 2023, they added a connector from Manhattan West, the place the Peloton NYC Studios are located, to the Extreme Line. It’s billed as a way to get from Penn Station’s Moynihan Observe Hall on to the Extreme Line.

In precise truth, if you’re looking out for motels near the Extreme Line, these NYC motels near Penn Station match the bill.

What’s the Extreme Line like

Extreme Line Park is now actually one in all New York Metropolis’s hottest vacationer sights. The park gives attractive views of Manhattan’s skyline, distinctive greenery amidst the city buildings, meals distributors and quite a few public paintings installations.

In precise truth, I snapped this image beneath of an Andy Warhol mural on the Extreme Line. This was the most recent time I walked the Extreme Line.

All instructed, the Extreme Line is beneath 1.5 miles. So, it’s a simple stroll to do on a nice day.

Moreover, there are elevators from the highway to this elevated park. This allows these with restricted mobility to benefit from these distinctive views of NYC, too.

My mother and I walked the entire measurement of the Extreme Line in beneath an hour. This allowed for a great deal of time to linger.

We took this selfie collectively as we near the tip. That’s the Prolonged Island Railroad trains inside the West Facet yard inside the background.

The place is the Extreme Line located

You will note this distinctive metropolis park on Manhattan’s West Facet. It runs from Gansevoort Street inside the Meatpacking District to West thirty fourth Street, near the Javits Center. Entry elements alongside the route make it easy for friends to find completely totally different components of the park.

Friends can enter the park at quite a few elements alongside its route. This comprises:

• Gansevoort Street
• 14th Street
• sixteenth Street
• seventeenth Street
• twentieth Street
• twenty third Street
• twenty sixth Street
• twenty eighth Street
• thirtieth Street (this comprises that aforementioned new connector)

Discover: all of these entrance elements are on the West Facet of Manhattan. Subsequently, you’ll must navigate to West thirtieth Street or West 14th Street, as an example.

Alternatively, the north-south avenues that the Extreme Line runs parallel to, for basically probably the most half, are tenth and eleventh Avenues. As soon as extra, that’s on the West Facet.

Causes to go to the NYC Extreme Line

Strolling the Extreme Line gives a novel perspective of New York Metropolis. Alongside the linear walkway are gardens, paintings installations and seating areas. Friends can benefit from beautiful views of Manhattan’s skyline whereas strolling alongside the elevated Extreme Line inexperienced space.

It’s an ideal spot to spend time inside the metropolis when touring alone. You may often uncover others taking a nap, finding out a information or just deep in thought away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Folks benefit from coming to the elevated park to flee the busy streets beneath.

Nonetheless, you cannot escape the noise of the city beneath. So, whereas the environment is calming, your ears will let you realize that you just’re nonetheless very rather a lot in a metropolis.

One in every of many cool components of strolling the Extreme Line is seeing various the distinctive railroad tracks. Moreover, the park’s design comprises paving from reclaimed railroad tracks and seating areas constructed into the outdated railroad development.

Lastly, likelihood is you may be tempted to walk the NYC Extreme Line on a nice day. Successfully, guess what? So will tons of of various vacationers, friends and locals.

The day my mother and I walked the Extreme Line was an overcast fall day. There have been hardly any crowds. Nonetheless, the ultimate time my husband and I visited the Extreme Line, it was an unseasonably warmth day in February. We moved at a snail’s tempo the entire time.

Then I went once more alone on a winter weekday. It was at dusk and I purchased the sense that loads of commuters used the Extreme Line as a way to get to or from their locations of labor. So, though it was chilly out, it was crowded.

Additional questions regarding the Extreme Line NYC

Whenever you’re planning to go to the Extreme Line in your subsequent journey to NYC, listed beneath are some frequent questions and my options.

The place do you must start a Extreme Line stroll?

As I mentioned above, there are a selection of entry elements to the Extreme Line. Nonetheless, maybe because of I’ve just a bit little little bit of OCD, I like to start out out a Extreme Line stroll as close to the beginning or the tip, as a result of the case is also.

With my most modern go to, I used the Moynihan Observe Hall Connector to walk from Hudson Yards and Peloton Studios to get on the Extreme Line. The very first time I walked the Extreme Line, I had a gathering with a client with locations of labor in Chelsea Market. So, I started my stroll there.

How prolonged does it take to walk the Extreme Line?

How prolonged it takes to walk the Extreme Line often depends on the crowds. On a cold day within the midst of the week and at an sincere clip, you can stroll the Extreme Line in beneath an hour. Nevertheless, what’s the frenzy? One in every of many joys of strolling the Extreme Line is taking inside the views, the completely totally different architectural varieties you’ll see and, frankly, sitting on the quite a few benches and easily people watching.

The place does the Extreme Line end?

Whenever you’re strolling from the south and heading north, then the Extreme Line ends at thirty fourth Street near the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Alternatively, if you’re strolling from the north and heading south, the Extreme Line ends at Gansevoort Street inside the Meatpacking District.

Are canines allowed on the Extreme Line?

Technically, you’re not alleged to walk canines on the Extreme Line. Nonetheless, on my closing journey to walk the Extreme Line, I did see people strolling canines on the Extreme Line. Then as soon as extra, after I went meals shopping for at Total Meals and as well as ate at one in all many consuming locations inside the Nordstrom flagship retailer, I seen canines there, too. I’m sure these latter examples broke each sort of New York Metropolis effectively being codes.

Is the Extreme Line free?

Certain, the Extreme Line is free. Whereas New York Metropolis is an pricey place to go to, there are legit free points you’ll be able to do in NYC. This comprises driving the Staten Island ferry and strolling the Extreme Line.

Shut by Sights

Each time we go to the Extreme Line, we always start from the north. Meaning we are going to end up at Chelsea Market on Ninth Avenue and its delicious meals distributors. Our favorite is Friedman’s, which has the simplest grilled cheese I’ve ever had.

Associates have instructed us they like to complete a Extreme Line stroll with a go to to a close-by brewery, along with Milk and Hops in Chelsea.

In 2015, the Whitney Museum of American Art work moved downtown to its new dwelling at 99 Gansevoort Street. If you happen to exit the southern end of the Extreme Line, you’re just about on the Whitney’s entrance doorways.

All through our closing journey, we hadn’t bought tickets to the Whitney prematurely and the highway was simply too prolonged. So, instead, we checked out the highway artists that prepare retailer exterior the museum.

We ended up searching for an distinctive painting from an artist named Lisa Grubb. It’s referred to as Joyful Canine, and it’s been hanging in our kitchen ever since.

I would say that strolling the NYC Extreme Line is a must-do train for anyone visiting New York Metropolis. Frankly, I select the Extreme Line to Central Park.

The one drawback of the Extreme Line? As I mentioned, you can’t carry your canines with you. Or, a minimum of, you’re not supposed to have canines on the Extreme Line. So, if, like me, you wish to journey collectively together with your canines, they acquired’t have the power to be a part of you whereas strolling the Extreme Line, if you’re a rule-follower like I am.

Lastly, if you nonetheless have energy after this stroll, ponder going ice skating at Rockefeller Center. It’s one factor I really feel all people should do a minimum of as quickly as in a lifetime.

Elements of this textual content initially appeared on Every day Life Travels.