South Street Seaport (Pier 17), New York City

Although it can be very crowded particularly on a sunny weekend day, South Street Seaport is a lot of fun. Full of street perfomers of all kinds, shops, restaurants, etc. Sitting at one of the great outdoor cafes is the perfect way to relax and enjoy people-watching.

Shop at any of the dozens of stores including Brookstone, A & F, Coach, GameStop, J Crew, Victoria's Secret, etc., etc., etc.!

Eat at one of the great restaurants/cafes or have a quick snack.

Check out the Maritime Museum or one of the special exhibits (we saw the amazing Bodies....The Exhibition).

Check the website for Seasonal Events.

You can also catch a Harbor tour from the pier.

Monday-Saturday: 10:00am-9:00pm, Sunday: 11:00am-8:00pm, Restaurants & Bars Have Extended Hours

Wander around the South Street Seaport District, where you find an array of stores and restaurants. It is a close walking distance from Chinatown in Manhattan and a nice area to relax, people-watch, and shop for souvenirs.

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Pier 17 is a busy tourist attraction created from an old fish market. There are plenty of restaurants & a mall selling somewhat kitsch stuff. The views of Brooklyn bridge are quite spectacular and when we went there was an art installation of waterfalls which has been funded by the public art fund, the tallest waterfall being as large as the statue of liberty. All the electricity used to display this project is offset against green renewable energy. Unfortunately this display only ran up to October 13.

The south seaport is where locals go for discounted tickets instead of the touristy half price ticket booth at time square.

A great place to sit outside on a warm summers day for lunch South Street Seaport is home to more than 35 restaurants & eateries, from quick to casual to formal It is located in the heart of the financial district and is one of this city’s top five attractions. Cobblestone streets, strolling performers and panoramic breathtaking views
The South Street Seaport Museum is home to the nation's largest fleet of privately maintained historic vessels. The vessels represent a range of craft typical of the kinds of cargo ships and working vessels that once filled New York Harbor in the 19th and early 20th century, when most freight and people traveled by water. The museum vessels are of three types:

Stationary Vessels
Training Vessels
Workhorses

Even though it's located away from the better-known attractions, New Yorkers certainly know where to find the South Street Seaport (and how to hop subway cars at every station in order to be among the first five cars on the #1 and #9 trains to get off at the South Street Seaport terminus). Along the waterfront you'll find places to relax, eat, socialize, and for those with bicycles a bike path along the harbor. On Pier 6 is the heliport for chopper tours of Manhattan, and at Pier 17 are old sailing vessels now standing as museums. The Peking is a German sailing ship from 1911 that carried cargoes from Europe around Cape Horn when modern steamers used the Panama Canal. The Wavertree next to it is an 1885 English ship that carried freight wherever she could find it until wounded in a gale around Cape Horn. She limped into Argentina as a floating warehouse until acquired by the South Street Seaport Museum for restoration and presentation here. Remarkably, both ships were obsolete when they were built! Along with a few other ships here, the seaport is a fine retreat and an interesting look at old transportation on the high seas.

On the East side on Southern Manhattan(NYC) you'll find the South Street Seaport. Nestled amoung tall ships you'll find a "touristy" place to shop and have Dinner. The "seaport" is 12 city blocks that consists of cobble stone streets lined with shops, tall ships and Pier 17. Take in awesome views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges from this location. There are many local artists that frequent these parts making it an interesting place to visit. There are free music concerts in the summer.

Pier 17 is a historic barge that has been converted into a three story shopping mall with well known shops such as Gap, J.Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch.

There are over 35 places to eat here, some of the quick fast food variety and some sit down restaurants. In the Summer I love to have dinner at one of the outside restaurants. For Cuban food I highly recommend

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This is a very special place for me. It was here where my life really changed. Always a good time, there are many bars and stores to occupy you. Come in and have a drink overlooking the river and Brooklyn. There is always something going on here in the summer time. Live music either during lunch or after work. Street performers. The best of the bunch was a Wednesday afternoon. You’ll not be bored with old ships to check out while waiting for the tours of the water that leave and arrive from here. On Wednesdays in the summer there has been live music outside. Usually Latin music on the days I find myself here.

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Sometimes I would walk here during my lunch breaks to get a bite to eat or to shop at the mall at Pier 17. Though touristy in some respects, it's still a neat little place to visit and even unwind. What's especially great about this area are the fantastic views you're able to get of the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn itself, and Lower Manhattan's skyscrapers. From what I understand, there's also supposed to be a museum here, but I never got around to visiting it.