South Street Seaport
 

Can anyone tell me if the shops are open at the South Street Seaport next week, or do they shut down for the winter months? Is it worth going to that area this time of the year? Do they decorate for the holidays? I will be arriving in New York next Monday for 5 days and have never been to this area before. I wonder if it would be better to plan a visit for that area when the weather is a little warmer though. Are there things to see, places to eat that are interesting? Would there be crowds around or would it be basically empty?

I would appreciate any help that you New Yorkers could provide. Thanks so much

It is open all year round but it is little more than a glorified with an old ship you can visit.

We went to this area when we were in New York and there is not much there-some shops(nothing great) and a food court.
There are much better places to go in New York, I wouldn't waste my time unless you are going to be the area for another reason.

Yes, it is a shame that the Seaport never reached its potential. I think Joseph Mitchell would be very disappointed. Here's a short video I found on the background of his famous New Yorker article about the area, "Up in the Old Hotel."

http://www.thirteen.org/thecityconce...n-ferry-hotel/

Oh wow. Thanks for the update everyone. I guess I will pass on this one then and concentrate on all the great Christmas stuff going on around Manhattan. I am so excited to be so close to trip time just imagining all that this city has to offer. I can hardly wait. Only 7 more sleeps!

While I wouldn't make a trip to the area just to see South Street Seaport and what it has become, the seaport is really not that far (10-15 minutes walk) from City Hall, Wall Street, Trinity Church, St Paul's Chapel, the World Trade Center site, and the Brooklyn Bridge. It would not be too far out of your way from visiting some of the places I mentioned for a brief stop--and an excellent view of the bridge.

New York does not shut down - for anything. But the Seaport isn't really - it's just a gigantic shopping mall/food court. There is, I believe, one sailing ship that can be toured - but this is not worth much in comparison to many other sights in Manhattan. (Anyone wanting to tour a ship should visit the Intrepid - which is a fantastic experience.)

There is a small museum at the Seaport that explains some of the history of the area. Most of the area is rennovated or still being rennovated and there are alot of shops. My Girl Scout Troop several years ago took a very early morning tour of the area, and the Fulton Fish Market (now relocated to the Bronx), and we learned (although the tour guide did not share this with the kids) that many of the buildings were, how to say, "houses of ill repute", lol. When we did the tour the kids parents all came, and I think we had more adults than kids, and the pastor of the church where we met. I asked the guide to "nudge me" if he knew which building and got nudged as we walked by most buildings, lol.

The two tall ships in port The Peking and The Wavertree, are worth seeing. The Peking is a ship that actually was a cargo ship that traveled into port in NYC in the 1800's. The Wavertree is still being rennovated, so I don't think it is tourable yet. There are also a few other ships docked there as well, a fireboat and can't remember the other. You can also pick up a water taxi from this area as well.

One other note is if you want discounted tickets to Broadway shows TKTS has a booth there. It opens earlier than the one in Times Square and rarely has a long line, so you can get your tickets and be back out touring quickly.


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If you're not pressed for time, I think it's worth seeing for the tall ships, PERHAPS a cruise (check on goldstar.com to see if any of the cruises have discounts while you're here) and at this time of year, the singing Xmas tree on Fri/Sat/Sun is good fun. http://gonyc.about.com/od/christmass...tmas_trees.htm

if you go, and eat at the foodcourt, go the back of the upperdeck for a great view of the river,and its cheap

Afraid I'll have to join the naysayers on South Street Seaport. I found the little museum there to be of minimal interest, but at least something one can go through pretty quickly. There are a couple ships there one can see, but if it has or is likely to rain, they shut them down to tours.

The old warehouse style architecture is pleasant enough to experience as a walk-by. And of course there are scads of overpriced touristy eateries and chain stores here, just like at any suburban mall.

ellenem's suggestion to tack this onto a general tour of downtown sights isn't unreasonable -- if you have enough time and sufficiently low expectations of the experience and don't mind including it anyway. But there are loads of other things to do in NYC that are more rewarding.

Agreed with nytraveler that the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum is a light years better experience.

If you're down that way, consider getting yourself to Brooklyn (check google maps) and then walking across the Brooklyn Bridge for great views of Manhattan.

I wouldn't get too excited about visiting the Seaport in December but between May and September I would highly recommend dining at Sequoia on their open deck. It's an inexpensive way of getting out of the city without leaving.

Great waterfront views of the East River, Brooklyn & Manhattan bridges. You can order anything from a burger to a full meal.

http://www.arkrestaurants.com/sequoia.html

I realize the OP has already made the trip to NY, but I have a restaurant recommendation for future visitors to the area. Not too long ago I ate at a restaurant called Barbarini, located on Front St at the seaport. The food was very good! The venue itself is nothing extraordinary - it's somewhat easy to miss with an Italian marketplace storefront and takeout counter and limited restaurant seating in back. You don't need to go out of your way to eat there, but definitely consider it if you're looking for a place to eat in this neighborhood.