Fodor's Expert Review The High Line

Once a railroad track carrying freight trains, this elevated space has been transformed into one of the city’s top attractions—a 1½-mile landscaped “walking park,” with curving walkways, picnic tables and benches, public art installations, and views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline. Running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District (at the Whitney Museum of American Art) to West 34th Street and Hudson Yards, the High Line somehow manages to host about 5 million visitors a year and still feel like a wonderful retreat. That said, the crowds can seem overwhelming when the weather is nice, so visit as early in the morning as possible and avoid the lunchtime and weekend mass of humanity.

One of the main draws of the High Line is the landscaping, which is both wild and cultivated at the same time, and dotted with public art. Chelsea Market Passage, between 15th and 16th Streets, is accented with Spencer Finch’s stained-glass art and is home to public art displays, video programs, music performances, and sit-down events. A feature that illustrates the High Line’s greatest achievement—the ability to see the city with fresh eyes—is the 10th Avenue Square (between 16th and 17th Streets). This viewing window with stadium seating and large picture windows frames the city below as art, encouraging viewers to linger.

To fully appreciate the High Line, walk a length in one direction (preferably from Gansevoort Street uptown so that you can end with panoramic city and river views) and then make the return journey at street level, taking in the Chelsea neighborhood below. Nearby Chelsea Market and Gansevoort Market are convenient places to pick up fixings for a picnic lunch.