Battery Park

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In addition to spectacular views and green-space, Battery Park is rich in history with many monuments to soldiers, explorers, inventors, and immigrants

Enjoying a stroll in Battery Park cc licensed photo by Mike Steele

Named for the artillery battery that was stationed to defend the southern tip of Manhattan before the War of 1812, Battery Park is a waterfront public park rich in history of the early settlement of New York including Castle Clinton, one of the New York Harbor forts built in 1807.

Prior to the opening of the Ellis Island immigration centre, it was the entry point for millions of new immigrants. Despite being one of New York's oldest public spaces, Battery Park has undergone significant upgrades the latest of which is the major renovation and reopening of the old NYC Department of Docks and Harbor Police building also known as Pier A.

Both Pier A and the waterfront esplanade provide great views of the waterways, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They also house the terminal where you catch the ferry to Liberty and Ellis Island. In the warmer months, outdoor shows and concerts are held regularly in the park or just relax in the Battery Bosque Gardens and picnic area.

Battery Park contains many monuments honouring soldiers, explorers, inventors, and immigrants. It is currently the home to Fritz Koenig's sculpture The Sphere, which previously stood a few blocks away in the center plaza of the World Trade Center before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Located near the Hope Garden in the northern section of the park, The Sphere was designed to represent world peace, but has also taken on new significance as a monument to those who lost their lives in the attack. A perennial Garden of Remembrance was also constructed on the Battery Park Promenade to pay tribute to the survivors and to those lost on September 11th and to serve as sign of optimism and hope for the community. The Battery Conservatory also created the Battery Labyrinth, walking path outlined forming seven circular rings, to commemorate the first anniversary of the World Trade Center tragedy to offer the public a way to honour, reflect and heal.

The park is also home to Pier A Harbour House, a beautifully restored building that was built in the late 1800s to house the New York City Department of Docks and Harbor Police. This historic building subsequently served as a NYC fireboat station from 1960 until 1992 after which point the building was left unused and fell into a state of disrepair. After a painstaking $40 million restoration, this 28,000 square foot building has been restored to its former glory and is now an awesome people space complete with a new restaurant and beer garden. Now that the updates are complete you can walk right out to the end of the pier and enjoy the superb views of the harbour including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Nearby attractions: Statue of Liberty, Staten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge, Skyscraper Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, St. Paul's Chapel, Trinity Church and the Financial District.

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Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No

Battery Park Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

Monday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Thursday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Friday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Saturday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Sunday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Address: New York, NY 10004, USA

Phone: (212) 344-3491

Official Website: Battery Park

Battery Park Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating You can pay attention to the crossing times of the barge, take a nice trip and on top that video of the statue of liberty, when the boat arrives on the other side, remember to speed up the pace to try to return to the next ferry, but if there is no time to return on the next one, just wait a few minutes and go back on the other one. It’s fabulous 😍
Gilmaro Brandão - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Be aware of scams! If you want to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, buy tickets online or directly from their special place, not randomly from the street. On the website, you can see how crowded it is. We have been at 3 PM and it was full of people. You need to wait a lot on the waiting line, after that to pass through a security check, and in the end you can go to take the boat. Being so crowded, we did not go out, so for us, it was a direct trip because we did not want to wait again... First, the main tip is that when you go on the boat, stay on the upper level of the ship, on the right side of the boat, to have a nice view over the New York city. When you leave, go on the left side to enjoy the views. Secondly, buy some water outside the area to have with you. There will be a lot of vendors and they will try to sell you a lot of things... I did not like that stuff. In general, it was a wonderful experience, but yes, it is very crowded, so plan your trip because this will consume a lot of time.
Madalina Blaj - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Plenty of open lawn space for lounging or walking. There is a cool carousel and large playground here for the kids too. Beautiful view overlooking the water and we saw multiple lines for attractions (I believe it was boat tours) in the area.
Katlynn Nguyen - 2 months ago

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Directions

Subway Line	Nearest Station	Walking Time
1	South Ferry	2 minutes
N or R	Whitehall Street	5 minutes
4 or 5	Bowling Green	2 minutes

How to get to Battery Park by Subway

Take the 1 train to South Ferry, turn left into Battery Park or take the N or R train to Whitehall Street, head north toward Pearl Street, turn left on Bridge Street, follow path into park (5 minutes) or take the 4 or 5 train to Bowling Green, head south on Broadway, turn right on Battery Place, turn left on Greenwich Street and continue into park.