Chip Chick
When you think of New York City, specifically Manhattan, a few iconic things to do there may come to mind, like seeing a Broadway show, walking around big museums, looking at architecture, and spending time in lovely parks.
But what about laying out on a sandy beach?
If you love spending time in or live in New York City, you should know that Manhattan’s first public beach, on the Gansevoort Peninsula in Hudson River Park, has officially opened to the public.
This project, which cost around $73 million, was first announced in 2019 but faced major delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, it’s finally here. The beach is part of a 5.5-acre space, now the largest recreational space in the famous Hudson River Park.
The stretch of beach, located across from the famous Whitney Museum, contains 1,200 tons of sand and is completed with lounging chairs, beach umbrellas, and a misting feature to cool off anyone lounging around on a hot day without trying to swim in the Hudson river, as swimming on this beach is not permitted.
However, visitors can get on kayaks and non-motorized boats off the Gansevoort Peninsula for some classic water activities.
Other than the beach, there are other cool features to enjoy on the Gansevoort Peninsula for those who may not want to get sandy, including a sports field, walking paths, more seating areas, picnic tables, a salt marsh completed with native grasses, and plantings, and public art installations.
This project is riding off the opening of Manhattan’s Little Island, the city’s first floating park, which opened in 2021. Now, word is spreading that this won’t be the first public beach in Manhattan, as some companies are looking into putting one in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Many New Yorkers are too busy to get to the beach during certain times of the year, so the sandy stretch on Gansevoort Peninsula will give them the opportunity to mix up their daily routines, soak up some vitamin D, and hopefully get in some vacation-level relaxation.
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