Hudson River Park

When I stopped going to the gym as COVID hit, I became an avid walker. At my peak I was walking 4-5 miles in the morning and 4-5 miles in the evening. I’ve mostly kept it up, although my evening walk is more abbreviated. I love walking along the river. It’s easy to forget that we live on an island and the water is just a few blocks away.

Hudson River Park technically isn’t a business (but it is a non-profit, so similar?). One of my favorite places in Hell’s Kitchen is Pier 84. It’s my happy place, basically. I start and end all my morning runs here, and I often come here to sit and contemplate. Watching the river go by is a good reminder that life is fleeting, that nothing lasts forever, and the best thing to do is enjoy it as much as possible.

The westernmost border of Hell’s Kitchen – I call it my outdoor temple. Even when it’s crawling with cruise liners and tourists, there’s a natural stillness here that you can’t ignore.

I love to walk up or down the Hudson and take in all the new plantings. NYC has gotten so much greener since I moved here.

A great place to bike and walk, check out the tourists, the boats, and the New Yorkers chilling out. I also enjoy some public art and live music in the summer. Every year there seem to be more open spaces and greenery.

An escape from the chaos of Midtown. Calm, a variety of piers, gardens, running and biking paths, and a chance for car-free walks.

It’s not all about food! I love walking along the Hudson, looking out to the Bay and the Statue of Liberty. Looking at water always gives me a sense of freedom.

One of my favorite places to run or just sit and people watch.

The beautiful views.

I’ve worked hard to expand the green spaces available to New Yorkers and I worked especially doggedly on improving the Hudson River Park. My good friend Dick Gottfried deserves the lion’s share of the credit but I’m glad I was able to help out.

I love parks – the flowers, the fountains, the green and open spaces. I love the piers and the chance to look at the Hudson River.

Working to help maintain and expand the park was one of the prides of my career and it’s always restorative to spend time there.

I usually go there to see the sunset. Those colors and the contrasts make me happy

I often forget we’re living on an island. It’s nice to stroll and let the wind off the river wake you up while it calms you down. With all the noisy newness of Manhattan, it’s nice to remember that this is exact same beautiful river that the Lenape Indians used to cross long before any Europeans got here.

A whole book can be made about all there is to do on the Greenway, I’m not going to go into it other than to say it’s a fantastic way to relax and there’s always a much better chance of connecting with locals there than a lot other places.

Because it’s scenic.

Nature inspires every freaking day.

I run there and love going for a picnic with friends or by myself. I find it therapeutic there.

I like running alongside the river in the morning. Water generally makes me feel calm and energized at the same time.

It’s the perfect place to walk the dog, take a stroll, listen to the water, have a picnic, go for a run, hang out with friends, learn to kayak, ride a bike. And it’s clean and safe.