Little Island Park NYC: Your Complete Guide to the City’s Newest Floating Green Space
Did you know NYC has a new park? And not just any park…but a new floating park!
This new park called Little Island opened on May 21, 2021, and it’s already one of my favorite spots in the city. Between the incredible views, food trucks and packed events calendar it seems like you’d never run out of things to do in Little Island Park NYC.
Whether you already have plans to visit Little Island soon or are just hearing about it for the first time, read on. In this post I’m diving into all the details you need to know about getting tickets, what to eat and more!
Little Island Park NYC: Everything You Need to Know
The Basics
Little Island is a 2.4-acre “floating” public park situated on the Hudson River. It replaced the crumbling Pier 54- where survivors of the Titanic were famously brought. The park was mainly funded by the billionaire Barry Diller and designed by Thomas Heatherwick (who also designed The Vessel in Hudson Yards).
This unique park features winding paths, plenty of sprawling green space, 3 permanent food trucks, an amphitheater and some of the nicest public bathrooms I’ve ever seen.
Where is Little Island?
Little Island is located at Pier 55 at Hudson River Park Hudson River Greenway, NY 10014. You can enter at West 13th or 14th Streets.
If you plan to take the subway, you have tons of options:
- A, C, E or L train to the 14th St/8th Ave Station
- 1, 2, or 3 train to 14th the St/7th Ave Station
- F or M train to the 14thSt/6th Ave Station
You could bike to the park, but you’ll need to lock your bike at one of the bike racks along the Hudson River Park esplanade. Bikes aren’t allowed inside Little Island.
Hours
The park is open from 6am-1am daily.
From 6am-12pm, you don’t need a reservation to enter the park.
Until at least September 30, 2021, reservations are needed if you plan to enter the park anytime after 12pm. Free tickets can be reserved here.
How Much Does it Cost?
It’s always free to visit Little Island. There are certain ticketed events in The Amph that cost $65 for adults and $25, but there are a bunch of free events on the calendar, too. We’ll go into more details about the events later in this post.
Safety
Little Island Park NYC still has a few health and safety guidelines in effect:
- Wear a mask when inside the restrooms.
- Unvaccinated guests are asked to stay 6ft from people not in their party and to wear a mask if they do come close to others.
- Disposable masks are available if any visitor needs one.
Good to Know
I know I already mentioned this, but Little Island has some of the best public bathrooms in the city. If you are exploring NYC for the first time, you’ll quickly realize how hard it is to find a decent public bathroom. These are new, clean and have sinks so you can actually wash your hands with soap and water.
Another thing to note- on the map you might notice an area in Little Island called “The Play Ground.” Don’t be confused, this isn’t a playground with equipment for kids to climb on. This area actually features the park’s food trucks and a ton of tables where you can enjoy your refreshments. There isn’t a playground for kids in the park at all. But, if you are visiting with kids there are still a ton of things they’ll love!
What Can You Do?
Ok, now that we’ve covered the basics of visiting Little Island Park NYC let’s get to the fun stuff. What can you actually do at this park?
1. Relax
Little Island is a park after all. Plan to spend most of your time relaxing. Find a spot on the Main Lawn or in The Play Ground on in the Amph to sit. Pack a picnic, bring a book or just let yourself unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
2. Wander and Take in the View
This park is filled with winding paths that lead to a few different overlooks. Take a stroll and admire the beautiful landscaping along the way. For one of the best views in the park, head to the Southwest Overlook. You’ll get a great view of downtown Manhattan and the Hudson River from this spot. Little Island Park NYC is a great place to catch the sunset (just remember you’ll need to book a timed ticket to visit after 12pm).
3. Eat + Drink
In The Play Ground you’ll find three permanent food trucks. These serve a selection of dishes from local eateries plus cocktails, beer, wine and more. As of June 2021, the food trucks are open:
- 7am – 10:30am: for breakfast and coffee
- 11:30am – 4pm: for lunch
- 5pm – 11pm: for dinner
You’ll be able to enjoy dishes from restaurants like Devocion (my favorite coffee shop in NYC), La Newyorkina and Baked by Gracie. You can find the current menu here. You can also bring your own picnic supplies if you want. I love the idea of the food trucks but, when I tried some of the breakfast options and I wasn’t overly impressed. Next time I’ll probaly try to go for a drink and snacks or bring something in from a nearby eatery (which I’ll talk more about later in this post).
4. Attend an Event
As I mentioned earlier, Little Island offers a ton of events. You can check out the full events calendar here. Many of the events are free and don’t require an event ticket to attend. If the event takes place after 12pm you will still need to reserve a free park entry pass.
If you purchase tickets for an event, you don’t need a separate park entry pass. You can show your event ticket to enter Little Island at any point on the day of the performance. Many of the ticketed events sell out quickly so keep an eye on the events calendar to know when to purchase tickets for upcoming events.
Here are a few upcoming free events that look most interesting to me:
- Savory Talks and Performances: On select Monday evenings from June -September, you can attend a lecture from food industry leaders on issues related to sustainability and justice.
- Sunset Sounds: A variety of different artists are set to perform on Wednesday evenings in The Glade. Relax and enjoy a free show as the sun sets.
- Weekend Wind Down: Families are invited to end their Sundays with a selection of kid-friendly events from puppetry to comedy to music.
- Live! at Lunch: Bring your lunch and enjoy an alfresco midday break complete with live music. For now, this series is scheduled for Thursdays at 12pm.
What to Expect
This is a new park, so be prepared for a pretty good crowd. I’ve been three times so far (twice in the morning and once in the evening) and it was crowded every time. But, the way the park is designed + the capacity restrictions meant it never felt too crowded. I waited less than 10 minutes to order breakfast from one of the food trucks and didn’t have any trouble finding a table in The Play Ground.
Overall, I love Little Island. In some ways it reminds me of something you would see at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It feels more like an attraction than a park, but it is a great spot to relax or meet up with friends.
What to Eat + Do Nearby
Looking for more than just Little Island? You’ve got tons of options. Little Island is close to Greenwich Village and Chelsea and both neighborhoods are packed with eateries and sights. Here are some of the best things to do before or after checking out NYC’s newest park.
Where to Eat Nearby
- The Donut Pub– classic donut shop open 24/7 that serves my all-time favorite Old Fashioned donuts
- Chelsea Market– food hall and retail space with tons of options like Los Tacos No. 1 and Num Pang Kitchen
- Starbucks Reserve Roastery– way more of an experience than you standard Starbucks- you can watch beans being roasted while sipping a specialty beverage from one of the three bars inside
- Jack’s Wife Freda– all day (but go for brunch) bistro with American-Mediterranean dishes
- Artichoke Basille’s Pizza– a staple since 2008 serving large slices with some unique toppings (yes, including artichoke)
- Ample Hills– Brooklyn-based ice cream shop serving flavors packed with house-made mix-ins
- Fabrique Bakery– Swedish bakery known for their cardamom and cinnamon buns
What to Do Nearby
- Whitney Museum of American Art– large American art museum founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
- The High Line– elevated park on a former railroad track that is perfect for strolling
- Rubin Museum of Art– museum showcasing the art and culture of the Himalayan regions
- We Love NY2- colorful Albert Einstein mural created by Brazillian street artist Kobra at 21st St and 8th Ave
- Hudson River Greenway– bike and pedestrian path that runs along the west side of Manhattan (Little Island is actually right off the greenway)
Is Little Island Park NYC on your NYC itinerary? Let me know in the comments!
Looking for more? Check out these posts:
30+ Fun Things to do in Williamsburg Brooklyn
Self-Guided Chelsea Walking Tour
If you liked this post, feel free to share it or pin it!
