Walk The High Line in New York for Beautiful Views

We all know New York is a walkable city, but if you get a chance, walk The High Line to see beautiful views of NYC in a whole different way.

When my husband and I travel, we always prioritize walking. It’s not just about exploring, but also about staying active. We aim for 10,000+ steps every day, and walking allows us to see so much more. 

On our last summer trip to New York, exploring The High Line was a huge hit. You’ll wind through the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards at West 34th Street catching views of everything from unique architecture city views to the plants and gardens to the artwork. Along The High Line, every step provided something new and different. 

And winding up at Chelsea Market was a great way to refuel and close the day. 

About The High Line

The High Line is a public park on Manhattan’s West Side, owned by the city of New York and operated and maintained by Friends of The High Line since 2009. The elevated garden walk is about 1.45 miles and has more than 500 species of plants and trees. You can walk The High Line in about 30 minutes, but I encourage you to take much more time strolling and taking pictures. It’s worth it!

The High Line is a testament to what can be done with derelict railway lines. This area was once an eyesore, and now it’s been transformed into a walkable garden that attracts locals as well as tourists.

Manhattan in the 1800s – before The High Line

This area was crucial to Manhattan’s development. In the past, The High Line served as the main route for the bustling downtown shipping industry. Street-level trains used to run through Lower Manhattan, which created a potential safety hazard for pedestrians. It was so bad that “10th Avenue became known as “Death Avenue” and by 1910, more than 540 people had been killed by trains,” according to The High Line website.

So, the elevated railway was introduced to move goods such as produce, meats, and dairy high above the busy New York streets. However, with the rise of the trucking industry, the elevated railway became redundant.

Nature Took Over – The High Line begins

Parts of the Westside railway were torn down, and nature began to sprout up, filling the area with plants and shrubs and giving the city the idea for its future public park use.

Walking The High Line – Where to start?

Whether you start at the northern end of Hudson Yards, 34th Street, or the southern end at Gansevoort, you’ll enjoy your walk on The High Line. We started from the north and walked most of it, but we stopped at Chelsea Market to grab a late lunch before heading back to our hotel to get ready for a Broadway show. The High Line continues a little further to end at the Tiffany & Co Foundation Overlook at Gansevoort Street.

The High Line Sights – some of my favorites

The architecture that you’ll see on The High Line is unique and remarkable eye candy for your Instagram feed!

Hudson Yards is captivating with its high-rise luxury buildings and hip and trendy restaurants; there’s so much to see here.

As we strolled down The High Line, we stopped every few minutes to take pictures. Entering from the north, at first, seemed very industrial, and we wondered where all those 500 plants were—just wait!

I loved this shot of the old railway lines, the yellow trains sitting on the tracks, and skyscrapers in the background—nostalgia mixed with today’s influence.
Look the other way, and you’ll see the Hudson River. There are wooden benches so you can climb up for a bird’s-eye view.

Thomas Heatherwick’s sculpture in Hudson Yards is literally an art walk!

The Thomas Heatherwick public sculpture, The Vessel, stands 150 feet tall and 16 stories high. It was designed in Italy and shipped to Hudson Yards in 75 pieces. The vessel opened in 2019 and features a spiral staircase containing 154 interconnecting flights of stairs and 80 landings. The staircase has nearly 2,500 individual steps and leads you to the top of the sculpture, where you can enjoy extraordinary views of the city, river, and everything below.

The Zaha Hadid Building

The Zaha Hadid Building is prominently featured along the High Line. It was designed by the architect Zaha Hadid shortly before her death and was her only residential building in New York. It has 11 floors and is 135 feet tall. The building is L-shaped with laser-cut stainless-steel trim.

Help the High Line Thrive

Want to help maintain The High Line? You can adopt a plant? How cool is that? This Mother’s Day, instead of cut flowers, give Mom the gift of thriving flowers when you pay to adopt a plant along The High Line. You’ll get a digital certificate of adoption of your plant. The proceeds go to help maintain the public park. Learn how to adopt a plant on The High Line. 

Tips for Walking The High Line

In the summer, wear comfortable and lightweight clothing.

Wear comfortable shoes and a hat. I wore Birkenstocks and my feet felt great. For longer walks, I would also wear my On Cloud sneakers or my Allbirds. All three brands were perfect for New York walking. On some days, we walked about 30,000 steps!

Apply sunscreen!

Bring water.

Visit The High Line online before you go.