Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHELSEA PIERS
W 17th to W 23rd St along Hudson River. Subway C, E to 23rd St.
212 336 6666,
www.chelseapiers.com
.
Hours vary according to activity.
MAP
First opened in 1910, this was where the great transatlantic liners would disembark their
passengers (it was en route to the
Chelsea Piers
in 1912 that the
Titanic
sank). By the
1960s, however, the piers had fallen into neglect. Reopened in 1995, the new Chelsea Piers
stretches between piers 59 to 62 as a sports complex, with ice rinks and open-air roller rinks,
as well as a skate park, bowling alley and a golf range. There's a nice waterfront walkway
and skate park at the end of
Pier 62
.
THE GENERAL POST OFFICE
421 Eighth Ave at W 33rd St. Subway A, C, E to 34th St.
212 330 3296. Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat
9am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm.
MAP
The 1913
General Post Office
, officially the James A Farley Station (named after a well-re-
garded postmaster general), is a relic from when municipal pride was all about making state-
ments. Twenty huge columns stand beneath the sonorous inscription: “Neither snow nor rain
nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed
rounds.” The McKim, Mead and White building is being refitted to transform the Post Of-
fice into Moynihan Station and use it as an entrance to Amtrak and LIRR trains at Penn Sta-
tion; in the meantime, duck inside to see a few historical postal exhibits.
