It’s hard to believe that the 1½-mile-long High Line – a shining example of brilliant urban renewal – was once a dingy freight line that anchored a rather unsavory district of slaughterhouses. Today, this eye-catching attraction is one of New York's best-loved green spaces, drawing visitors who come to stroll, sit and picnic 30ft above the city – while enjoying fabulous views of Manhattan's ever-changing urban landscape. It loops around Hudson Yards and ends at 34th St.

　　The attractions are numerous, and include stunning vistas of the Hudson River, public art installations commissioned especially for the park, wide lounge chairs for soaking up some sun, willowy stretches of native-inspired landscaping (including a mini sumac forest), food and drink vendors, and a thoroughly unique perspective on the neighborhood streets below – especially at various overlooks, where bleacher-like seating faces huge panes of glass that frame the traffic, buildings and pedestrians below as living works of art. There’s also André Balazs’ luxury hotel, the Standard, which straddles the park, as well as the sparkling Whitney Museum, which anchors the southern end.

　　The High Line is an especially romantic place to stroll on a balmy night, when you can see the lit-up city (and maybe even a star or two) sparkling all around. Its final section, the Spur, was completed in June 2019. Extending east along 30th street and terminating above 10th Avenue, it features a rotation of monumental art in a space known as the Plinth, including the inaugural commission, Brick House by artist Simone Leigh – a powerful black female figure overlooking 10th Avenue.