Pier 25 Playground

There are playgrounds, and then there are playgrounds with a waterfront. Pier 25 in Hudson River Park puts your kids on a genuine pier above the Hudson River, surrounded by boat traffic, city skyline views, and the unmistakable smell of the water.

The playground at Pier 25 is a good one — well-maintained equipment suitable for a range of ages, with safety surfacing and enough variety to keep multiple kids engaged simultaneously. But the playground is really just the anchor for a much bigger outing.

Pier 25 also features seasonal beach volleyball courts, miniature golf (small fee), and a boat basin where you can watch vessels of all sizes navigate the Hudson. In summer, the pier becomes a genuinely festive place, with families picnicking on the boards, older kids playing volleyball, and younger ones running between the playground and the water's edge.

The waterfront setting is particularly striking for families visiting from outside NYC. The Hudson River stretching out before you, New Jersey's Palisades on the far bank, and the sense of maritime scale — it's a fundamentally different kind of outdoor experience than a park playground.

For families staying in lower Manhattan (TriBeCa, SoHo, Financial District area), this is one of the best free family destinations in the neighborhood. The Hudson River Greenway path means you can extend the outing in either direction — north toward the Village, south toward Battery Park — making Pier 25 a natural starting point for a waterfront family adventure.