Pier 51 at Hudson River Park

With a 4.8 Google rating from 584 reviews, Pier 51 at Hudson River Park stands as one of the highest-rated playgrounds in all of New York City. The numbers tell the story, but spending an hour here tells it better.

The water spray playground at Pier 51 is the kind of experience children remember. Jets of water shoot up from the pier surface, and kids run through them shrieking with pure delight while Hudson River boats slide by in the background. It's simultaneously quintessential New York City and completely, simply joyful.

The setting deserves its own paragraph. You're on an actual pier extending into the Hudson River. To the west, New Jersey's Palisades. To the north, the Meatpacking District and Chelsea. To the south, the Village and beyond. The scale of it — the water, the skyline, the boats — gives a visit here a sense of place that no inland playground can replicate.

Beyond the water play, the pier has open space for running and exploring, and the Hudson River Greenway path makes it easy to extend the outing. Head north and you'll reach the Meatpacking District and eventually Chelsea Piers. Head south and you're walking through the Village and SoHo waterfront.

For families, this is an exceptional full-day activity hub. Start with the playground and water play, pack a picnic to enjoy on the benches with river views, then stroll the Greenway. If the kids are still going, the High Line's southern entrance is a 10-minute walk — a completely different but equally iconic NYC experience.

This is the kind of place that makes you grateful to be in New York.