The Battery

The Battery is where New York began — 25 acres of green at the southern tip of Manhattan, named for the cannons that once defended the harbor. Today it's where you come to feel the city's scale: the Statue of Liberty on one side, Ellis Island on the other, the financial district towers rising behind you.

Skip the Statue of Liberty tour if you're short on time (the ferry lines are brutal). Instead, walk the waterfront promenade, visit the SeaGlass Carousel (it's aquatic-themed, whimsical, $6, worth it), and end at Castle Clinton — a 200-year-old fort that's now a free museum.

**Local tip:** The Battery Urban Farm is tucked at the north end — a working 1-acre farm growing food for NYC school programs. Free to wander, surprisingly peaceful.

**Best for:** A quick harbor fix, history buffs, sunset, and anyone who wants to see Lady Liberty without the ferry line.