Little Island NYC Tickets And Reservations

When Little Island opened in 2021, I was pretty excited about this unusual public park at Pier 55 in Chelsea.

As a New Yorker who loves spending time in peaceful green spaces, this was a welcome addition to the urban jungle.

My fellow tour guides and I at Tours By Foot NYC have spent free time here so we know quite a lot about Little Island.

It’s a place we all enjoy showing our tour guests on our walking tours who get a kick out of the unique design which is incredibly photo-worthy!

In this post, I tell you what to see at Little Island, its events and activities, when it is open and how to get there.

In the video below, Kyle, my fellow tour guide with Tours by Foot NYC, takes you on a virtual walking tour of Little Island.

Little Island lives up to the name! It is little and won't take you more than 15 to 30 minutes to explore.

Consider combining your visit there with nearby locations you may be interested in by joining us on our High Line, Little Island, Meatpacking District Tour.

Little Island, a 2.4-acre park on Manhattan's west side, is truly innovative.

It's unlike any park in New York City and perhaps the world.

It's not an island though. The park rests atop 132 concrete piles (resembling tulip pots) embedded in the Hudson River.

Some of the 'tulip pots' are as tall as 62 feet above the Hudson River so you can get some great views of New York and New Jersey.

Besides its design, I think what makes Little Island so special is its diverse landscape.

It has rolling green lawns, small slopes and winding walkways of stone steps and wooden staircases.

Also in the park are two performance spaces: the 700-seat Amphitheater (known as "The Amph") and the smaller Glade.

Little Island is free to enter and you don't need tickets or a reservation.

But park rules advise that if the park reaches ‘a high visitation level’ to the point where it is uncomfortably crowded or unsafe, the flow of visitors will be slowed with the formation of a queue.

In all my time coming to Little Island, even in peak season in Summer, I have not experienced this, so don't worry about it.

The park is open 365 days a year unless the weather is so bad that the island must be closed.

We are talking extreme though, like lightning or heavy gusts of wind. Again, don't fret it too much.

Hours are seasonal. The park always opens at 6 am but the closing times vary.

The 2024 hours are:

• March 18 to May 26, 6:00 am – 11:00 pm
• May 27 to September 2,6:00 am – Midnight
• September 3 to November 10, 6:00 am – 11:00 pm

Check back with us soon as we will update the 2025 hours when they are announced.

Given the late closing times year-round, Little Island is an interesting thing to do in NYC at night.

After dark, the park is lit from below, creating an other-worldly look and the city surrounding it sparkles. Get those cameras out!

At sunset, you'll get pretty views but honestly, there are better locations for sunset shots.

I prefer it during the day so I can enjoy the natural environment, especially on sunny days.

But really, any time is the right time!

How to Get Here

Little Island is at Pier 55 in Hudson River Park at West 13th Street.

It's super easy to reach by public transportation.

The closest subways are:

• 1/2/3 train to 14th Street and 7th Avenue
• A/C/E and L to 14th Street and 8th Avenue

Click here for a Google map to get exact directions to Little Island from your departure point.

To get on and off Little Island, there are two pedestrian bridges, the North Bridge and the South Bridge.

I enter through whichever bridge is closest to my approach and there is no big difference in terms of what you will see.

As an interesting side note, the architects of Little Island deliberately designed the bridges to slope at the same gradient as the two ramps at the famed Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center.

Things to See and Do

Sit Down and Relax

Little Island packs a punch when it comes to chilling out despite its size.

The lawns are of course tempting.

You can enjoy them, but note that there are rules about when you can sit on the lawns.

The main lawn (#1 on the map above) operates on a rotating schedule from mid-May to September, accessible Wednesday through Sunday.

Lawns are closed for maintenance every Monday and Tuesday (excluding holidays).

You can also sit along the stone steps that are found throughout the park.

In my opinion, this park is designed to be experienced by walking through it's paths.

Stop and Smell the Flowers

The park features hundreds of different species of plants and flowers and in some spaces, you can sit down and not even see the city.

What an escape! This is one of my favorite things about Little Island.

There are 30 species of trees, 65 species of shrubs, close to 300 varieties of grasses and vines, and 66,000 bulbs!

You can see what flowers and plants are in bloom each season by looking at the website.

It's a dream for those of you who are into botany.

Take in the Views from the Southwest Overlook

Number 2 on the map above, this is Little Island’s highest point (63 feet above the Hudson River).

It has incredible views, making it the most popular location on the island.

From here you can see the skyline of Lower Manhattan, including the towering One World Trade Center.

Amazingly, you can even see the Statue of Liberty, though you will need to zoom in a lot for a decent picture.

Look way off and to the left for a building topped by a light green triangular roof.

This is the relatively little Woolworth Building, once the tallest building in the world.

TIP: It can be a bit crowded with people taking pictures, but be patient and you'll get your snapshot too!

Enjoy the Scenic View

Along the main path between the Southwest Overlook and the Amph, you will have a beautiful view of Midtown Manhattan.

You can see nearby Hudson Yards, the Edge Observation deck, and the High Line.

I like this view more than that from the Southwest Overlook.

Look at all those quirky modern buildings juxtaposed with older ones including the Empire State Building!

The Amph

With seating for 700 people, this outdoor amphitheater is a nice place to see performances, concerts, and other types of shows. It's # 4 on the map above.

When there are no performances, you can hang out on the planked stands and enjoy the view.

My tip is to use this opportunity to have a sit-down lunch.

Performances are pretty affordable and I've been amazed at just how impressive the line-ups are.

See what’s playing at the Amph.

The Glade

This is one of two performance spaces.

This mini-amphitheater (#5 on the map) hosts various music, dance, poetry, and comedy shows.

See what's playing at the Glade.

The Play Ground

Don’t be fooled by the name! It is not a children’s playground, but rather an area with seating with a few food trucks.

It's #6 on the map.

The food at the concession stands is pretty good, but I prefer to grab food at the nearby Chelsea Market and sit in the Amph (if it's free).

Northwest Overlook

I took the below picture from the North Bridge onto Little Island.

The Northwest Overlook (#7 on the map) is on the far right 'tulip pots'.

Despite being called an Overlook, I do not think that the views here are as good as the Southwest Overlook.

Still, go take a peek to get pictures of the super cool large sea green-colored structure on the right of my photo.

This is Pier 57, built in 1952 as a terminal for the shipping and storage of cargo.

When shipping operations ceased, the pier became a parking lot for NYC buses.

After a decade of renovation, Pier 57 opened in 2023 as a multi-use public/private complex with a marketplace, restaurant, and several outdoor public spaces.

The free rooftop park is unbelievable!

I came with a friend once and we sat on a bench alongside a tidy lawn eating our lunch from Chelsea Market. It was lovely.

The rooftop views rival those of Little Island. Plus, you can get fantastic pictures of Little Island and the city skyline behind it.

Oh, those wooden piles sticking out of the water? These are all that remain of Pier 56!

TIP: I know that it can be hard to find public bathrooms in NYC. Pier 57 has some nice ones!

Pier 54 and the South Bridge

The South Bridge connects Little Island (also known as Pier 55) to the mainland, where Pier 54 was once located.

Pier 54 has a storied past, most notably its connection to the sinking of the Titanic.

In 1910, Pier 54 was the point of departure and arrival of trans-Atlantic ocean liners operated by the Cunard-White Star line.

In 1912, the Titanic ocean liner struck an iceberg and sank, killing nearly 1,500 passengers.

Fortunately, another Cunard ocean liner, the Carpathia, was nearby and able to rescue some 700 survivors who were brought to safety at Pier 54.

At the foot of the South Bridge is a giant steel arch, the sole remains of the Cunard-White Star building.

Pier 54 was also the dock used by another luxury liner, the Lusitania.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the sinking of the Lusitania by German U-boats was one of the main catalysts for the U.S. entering into World War I.

The pier eventually ceased commercial operations.

From the 1970s to the early 80s, Pier 54 was a location where members of NYC's growing LGBTQ community could socialize without fear of harassment.

In 1986, Pier 54 began hosting the annual Dance on the Pier which is part of Gay Pride Week every June.

In 1998, Pier 54 was integrated into Hudson River Park and was used for concerts, outdoor movies, and other cultural events.

But in 2011, the pier was shut down as it started to collapse.

A year later, Hurricane Sandy swept through NYC and damaged several piers along the Hudson, including the already collapsing Pier 54.

The wooden piles on the south side of Little Island are the last bit of Pier 54 that remains.

Perhaps these old wooden piles that surround Little Island are an eyesore.

But to those of us who like history, the piles are a reminder of NYC's days as a shipping city.

But they won't be removed any time soon so as not to disturb the existing marine ecosystems in the area.

Background of Little Island

Here's just a tidbit of information. Read more.

English designer Thomas Heatherwick designed this gem of a park for the Hudson River Park Trust.

He also designed the nearby Vessel, a huge staircase/sculpture that is a must-see. It is so ripe for Instagram!

The amazing topography of Little Island was the work of Signe Nielsen of MNLA.

Little Island's funding came mainly from the Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation, created by billionaire Barry Diller and his wife, fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg.

Nearby Attractions

• Edge Observation Deck
• Chelsea Market
• Whitney Museum of American Art

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