The Whitney Museum of American Art and Little Island, two of the most notable (and photogenic) places in the city to while away a day, are in the northern reaches of the West Village technically considered the Meatpacking District. Even discounting them, however, the West Village has a plethora of things to see and do, from jazz clubs to playgrounds.
Running four miles from Battery Park to 59th Street, Hudson River Park is Manhattan’s second largest park. In addition to pedestrian and bike paths alongside the river, the West Village portion includes three piers. The lawn of Pier 45 is a popular sunning spot in summer; Pier 46’s turf lawn is equally popular for tossing the Frisbee and impromptu soccer games. Between these piers is the West Village Apple Garden, which has no apple trees but is instead named after a sculpture of a “big apple” amid the blooms. And Pier 51’s play area has not just the usual slides and climbing features but also, in warm weather, sprinklers and a wading area.
Founded in 1923, Cherry Lane is the city’s oldest continually running off-Broadway theater. It is hardly resting on its laurels, however. Having championed the likes of Samuel Beckett, Edward Albee, David Mamet, and Sam Shepard, it continues to present innovative works by up-and-coming, unfairly overlooked, or underrepresented writers and performers.
As much of a West Village institution as Cherry Lane Theatre, the Village Vanguard is New York’s oldest jazz club, having opened in 1935. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra performs every Monday night, with a variety of other artists taking the stage the remaining evenings. The Dayna Stephens Quartet, Melissa Aldana, and Peter Bernstein are among those who have recently played here.
It would be remiss to omit these sibling jazz clubs from any roundup of West Village highlights. Located across Seventh Avenue from one another, each offers multiple shows a night. Sunday nights at Mezzrow are notable for their Polite Jam Sessions, where musicians are invited to sit in so long as they limit any solos to short, considerate ones. Late-evening performances at Smalls open up to jam sessions just about every evening.
Seeing is believing—except at this collection of holograms, optical illusions, and interactive brainteasers. The Museum of Illusions is one of those rare attractions where “fun for all ages” really does hold true. And spaces such as the Infinity Room and the Reverse Room will provide plenty of fresh imagery for your social feeds.
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