This enclave of cobbled streets, maritime warehouses and shops combines the best and worst in historic preservation. It’s not on the radar for most New Yorkers, but tourists are drawn to the nautical air, the frequent street performers and the mobbed restaurants.
The district incorporates the South Street Seaport Museum, home to a vintage printing press and shop . The museum's booty extends to the iron-hulled Pioneer at Pier 16, a 19th-century vessel running spirit-lifting sailing journeys through the warmer months. Happy times also await at neighboring Pier 15 , a breezy, soothing two-level pier with green spaces, deckchairs and spectacular city and water views. Also on the water is Pier 17, a revamped combo of boutiques, restaurants and a public rooftop terrace scheduled to open in 2017.
