A Day At the Highline: Chelsea and the Meatpacking District
Ever since the Highline opened in summer 2009, it has regenerated the area around it. Not that Chelsea and the Meatpacking District were ever dead, but it's suddenly cool for New Yorkers to hang out here again. This day-long itinerary takes in the Highline and the best of the surrounding area, because let's face it - the Highline would take about an hour to get through, even if you did stop to sit.
Start at Chelsea Market and pick up some food for a small picnic - walk over to the Highline, preferably around Gansevoort (where it starts) and find a nice spot to sit, eat, and people-watch. Entrances to the Highline are on every even-numbered street. Take a break at 14th St., walk off the Highline and go south a block to The Standard Grill's biergarten for some beer, and then walk around the Meatpacking District for some window-shopping: Stella McCartney, Moschino, Alexander McQueen and other high-end labels can all be found here. Once you are ready to get back on the Highline, walk along until it ends at 20th St. - you can see Frank Gehry's magnificent IAC building from the Highline, but it's a mere block away at 18th St. if you want a closer look. Otherwise descend back to street-level at 20th St. and explore some galleries - you're in the middle of Chelsea's arts district. I've listed two galleries here, but there are dozens to choose from.
Chelsea and the Meatpacking District are trendy places to go at night, so it's worth sticking around. Weeknights are definitely better than weekends.
