10 things to see in New York’s Financial District

Explore the highlights of the Financial District on your own with this self-guided tour. The map at the end of this article shows the route from One World Trade Center to South Street Seaport. Just follow the steps below. Plan for about half a day to complete this walk at a comfortable pace. Enjoy!

1/ One World Trade Center

• You’ll spot the One World Trade Center, New York’s tallest building, soon after arriving in the city. It’s visible from Newark Airport and on the horizon at JFK. Once downtown, the tower dominates the skyline. Make sure to ride up to the observation deck at the top—the views over New York are stunning.
• For a preview of what awaits at the summit, visit the page dedicated to One World Observatory. You can also read my tips for the visit, which includes a video shot from the top.

2/ The 9/11 Memorial

• At the base of One World Trade Center lies a vast park with two large fountains. This is the 9/11 Memorial, honoring the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The fountains were built on the exact footprints of the original Twin Towers, which collapsed that day.
• In the heart of the memorial, don’t miss the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. This powerful museum documents that terrible day with historical rigor and an impressive collection of photographs and artifacts. For more details, read my account of visiting the 9/11 Museum.
• Just nearby stands Oculus, a striking structure shaped like bird wings. It’s the new PATH station. Learn more about the opening of the World Trade Center station.

3/ World Trade Center Marina

• From the 9/11 Memorial, head north on Vesey Street toward the Hudson River. At the end of the street, you’ll find a memorial dedicated to the Great Irish Famine of the mid-19th century. While not the most famous monument in New York, its distinctive design is worth a look. It also leads you to the World Trade Center marina.
• The marina is smaller than Monaco’s, but you’ll see the same type of luxury yachts. More importantly, it’s a perfect spot for a picnic or lunch on a restaurant terrace, with lovely views across the Hudson to New Jersey. Look up too—you’ll see the World Trade Center complex with One World Trade Center rising above it.

4/ Battery Park

• At the southern tip of Manhattan, Battery Park is the green heart of the Financial District. You’ll enjoy open views across New York Harbor, with the Statue of Liberty on the horizon. Walk the park’s paths to discover various monuments, including memorials to Korean War veterans and The Sphere, a sculpture that once stood at the base of the Twin Towers. Remarkably, it survived the collapse on September 11, 2001, with only minor dents.
• Just behind The Sphere, head to the water’s edge to see the memorial honoring American sailors lost at sea.

5/ The Charging Bull

• Despite its name, the Charging Bull isn’t on Wall Street—it stands in Bowling Green Park, at the end of Broadway, near Battery Park. Created by Italian-American artist Arturo Di Modica, the sculpture was installed in front of the New York Stock Exchange in 1987, shortly after a major market crash. The “Charging Bull” was later moved to Bowling Green Park, where it now serves as a gateway to the Financial District.
• If you want a photo with the bull, arrive early. It’s swarmed by tourists all day long.

6/ Wall Street

• You hear Wall Street’s name constantly in the news. “Wall Street closes down” or “Wall Street rallies.” This narrow street has become synonymous with the New York Stock Exchange, which is located here. To understand New York’s power and its influence on the global economy, a visit to Wall Street is essential.
• Come on a weekday morning when traders are at work to experience the real energy of New York’s financial district. For more information about the area, visit the page dedicated to Wall Street.

7/ Trinity Church

• This church on Broadway at the western end of Wall Street is striking for several reasons. First, you’ll notice the dramatic contrast between this mid-19th-century church and the glass towers that seem to tower over it. There are great photo opportunities of the steeple with One World Trade Center in the background.
• Step inside to appreciate the Neo-Gothic architecture. Then explore the cemetery, which feels like it stepped out of a horror film, with its weathered tombstones.

8/ St. Paul’s Chapel

• Heading up Broadway, you’ll find another church worth visiting: St. Paul’s Chapel. The atmosphere here is quite different. St. Paul’s served as a refuge for firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers who responded to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In the days that followed, the iron railings surrounding the chapel and cemetery became a bulletin board where families posted photos and messages searching for missing loved ones.
• Sixteen years later, the chapel preserves the memory of those days through photographs and objects. At the far end of the church on the right as you enter, you’ll see a display of badges donated by police and firefighters from around the world, including badges from French national police and riot control units.

9/ Woolworth Building

• A short walk from St. Paul’s Chapel, you’ll see a building that’s much smaller than the glass towers around it, yet the Woolworth Building is one of New York’s oldest skyscrapers. Completed in 1913, at 241 m (792 ft) tall, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. Since then, it’s been dwarfed by newer structures.
• Still, you’ll appreciate its elegant Beaux-Arts architecture. At its opening ceremony, Reverend S. Parkes Cadman called the building the “Cathedral of Commerce.”
• Across from the Woolworth Building stands City Hall Park, with New York’s City Hall at its center.

10/ South Street Seaport

• To finish your Financial District tour, head toward the East River. Take Spruce Street to admire one of New York’s most striking buildings, 8 Spruce Street, formerly known as Beekman Tower. This elegant yet dramatic tower was designed by renowned American architect Frank Gehry. Continue along Fulton Street to the East River and you’ve reached South Street Seaport, New York’s historic port.
• Docked at Pier 17, you can photograph the Peking, a sailing ship built in 1911 by the German shipping company Ferdinand Laeisz of Hamburg. Today, the vessel enjoys a peaceful retirement in New York.
• From South Street Seaport’s piers, you’ll also have sweeping views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and Brooklyn.
• Several options await: cross the Brooklyn Bridge, take the subway at Fulton Street or Wall Street while exploring the Financial District’s side streets and passing the Federal Reserve, or try my favorite: head down the East River to South Ferry and catch the Staten Island Ferry. After all that walking through the Financial District, the short ferry ride is pure pleasure. And it’s free! You could also take a helicopter tour of New York—the Downtown heliport is roughly midway between South Street Seaport and Battery Park.

Your Photos

If you enjoyed this tour and completed the route, feel free to send us some photos and I’ll add them below!