Sunny day at the South Street Sea Port

Visiting the South Street Sea Port is one of the best ways to spend a relaxing, warm, sunny day in NYC. There are some great restaurants featuring mouthwatering seafood. There are boutiques and shops, the South Street Sea Port Museum, some very entertaining street performers, the Bodies exhibit and one of the best bookstores in the city, The Strand.

My BF and I choose an Italian restaurant with outdoor seating called Il Porto. Situated on Fulton Street, it was the perfect vantage point for watching the tourists and locals alike as they strolled down the promenade. We were also able to appreciate the colonial architecture that surrounded us. The restaurant itself however left something to be desired. The warm weather crowds overwhelmed the staff of Il Porto. After being seated we were presented with a basket of bread that was burned black and was simply inedible. We waited nearly 30 minutes before our waitress was able to come to our table. The entrees were very good, but over priced. (Although it is interesting to note that the closer to the water’s edge, the more expensive the food becomes.) The final issue was that there was only one functioning stall in the lady’s room, which translated into a half-hour wait to use the facilities. We found ourselves wishing we had opted for the upscale street food; hotdogs or fish-and-chips that were available on the pier or lunching at Carmine’s Italian Seafood restaurant (one of our favorites) just North of Fulton Street.

After lunch, we sauntered over to the pier, grabbed a mocha frappicino from Seattle’s Best Coffee and took in the street performers – a dance troupe and a magician. Then we drifted through the shops and stores at the mall followed by wandering through the neighborhood and checking out the pubs and restaurants that are not along the main fairway. To top off the afternoon, we visited The Strand, browsed through the new and used books and made a few purchases.

Good food, good companionship and a beautiful day, who could ask for more?

Insider Tips:

• If you haven’t seen the Bodies exhibit, I would recommend it. It is fascinating and educational. However some people may find it disturbing.
• The views from the restaurants on the pier are great and the food is tasty, but you might want to check out the other options in the area.
• Leave yourself some time to browse through The Strand. They offer $1.00 used books plus an incredible selection of new books as well.
• Give yourself a few hours and take your time. An afternoon at the pier is all about chilling out.
• Bring sunglasses.