7. Hell Gate Bridge and Manhattan Skyline

When you pass Hell Gate Bridge, you start to get stunning panoramic views of the New York City skyline with buildings like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and 432 Park Avenue coming into view. The name Hell Gate comes from the Dutch “Hellegat,” which refers to the dangerous waters in this area of the East River. The same architects that built the Queensboro Bridge, Henry Hornbostel and engineer Gustav Lindenthal built this one, and were acclaimed for achieving the sheer size of the bridge. According to NYC Parks, the elements “were considered almost excessive for the time.”

See photographs from an urban exploration onto the Hell Gate Bridge.