5. Pier 25 Was Once Home to a Rowdy Open Air Nightclub
The decaying industrial waterfront along Manhattan was once a haven for the underground scene – be it the early days of the LGBTQ movement, the art scene in New York, or other avant-garde movements. On Pier 25, a rowdy open-air club called the Amazon Village Nightclub was a hotspot long before Hudson River Park came on the scene. It offered, according to the park, “the previously unheard-of combination of alcohol and bungee jumping.” There was also a notable 40-foot-long iguana sculpture that sat on the pier in the 1980s.
Today, Manhattan Youth, which includes the mini golf course, volleyball, Sweet Love Snack Bar, and the Art Shack, is located on Pier 25. At the end of the pier, there’s a great spot with lounge chairs for some waterfront rest. Next door, Pier 26 is now complete with an innovative ecological “Tide Deck” with great views of the river.
