Timeline
10:00
Stand in the open space south of City Hall and watch the late morning light play across the 76-story rippled facade. The building is best viewed from this angle, where the steel panels shift from shadow to bright highlight as the sun climbs.
10:15
Walk 14 minutes to Brookfield Place. This shopping and dining complex is open to the public and offers a calm indoor environment to stretch your legs and grab a coffee or a light bite in the Winter Garden area before the lunch crowds arrive.
10:45
Head to Bubby’s for a substantial late lunch. It is one of the more affordable restaurants in the area and caters well to groups. Their variety of pies makes for a hearty, comforting meal that fits the relaxed pace of the afternoon.
12:00
End your walk with a 11-minute stroll to the base of One World Trade Center. The sheer scale of the 1,776-foot skyscraper provides a striking contrast to the organic curves of Gehry’s building. Spend a moment looking up at the glass facade reflecting the sky.
Local tip
Bubby’s is open 24/7, so you can arrive whenever the lunch rush subsides. Brookfield Place is open during standard mall hours, but the public spaces are accessible throughout the day.
Check before you go
- Bubby’s is open 24/7.
- Brookfield Place is open to the public.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Manhattan (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).