The parts of the Esplanade that work are spectacular, but unfortunately it's not quite a finished product. The installation of a Waterfront Esplanade of the East River is a phenomenal use of public space, and provides a place to decompress and forget that you're in the city. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the city hasn't done the work to ensure that the path is contiguous and runs from East 114th Street all the way down to the South Street Seaport. There are several spots along the way where the path cuts out for a significant number of blocks, forcing a detour onto adjacent roads (with little if any signage marking the exit and reentry points). And the city doesn't always bother to shovel when it snows, so the path can become a bit treacherous in winter.
I generally travel the north portion that runs approximately 3 miles from East 110th down to East 59th (where the trail cuts out) but have also walked from the Seaport up to East 14th Street. The north section features a footbridge to Randall's Island Park at East 103rd street, a ferry terminal at East 90th Street, and abuts Gracie Mansion and Carl Schurz Part from East 87th to approximately East 77th. The parts just north of East 96th are riddled with sinkholes and fenced off areas of disrepair, but are still navigable. The Carl Schurz Park area is the widest and most bustling area of the Esplanade and includes a number of benches, gardens, a child's playground and a dog run.
Just after Carl Schurz, around East 77th there is a narrow, steep decline that leads to a more narrow path south (prone to bottlenecks in some areas) that is quieter in terms of foot traffic, but is separated from the FDR by a thin median. (You will get splashed if you walk this section in heavy rain). The remainder of the path north has intermittently place benches but otherwise unremarkable until you approach East 59th Street. East 59th sits atop a hill, with a small dog run at it's foot. If you climb the steep hill, you will find yourself in a relatively nice concrete patio area with slab benches and tables where you can sit and play chess or just chill out.
All in all it's a great place to get out and stretch your legs. read more