New York City Battery Park Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour Guide

New York City Battery Park Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour Guide

This comprehensive tour of New York City’s Battery Park covers must-see vista points of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Staten Island, as well as poignant monuments and the grand Castle Clinton.

After you book the tour, we will email you the link to the APP and the TOUR PASSWORD.

FULLY-AUTOMATIC & OFFLINE: Each point of interest along the tour has a narrated story, narrated directions, and helpful images. As you walk along the path and approach a pin, it’s story will automatically pop up and start playing.

FASCINATING STORIES: Engaging, and entertaining story about each point.

FREEDOM TO TRAVEL: No scheduled tour timings, no crowded groups, and no rush to move along past stops that interest you.

PRE-TRAVEL PREPARATION
We recommend that you download the app & the tour while you have a good internet connection.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Netherland Monument, Battery Park Battery Pl. &, State St, New York, NY 10004, USA

You should be standing by the edge of the park. Do you see the tall thin Netherlands Monument? You’re probably wondering why there’s a monument to the Netherlands here, in New York. That’s because the Dutch were the first European colonizers to settle this area 400 years ago. Turn so that the monument and park is to your left and the street is to the right. You should be on a wide footpath. Begin walking. We’re heading to one of the main entrances to Battery Park. You’re probably wondering why it’s called “Battery”. Well this site was once home to several artillery batteries, or canons. It’s prime waterfront location, at the apex of two rivers, made it a strategic military outpost.In the 1600s, the Dutch “bought” Manhattan from the Lenape tribe for a mere $24. They built a fort here, which was swiftly captured by the British a few decades later. The British changed the city’s name from New Amsterdam to New York. A century later, George Washington captured it from the British during the War for American Independence. Let’s keep walking. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Peter Caesar Alberti Marker, 737 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10004, USA

Look to your left. Do you see a low stone wall bordering the park? Coming up, on the edge of the wall, you’ll see a stone marker. Stand in front of it. This marker commemorates the arrival of Pietro Cesare Alberti nearly 400 years ago. He’s commonly considered the very first Italian-American. So if you’re an American with some Italian heritage, you might be able to trace your lineage to Alberti! Now look at the pathway next to Alberti’s marker. It leads into the park, where you can see a tall, bronze statue. This is Giovanni da Verrazzano, a famous Italian explorer of the 16th century. Verrazzano was the first European to explore New York Bay. Despite this historic accomplishment, Verrazzano had the bad luck to make his discoveries around the same time as world-altering events like Cortes’ conquest of Mexico and Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe. As a result, his efforts went largely unrecognized... and his name forgotten. In the early 1900s, New York’s Italian community decided to change that by erecting this statue. Walk down the path, towards the statue, for a closer look. Verrazzano’s story doesn’t end with his exploration of New York; he later went on to Florida and the Caribbean. There, he was met with more bad luck, and a thrilling but grizzly death. Click on “Learn More” for the full story. 

When you’re ready, go back to the main path and continue walking. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop. 

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Pier A Harbor House, 22 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10004, USA

You’re now standing in a wide plaza, in front of the Pier A Harbor House. Today, this building houses a popular oyster bar and cocktail bar, but it was originally the headquarters of the Department of Docks. In fact, this entire park used to be a major commercial district, and the docks were in frequent use by traders and merchants. In the 1840s, these merchants found themselves at odds with wealthy New Yorkers, who wanted to establish a green space here instead. There were hardly any parks in the entire city, so their request wasn’t entirely absurd. So that’s how Battery Park came into existence! But because of the bustling maritime trade in this area, this park never became as large as New Yorkers wished. Eventually, that lead to the creation of Central Park! If you’re planning on heading uptown later to check out Central Park, be sure to download my tour before you go. It’s huge -- much larger than Battery Park -- and needs a few hours to be explored! Now, let’s continue. Walk a few steps into the park until you can see the clock tower at the end of the pier house. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Korean War Veterans Memorial, Battery Park, New York City, NY

You should be able to see the impressive clock tower at the back of pier house. It’s a real ship’s clock and is meant to honor the servicemen who died in WW1. Installed in 1919, it is considered the US’s very first WW1 memorial. Now, turn 180 degrees so that your back is to the clock. There should be a pathway directly ahead of you. This leads to the Korean War Memorial. Walk down the path and look towards the right for the memorial. It’s a large black monument, with a figure carved out within. You might notice that this looks a little different from most war memorials. Rather than depicting a scene of heroism, the somber scene shows the absence, rather than the presence, of an anonymous soldier. That’s because the Korean War is often called the Forgotten War. Fought in the 1950s, it was a messy, brutal conflict with unclear motives and an unclear outcome. After it ended, the American public found it easier to simply forget it had happened. That’s why the sculptor, Mac Adams, chose to focus on tragedy rather than triumph. The plaques along the bottom detail the number of dead, wounded, and missing from each of the 22 nations involved in the conflict. Be sure to read the two plaque in front of the memorial for more details. When you’re ready, go back to the main path. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: American Merchant Mariners' Memorial, Battery Pl, New York, NY 10004, USA

Look ahead, just across the water, and you’ll see another powerful sculpture. This one depicts men at sea on a sinking ship. Every day at high tide, the water of the New York Bay completely covers the drowning man at the base of the memorial. The crewmember reaching for his hand never quite reaches far enough to save him. The scene depicted is based on a real event. The SS Muskogee was carrying fuel to Halifax, Canada when it was struck by a German torpedo and began to sink. With no other vessels nearby who could help, all crewmen aboard the Muskogee perished at sea. The inscription here reads: “This memorial serves as a marker for America’s merchant mariners resting in the unmarked ocean depths.” The US Merchant Mariners of World War II suffered more casualties per capita than any other branch of the service. 1 of every 26 merchant mariners who set out did not return. They faced German U-Boats, Japanese kamikaze pilots, mines, and treacherous seas.

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, New York City, NY 10004

Look out across the water here. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how to spot the Statue of Liberty! A symbol of American ideals since its dedication in 1886, Lady Liberty is definitely the most iconic monument in New York City--maybe even in America! French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi intended this to be a grand symbol of the freedom promised by the United States:
First, Lady Liberty’s torch, held aloft, is a symbol of enlightenment. It shows others the path to liberty. Second, the tablet held in her other hand represents law used to uphold this liberty. It’s inscribed with Roman numerals depicting the date on which the American Declaration of Independence was signed: July 4th, 1776. Third, Lady Liberty’s spiked crown shows the divinity of this monument and the ideals it represents.Fourth, the broken chains on her feet symbolize freedom from oppression. They’re hidden by her robes, so you can’t see them from this distance. And lastly, Lady Liberty isn’t just standing; she’s striding forward, as if to lead the way to freedom. The Statue of Liberty has been a feature in countless movies, from Hitchcock classics to action blockbusters. Click on “Learn More” to figure out if she’s been in anything you’ve seen. So if the Statue was created in France, how did it make it over here? To learn about the story of the statue’s creation, continue to the next stop.

Pass By: Ellis Island, New York Harbor, New York City, NY 10017

Look at the island a little to the right of Lady Liberty. That’s the legendary Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants were processed before entering the country. Did you know that 40 percent of people living in the US today had an ancestor pass through Ellis Island? When people say America is a country of immigrants, they mean it literally! Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island processed around 20 million immigrants. Most were German, Russian, or Italian, though European Jews also made up a significant portion. Many of these immigrants quickly took trains to other parts of the country, but a large number stayed right here in New York City -- making it one of the most diverse cities in the world. Soon, Ellis Island and its neighboring statue became symbols of immigration. This was in large part due to a poem written by Emma Lazarus, entitled “The New Colossus.” The poem goes like this: “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name. Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” Now, turn so that your back is to the water. There’s a huge circular fort in front of you. Walk towards it. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Stop At: Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park, New York, NY 10004, USA

A castle makes any place better, right? This is Castle Clinton, built in 1812 and named for the New York mayor Dewitt Clinton. Walk towards the castle, and then take a left to walk around it. We’re heading towards the entrance. Originally, this was a fort built against the looming British threat. Outfitted with 28 cannons, each one had a 1 ½ mile range. It was an effective deterrent, and the British never attacked. The fort never had to use its cannons. About 10 years later, the fort became a restaurant, opera house, and theatre. It was also an exhibition space for new inventions. The telegraph, steam-powered engines, and electrical explosives were all demonstrated here. All of that changed in the 1850s. Waves of immigrants were arriving on New York’s shores and Ellis Island didn’t yet exist. In 1855, this castle and the surrounding area was converted into the world’s first immigration depot. Nearly 8 million immigrants passed through here to start their new lives in America.  Among the immigrants were notable figures such as the inventor Nikola Tesla, master escape-artist Harry Houdini, and journalist extraordinaire Joseph Pulitzer. The depot ceased operations in 1890 to make way for the better-equipped Ellis Island. Continue walking around the castle until you reach the other side. Pause there. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: The Immigrants, South end of the Eisenhower Mall in Battery Park South of Castle Clinton, New York City, NY

Turn into the pathway on the left. On the corner, you’ll see a statue of a half dozen people. This sculpture is titled simply “The Immigrants”, and that’s exactly what it depicts. Pause in front. Dedicated in 1973, this memorial depicts new arrivals from all around the world. A worker, a priest, a freed slave, and more are joined in a moment of anxiety and hope. They are waiting to enter the country and are full of all the fear and wonder that leaving one home for another entails. This sculpture doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the hardship faced by those who have come to America--in the past or the present--to try to make it their home. Notice how the figures are all conjoined in one way or another? That’s because the sculptor wanted to emphasize the universality of the immigrant experience. These people are from many different countries and walks of life, and would never have met if they had not come to America. But even so, they are united in this shared experience, and draw strength from one another. Now, continue down the pathway into the greenery. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: East Coast Memorial, Battery Park, New York, NY 10004, USA

Turn right here, and head towards those huge grey slabs. 

This is the East Coast Memorial, dedicated to the 4,611 service members killed in combat in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. The names of all those who lost their lives are inscribed onto the pylons. Look at the massive eagle. Made of solid bronze, it perches atop a wave and holds a laurel wreath. This symbolizes mourning at sea for those who have been taken. Now, walk down the memorial towards the water. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: Staten Island, Staten Island, New York

Look out over New York Bay. Isn’t the view wonderful? Directly ahead is, of course, the unmistakable Statue of Liberty. To her right, you can see the spires of Ellis Island’s Great Hall. To her left, you can see a nearby island. Can you guess the name? You might have thought of Staten Island. Nope! This is actually Governor’s Island! It’s open for visits from May to October, and full of fun activity options like zip-lining, picnicking, and biking. Now look at the land visible in the far distance BETWEEN Lady Liberty and Governor’s Island. THAT’s Staten Island! It’s New York City’s fifth borough. The other four are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. These five together make up what is officially called New York City. Staten Island is the only island that was won with a boat race! You heard that right -- a single boat race determined if the island belonged to New York or New Jersey. This was a huge battle because control of the island meant control of the trade routes over the river. And control of trade routes meant control over taxes! According to legend, the competitors needed to circumnavigate the island in under 24 hours. New York’s Christoper Billopp clocked in at 23 hours, just barely winning the island for New York City forevermore. You can visit the island by taking the free ferry. This completely free service is worth experiencing for its own sake. It closely passes the Statue of Liberty, providing some fantastic photo-ops. It also provides a marvelous view of the Manhattan skyline, replete with the glittering skyscrapers of the Financial District. We’ll end the tour near the Ferry terminal, which is just a few stops away. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Stop At: SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery, 75 Battery Pl, New York City, NY 10280-1500

Turn left into the pathway. The glass structure up ahead is a favorite among Battery Park’s younger visitors: the SeaGlass Carousel! Built in 2015, this is one of the most recent additions to the park. It houses thirty huge fish which are outfitted with LEDs to make them glow as the carousel spins. It’s quite a sight after dark! Unlike ordinary carousels, which rotate in one direction around a central pole, this one has four separate turntables which are powered by motors beneath the floor. The end result is that the fish twirl and criss-cross and move about the entire space as they would in an aquarium. All this while contemporary takes on classical music play over the high-tech sound system. It really is a unique experience, and one that children don’t soon forget! Walk around the Carousel and towards the main path. Look at the map when it pops back up and follow the route to the next stop.

Duration: 10 minutes