About the Book
Going Coastal New York City
A 250th-anniversary guide to twenty-five waterfront journeys.
Our Mission
Reclaiming the Liquid City
Welcome to the 250th American Anniversary Edition of Going Coastal New York City, a collection of 25 waterfront journeys through the experiential, evocative, and practical maritime geography of the five boroughs. New York City is fundamentally a city of islands, yet for over a century its 520 miles of shoreline remained “hidden in plain sight” behind the hardened barriers of industrial infrastructure. Going Coastal’s mission is to bridge that gap, connecting the public to the water by transforming former “moats” and fuel depots into civic frontage and public space.
Our rationale for educating the public on urban coastal resources is rooted in the belief that the waterfront is not a static backdrop, but a “physical palimpsest” — a record of human ambition and environmental resilience. By understanding the “assembled ground” of Manhattan’s tip or the “dynamic tidal straits” of the East River, New Yorkers gain a deeper sense of stewardship for the marine environment that sustains them.
250th Anniversary
Why We Listen for Echoes
As we approach the Semiquincentennial of the United States, this edition introduces “Echoes of 1776” to highlight the strategic military geography that birthed the nation. Two hundred and fifty years ago, these shores were the “strategic key to the continent.” Educating the public on the “corridor of survival” in the East River or the “Gowanus Trap” is essential for understanding our modern resilience. Elevation was once the “ultimate strategic currency,” and the heights you walk today in Washington Heights or Battle Hill are the same vantage points that once monitored the largest fleet assembled in the eighteenth century.
The Organization
About Going Coastal, Inc.
Going Coastal, Inc. was formed in 2004 to promote sustainable coastal travel, environmental stewardship, waterfront access, maritime heritage, and community engagement. The original Going Coastal New York City guidebook documented every mile of the city’s shoreline and helped a generation of New Yorkers rediscover their public waterfront.
The Journeys
How to Use This Guide
This book is organized into 25 waterfront journeys that span the five boroughs. Each journey is designed to be experiential, evocative, and practical. Whether you are navigating the “continental spine” of the Inwood Forest or the “Irish Riviera” of the Rockaways, look for the “At a Glance” sections for logistical support and the “Echoes” sections to connect with the ghosts of the Revolution that still haunt our bulkheads.