(New York) — A masterwork of modern design and urban planning, the High Line is an old railroad trestle that used to deliver railcars loaded with stuff down the west side of Manhattan towards all the manufacturing plants downtown.  Long abandoned as factories moved out and people moved in, the trestle was off limits for years and grew weeds and trees unannounced until someone rediscovered it and came up with The Big Idea.

Built in sections over the last several years, it runs for dozens of blocks from around the 30s to its terminus in the Meatpacking District…which is a good place to start your journey.  As it was undergoing renovation, dozens of businesses, hotels and condos were built along its stretch. Now it’s their back porch.

Its a great way to kill an hour or two and cool your heals. Go in the morning or right after dusk, the changing light makes it a different experience each time. The design is so thoughtful, there are design surprises to stop and look at every hundred yards. If you’re in New York, you have to see this.

Here’s a great article in National Geographic.  Here is CBS’s Five Best Bars along the High Line. I love the look of the Standard Grill, tucked right under the trestles and a great place to begin or end your journey. And here is a great, ever-changing topics in the NY Times.

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