Willy Wall New York
Secret floating bar
Nick from New York
The Honorable William Wall has allegedly been floating in New York Harbor since 2004. After reading about the bar in 2017, I peered out the window of my office on the 40th floor. Sure enough, there it was, a speck in the water next to Ellis Island.
Willy Wall, as the locals call it, is the clubhouse of the Manhattan Yacht Club. Anyone can head out there for cheap drinks and skyline views. The seasonal spot is open from May until October, so check the website for dates and tickets.
To reach the bar, you have to leave the state first. From Battery Park City in Manhattan, you take a ferry to New Jersey. After crossing the Hudson River, you board a smaller boat that shuttles you to Willy Wall.
Why go through all this effort? The cocktails are the coldest, and the views are the best. And you'll have done something that most New Yorkers have never done. I like going on an oppressively hot day. The breeze on the water will be the best thing you've ever felt.
New York Spotter Nick
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