Best Places for Photographing New York City Skyline and One World Trade Center

Downtown NYC and 1 World Trade Ctr at night

Most tourists planning on visiting New York City, will include Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center Twin Towers on their itinerary. Here are some easy one hour long side trips across the Hudson River to capture the famous downtown New York City skyline in all its glory, along with the new One World Trade Center, formerly known as Freedom Tower, towering above everything else. Just remember, each of these spots have 9/11 memorials, so be respectful of your surroundings. These neighborhoods lost several men and women in the World Trade Center collapse, and even ten years later, the skyline brings back memories of a horrific day for area residents.

New 1 World Trade Center
The new 1 World Trade Center, the tallest building in New York City as of April 30, 2012, will complete construction in 2014. Over 100 floors of the total 104 floors are now complete, and the building now stands at 1,271 feet above the ground. When complete, the building is expected to be 1,776 feet tall, including its 408 foot roof-top needle. It is no surprise that the Freedom Tower, or One World Trade Center building is clearly visible from as far north as the George Washington Bridge.

Public Transportation
The World Trade Center area is well served by public transportation, both PATH subway train and NY Waterway Ferry Service. The PATH train accepts Metrocards and runs frequently. NY Waterway fare is $6 from the downtown ferry stops to NJ and operates on a schedule.

Read on to find the best places tourists can take public transportation to capture amazing views of the World Trade Center and downtown New York City, and return back to Ground Zero in under an hour. Located in the gold coast of New Jersey, each viewing spot is extremely safe, easily accessible by public transportation, less than 20 minutes from New York City and offers amazing, panoramic views of Manhattan, especially downtown New York City and the World Trade Center. Although these spots lend to excellent photography opportunities all day and year round, the best time to go is late afternoon, when the setting sun casts beautiful, dramatic reflections on the glass buildings and stay until sundown, when the skyline lights up.

Space shuttle Enterprise passes 1 World Trade Ctr

Exchange Place, Jersey City, NJ

Take the NY Waterway Ferry from the World Financial Center to Paulus Hook. Alternatively, you can take the PATH train from World Trade Center to Newport, and get off at Exchange Place, which is the first stop. The pier at Exchange Place, a massive deck built from sturdy Trex material, offers panoramic views of New York City, from the George Washington Bridge to the Statue of Liberty. Situated directly across the World Financial Center, it offers the most dramatic, close up view of downtown Manhattan, with One World Trade Center towering over the skyline. There is a small 9/11 WTC memorial on Exchange Place.

Newport, Jersey City, NJ


Downtown from Exchange Place c2006

 Ferry service from downtown NYC is no longer offered to Newport, NJ but tourists can take the PATH train and get off at the last stop, Newport Pavonia, and walk to the waterfront, which is a couple of minutes away. You will pass a Starbucks and Komegashi Japanese restaurant to your right. Although the area consists of several highrise buildings behind a gate, the waterfront walkway is in fact open to the public. On your way to the waterfront, pause at the small, yet poignant 9/11 WTC memorial, which provides a straight view to the former World Trade Center twin towers.

Pier A or Pier C Park, Hoboken, NJ
Downtown Hoboken is serviced both by NY Waterway ferry as well as PATH train. Pier A Park, located on Sinatra Drive between First and Second Street offers a lush Great Lawn with panoramic views of New York City, from the Statue to Liberty to the George Washington Bridge. A glass memorial for 9/11 victims, oriented toward the former World Trade Center is expected to be built on Pier A Park, Hoboken. Walking north on the Sinatra Drive waterfront pathway will bring you to the brand new Pier C park, a kidney shaped $25 million marvel that is built above the Hudson River. The views of New York City, including downtown and World Trade Center are out of the world.