New York, New York: Little Island

Great, free park to see the skyline, water, and on a good day, the Statue of Liberty in the distance. They also have an audio tour to learn about the plants, so bring your smartphone and headphones.

At the site of Pier 54, where the Carpathia delivered the Titanic survivors in 1912, is New York City's newest park -- a feat of art and architecture eight years in the making.

From 6 AM until noon you can gain access without a ticket. From noon through the remainder of the day, in an effort to minimize the amount of people on the island, you must present a ticket, which is free and obtained online.

We visited the opening night and, although there were hundreds of people gathered at 8 PM to get onto the island, once on it the crowd quickly dispersed. It is a one-of-a-kind amazing creation!

Amazing, new, exciting, and beautiful pier on the Hudson River at 14th St. It's the pier where the Carpathia arrived with Titanic survivors in 1912. The new three-story park space is offshore, held up by giant mushroom-shaped pylons, and accessible by two ramps. With hills, tree groves, and two amphitheater concert venues.