Manhattan is famously overcrowded, especially during business hours. It can be hard to find peace and quiet.
But the Elevated Acre seemed to offer that, from what I'd read. I headed down to Water Street in Manhattan's Financial District to see it for myself.
The park is walking distance from downtown hotspots like Wall Street, the World Trade Center, and Battery Park.
I passed by this plaza several times before realizing it was the entrance to the park.
I even asked a handful of people passing by the steps if they knew anything about the park. Half of them hadn't even heard of it, including one person who worked at the office next door.
A small sign designated the entrance to the public space. I headed up the stairs to see what it had to offer.
After reaching the top, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. There was barely any noise other than the wind in the trees and the faint sounds of honking cars from the street below.
Verdant plant life — another rarity in Manhattan — lined the walkway to the edge of the park.
The short path culminated in a spectacular view of New York Harbor, the Brooklyn Bridge, and downtown Brooklyn across the East River.
Behind me was a small, neatly manicured grass lawn that sometimes plays host to performances and organized events.
The amphitheater-like seating could accommodate more than 100 people, but there was nowhere near that amount when I visited.
Back at the viewpoint, I got a nice view of the helicopters taking off from Pier 6.
Meanwhile, Manhattan traffic chugged on below.
I did a lap of the park and found a restaurant on park premises, Sky55, that caters to the local professional crowd.
But even during peak lunch hours, the place was mostly empty. The manager told me she struggles to attract attention to the restaurant because it's so secluded.
I could understand why. I stayed at the Elevated Acre for about 45 minutes, and there were never more than about 20 people there at a time.
Most of them had brought lunches they'd purchased at the restaurants and food trucks on ground level.
After spending some time at the park, I could see why people consider it one of Manhattan's hidden gems.
It's the kind of place I would come back to for a relaxing lunch, or simply to be alone with my thoughts.
The staircase leading to the busy FDR Drive was an abrupt reminder that all good things must come to an end.
But not before I could do the most New York thing I could think of — grab a slice of pizza and enjoy the view.
