East River

The East River is not really a river. It’s a tidal strait joining Upper New York Bay to the south and Long Island Sound to the north. At one time it was called the Sound River. Both access to the water and the view from Manhattan towards Brooklyn are obstructed by the FDR Drive. If you want to experience the “river” you must sail around it or walk across one of the bridges with their formidable view of the Manhattan skyline and, beyond, the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island and New Jersey.