NYC's South Street Seaport guide: Balloon Museum, dining and shops

Go back in time with a day trip to the South Street Seaport, where you’ll find historic ships, cobblestone streets and some of the oldest buildings in New York City.

The seaport district is "a gem," said Jonathan Boulware, president and CEO of the South Street Seaport Museum. "It’s the original place where New York connected to the rest of the world by immigration and language and culture and trade," said Boulware, adding that "this is the way the city became what it is."

The Seaport in lower Manhattan spans around 3.5 acres, running from just south of the Brooklyn Bridge to Pier 15 on the East River. The slice of maritime history dates back to 1625 when the Dutch West India Company started construction on the first pier. The Seaport has evolved into a popular tourist destination, offering restaurants, shops, a major concert venue and a new immersive art installation devoted to, of all things, balloons.

Set sail 

But your day on the waterfront should start by visiting one of the museum’s four vessels. The tall ship Wavertree was built in the late 19th century and represents "thousands of others like her that came to the city," Boulware said. Tour the restored vessel for a behind-the-scenes look at the crew quarters, the galley and the quarterdeck, where you might even get to turn the ship’s wheel. The Wavertree regularly hosts events like trivia nights or live music. The first Sunday of every month through November, you can sing along to traditional sea chanteys from 2 to 4 p.m.

The 1908 Lightship Ambrose is basically a floating lighthouse, Boulware said, adding that it played an important role in the immigration history of the nation. Exhibits on board explain the ship’s significance. "We estimate about 6,500,000 people in the 1920s and '30s became eligible to become American citizens by virtue of having passed the Ambrose," he said. While the Wavertree and Ambrose are permanently docked at Pier 16, two ships still get out on the water. Book a ride on the Pioneer, an 1885 fishing schooner like those that were once common on the Atlantic coast, or the 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker, which Boulware said is believed to be the oldest operating historical vessel in New York Harbor. Circle Line (circleline.com) and Manhattan by Sail (manhattanbysail.com) also offer trips from the Seaport.

Explore the Balloon Museum

Head back to the modern world at the new Balloon Museum, which opened its first permanent flagship in the United States in early August after being seen by around 7 million people all over the world. The museum celebrates inflatable art, with the opening exhibit titled "Daydream — Air Becomes Art." Among the highlights, an installation by performance artist Marina Abramović, who once famously sat in silence at the Museum of Modern Art for more than 736 hours to connect with strangers. Other exhibits include a carousel with sculptural birds that visitors can actually ride.

The new museum is located in the Tin Building, until recently a massive food hall and once the home of the Fulton Fish Market. "We wanted a distinctive location capable of becoming an integral part of the city," said curator Antonella Di Lullo. The historic building is "situated in one of New York’s most recognizable neighborhoods," she said.

Grab a bite 

At the Lawn Club, a 30,000-square-foot entertainment venue on Fulton Street, you can take a breather from all that intellectual stimulation. Reserve a lawn for drinks, snacks and games from traditional like bocce, croquet and cornhole to something offbeat like Kan Jam, which involves getting a Frisbee into a trash can. Dining at the Seaport ranges from the casual comfort you’ll find at Sadie’s to the old school The Paris Café or Il Brigante for Southern Italian pizza and pasta.

See a concert 

Spend the evening at the Rooftop on Pier 17 for live music and some of the best views around. Five stories above the East River, the concert venue is known for amazing views of the skyline, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. Live Nation books the concerts, primarily indie rock, folk and alternative pop, which are scheduled through October. Splurge at one of the rooftop’s premium spaces for reserved viewing areas near the stage and dedicated bar service.

Go shopping 

Wherever you go, you’ll never be far from the district’s fascinating history. Wander the cobblestone walks, perhaps stopping at McNally Jackson Books, the cozy outpost of the independent chain that hosts author events, poetry readings and local book clubs. This summer, a pop-up from Element Brooklyn called the Gallery of Scent is encouraging visitors to identify their personal fragrance by trying a selection of individual scents. The shop also offers candle workshops for $45 a person, and sells soaps, lotions, candles and the like.

Don’t miss Bowne & Co. Stationers on Water Street, one of the oldest printing firms in the city and part of the Seaport Museum. You’ll find traditional letter press printing equipment and shop the curated collection of gifts like home decor and stationery. Better yet, print your own custom stationery at one of the regularly scheduled workshops that take place the last Saturday and Sunday of the month ($100 a person).

Learn about the past 

Walk by the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse in a park at the corner of Pearl and Fulton Street, which was first erected in 1913 on the roof of the Seamen’s Church Institute only a year after the ship’s tragic sinking. Wherever you go, admire the architecture, notably the brick and granite buildings of Schermerhorn Row, where several museum exhibits are located. It might only be five or six stories but "it was one of the city’s first skyscrapers," Boulware said. "Just look at it," he added. "It is a magnificent structure."

He would probably say the same of most everything at the Seaport. "If you’re looking to understand New York, there's a lot of places you can go," he said, mentioning the New-York Historical Society, the Tenement Museum and Ellis Island.

"They’re all good and worthy," Boulware said. "But this is really where it began."