Skyscrapers, shopping... sailing? New York is known for many things but for a long time the water wasn’t really one of them. The city turned its back on the very thing that made it the powerhouse it is today: its rivers and harbours. But now they’ve been cleaned up and things are changing. Two of the city’s hottest new architectural attractions are riverside. The Vessel is a huge series of stairs you can ascend for panoramic views over the new Hudson Yards project cheek by jowl with the HudsonRiver.

And not far away is Little Island, the city’s newest and most talked about park, which goes one better by hovering on stilts above the river itself, looking like a bunch of flowers have sprouted from the once polluted Hudson. Little Island is already experiencing the ʽHigh Line effect’ – drawing thousands of visitors in to explore its urban- meets-wild spaces. Many other new parks and walks have also sprung up along New York’s riversides.

Of course, history buffs can take a boat to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, which guard New York harbour, and get some striking views of the new World Trade Center complex. Over on the East River, new ferry services link some of New York’s most exciting areas, like the huge Brooklyn Navy Yard, where a historic Naval supply station is being transformed into a tech, shopping and housing hub.

Some of NY’s coolest current crop of hotels look out over the East River – 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge with its eco theme and Brooklyn Bridge views, the Wythe with its cool rooftop and industrial aesthetic, the flashy and impressive William Vale, and the hip new The Hoxton, Williamsburg.

Head east out of the city and the fun continues – first, Coney Island’s retro arcades and rides and then Long Island flattens and quietens as you head to the storied Hamptons and then the wild dunes at Montauk where beachside resorts like Gurney’s still pull in visitors. Rounding the end of Long Island you can follow the coast past quaint Connecticut towns like New London then motor east to the famous holiday islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

 

“Visit Block Island for remote seaside bicycling and beach walks and cruise along the beautiful Elizabeth Islands on your way to Martha’s Vineyard,” advises Tim Leedham of Sunseeker dealer Bosun’s Marine, part of the One Water Yacht Group. “You may catch a view of herds of wild deer grazing on the hillside meadows overlooking the island cliffs.” He adds: “On Martha’s Vineyard make sure you pull into the historic whaling port of Edgartown Harbor and also visit the historic wooden sloop building of Vineyard Haven, and plan on eating at the Black Dog Restaurant.”

Cape Cod is next – this finger poking out into the Atlantic is beloved of visitors on land and water and its sublime seashore is protected just like a national park. If you’re looking for a place to pull in, Steve Chase, GM of Bosun’s Marine in Mashpee, Cape Cod, has the answers: “Fiddlers Cove is at

the west end of the Cape Cod Canal and has a quaint little marina just off the canal. As you head further you will encounter many marinas tucked into inlets and coves, like Green Pond Marina in East Falmouth. Although there are many spots all along the coast, Provincetown Marina, found at the far tip of Cape Cod, offers accommodations for all sizes of boats and is located in the heart of downtown Provincetown – which offers amazing restaurants, galleries, nightclubs and unique shops.”

From Provincetown’s Race Point you can complete your journey with an easy sail across to historic Boston Harbor, at the centre of New England’s buzzing capital. But keep your eyes peeled: “All along the New England coast you will be sure to see Humpback whales putting on shows, especially off Provincetown and east of Boston on Stellwagen Bank,” says Chase.

“The whales along with schools of Atlantic white-sided dolphin are amazing wildlife to watch. If fishing is your thing, New England offers some of the best striped bass and blue fin tuna fisheries along the Eastern Seaboard.”

For Sunseeker enquiries in New York, please contact Sunseeker North America info@owyg.com