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Discover the South Street Seaport

Today, street performers -- jugglers, violinists, unicyclists -- cavort on cobblestone roadways, while indoor entertainment includes everything from galleries and eateries to the South Street Seaport Museum. This is much more than a seaport: It is a complete shopping experience. Popular national chains are side-by-side with small specialty shops. The cobblestones lead to Schermerhorn Row, the first block in the country to be lit by electricity. Today it offers restaurants, a pub, fine specialty stores and museum visitor center. The sloping roofs and tall chimneys of the buildings that line the street define the seaport with 19th century charm. Step aboard the tall sailing ships -- the Peking or the Wavertree -- or try a schooner, such as the Lettie G. Howard. The schooner Pioneer, launched in 1885, carries visitors across the New York Harbor ($16 per cruise). At night or in the pre-dawn hours, examine fresh seafood at the Fulton Fish Market -- right on the docks. Sail around Manhattan. Board the ships at the end of Pier 15 and 16. Stroll, or dine, along Pier 17, and look out at the sea.