American Veterans Memorial Pier
The city’s record of the 69th Street pier renovation identifies this public waterfront space. Its shore entrance gives the outing a recognizable return landmark. Place source
Waterfront · Bay Ridge & Sunset Park
Bay Ridge: A Harbor Out-and-Back
Start at the waterfront end of Bay Ridge Avenue, follow the harbor-side pedestrian path south to the waterfront opposite 80th Street, and retrace it. A defined turnaround replaces the former vague 92nd Street finish and uncertain neighborhood exit.
Desk research reviewed · No claim of a same-day field visit
Is this your walk?
Choose it for
Choose this for an adjustable harbor walk and a predictable exit. You can turn back whenever wind, heat or limited time makes the longer section unsuitable.
Know the tradeoff
The parkway separates the shoreline from much of the street grid. Nearby numbered streets do not each provide an exit. Wind and traffic noise are part of the setting.
- Complete route
- About 1.2 miles / 2.0 km
- Outing time
- 40–60 minutes
- Shape
- Out and back
- Start
- American Veterans Memorial Pier, Bay Ridge Avenue
- Finish
- American Veterans Memorial Pier entrance (return)
- Terrain
- Easy · long exposed stretch
Length calculated from the published pedestrian geometry, rounded for planning. Time allows brief pauses. Station transfers, long visits and detours are excluded.
Walking map
Bay Ridge Avenue pier entrance → harbor-side pedestrian path south → waterfront opposite 80th Street → same path north → pier entrance. The distance includes the return; a pier excursion is extra.
Loads OpenStreetMap tiles from an external provider. Map privacy
- Bay Ridge Avenue pier entrance
- Harbor-side pedestrian path
- Waterfront turnaround opposite 80th Street
- Harbor-side pedestrian path
- Bay Ridge Avenue pier entrance
Locate the start · Locate the finish · Download GPX track · Download GeoJSON
The overview preserves the geographic shape and numbered stops. Load the street map to see the surrounding streets. OpenStreetMap-derived pedestrian geometry is desk-checked against mapped paths and the linked operator information; it is not a field-surveyed or live-access guarantee. Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Report an OSM map issue.
Distance checkpoints
Match the numbered map points to this table to estimate how much walking remains. Distances follow the published track, including return segments; they exclude station connections and optional detours.
| Map point | From start | To finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bay Ridge Avenue pier entrance | 0.0 km | 2.0 km |
| 2. Harbor-side pedestrian path | 0.4 km | 1.6 km |
| 3. Waterfront turnaround opposite 80th Street | 1.0 km | 1.0 km |
| 4. Harbor-side pedestrian path | 1.6 km | 0.4 km |
| 5. Bay Ridge Avenue pier entrance | 2.0 km | 0.0 km |
A repeated location has separate outbound and return entries. These are track measurements, not field timings. For offline use, import the GPX into a compatible walking app before leaving and check that the full track appears; the downloads do not include a street basemap.
Follow the route
Join the pedestrian shoreline path
Start at the shore end of American Veterans Memorial Pier, at Bay Ridge Avenue/69th Street. An excursion out onto the pier is extra. Head south on the pedestrian waterfront path with the harbor on your right.
Stay on the harbor side
Follow the continuous shore path. Do not take an inland connection to the upper park paths. Keep clear of separated bicycle-only sections where marked; the pedestrian map follows the shore walkway.
Turn around and retrace
The southern map point opposite 80th Street is a planning turnaround, not a promised signed attraction or neighborhood exit. Return north on the same path to the pier entrance. The stated distance already includes this return.
What to notice, and why
Shore Park and Parkway
NYC Parks identifies the surrounding waterfront park. Upper park paths and the shoreline path require different connections; this itinerary returns to the known pier-area entry instead of assuming a ramp at every street. Place source
Get there and get home
Arrival
Bay Ridge Av R
From Fourth Avenue/Bay Ridge Avenue, walk west along Bay Ridge Avenue to the waterfront. Allow roughly 15–20 minutes outside the route; the station is inland.
Departure
Bay Ridge Av R
Return east on Bay Ridge Avenue to Fourth Avenue. This outing does not require finding a new subway station at an unfamiliar shoreline exit.
Line names describe typical service. Weekend, late-night and planned work can change your trip. Current MTA maps · Trip planner & alerts · Elevator & escalator status.
Surface and access
Mostly level harbor pavement with wind exposure and adjacent bicycle activity. The map follows the pedestrian shore path, not the parallel road or upper park paths. Station access is a separate question from shoreline access.
Water, restrooms and stopping
Plan water and restroom needs before leaving the neighborhood. The turnaround does not promise a staffed facility; the return avoids dependence on a seasonal concession or unfamiliar ramp.
Shorten or change the outing
Turn back earlier. Ten minutes outward plus the same ten minutes back creates a short outing. Do not double the full published route distance: the return is already included.
Two alternatives to compare
Oceanfront with another departure station
One-way boardwalk exposure instead of a harbor return.
A smaller waterfront stop
Arrange bus or ferry access; most walking is on streets.
Evidence and corrections
Place facts above link to their sources. The sequence, route choices and tradeoffs are Brooklyn Walks’ editorial synthesis. The research method explains mapping and estimates. Current signs and closures take priority.
Report a route correction with the location, affected instruction and an operator notice if available.