I ventured down to New York for the grand opening of Hudson Yards on behalf of Canadian Geographic Travel. I walked some of Vessel’s 154 flights of stairs, taking in the breathtaking views from the top, and more than anything enjoying what has aptly been described as a jungle gym for adults. I checked out The Shed, stared up at Edge — not the Irish rock star but an observatory perched 101 floors up in one of Hudson Yard’s commercial office towers — and browsed through The Shops at Hudson Yards.

Here are three reasons to add Hudson Yards to your next New York itinerary.

Futuristic foundations

Rising 16 storeys and weighing 600 tonnes, Vessel is a futuristic honeycomb structure and open-air monument created by British designer Thomas Heatherwick to serve as a walkable installation. Fabricated in Monfalcone, Italy, Vessel was shipped to Manhattan in pieces in six freighters. Each part was then ferried over from Newark, New Jersey, on a five-hour barge trip across the Hudson River. After months of careful construction, the attraction opened to the public on St. Patrick’s Day weekend and has already welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to climb its 2,500 steps and 80 landings, spread across more than a kilometre of copper- and stone-clad staircases. Every step higher brings an exhilarating rush, as the views (and selfie possibilities) expand. Next door, nestled at the base of a commercial tower, is The Shed, a cultural centre with a movable exterior wall that slides the structure in and out of the tower on a set of tracks. Icelandic singer Björk is scheduled to perform there later this year.

Not your average shopping mall

In a city where space is at a premium, Manhattan is still managing to produce some of the world’s most luxurious shopping centres, first with Oculus at the base of the World Trade Centre, and now with The Shops at Hudson Yards. The retail centre offers seven levels of shopping and dining spread throughout a palatial concourse that opens up to the public square and gardens in an expansive Great Hall. The shopping centre is home to a number of Canadian brands like Lululemon, Rudsak and Aritzia plus a wide range of other designer shops, concept stores and fine dining establishments from some of New York’s brightest culinary minds. Stop for a taste tour of David Chang’s new Momofuku restaurant, Kāwi, before hitting the shops or climbing Vessel. Kāwi was inspired by Chef Eunjo Park’s fine-dining experience in Korea, and is one of 35 dining options throughout Hudson Yards.