Four Playgrounds, One Pier: Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park

Slide Mountain's pyramid slide, with the rad curl at the bottom.

Pier 6 is one of NYC's latest and greatest, and it isn't really one playground. It's a group of medium-sized playgrounds all next to each other — Slide Mountain, Swing Valley, Sandbox Village, and the Water Lab — that add up to an amusement park. Having separate zones feels more fun than one giant play area. It feels like an adventure going from one to the next and finding more fun stuff around every corner.

Steel slides that give Slide Hill a run for its money.

A modern take on the jungle gym.

In the slide park, there are some steel slides that give Slide Hill a run for its money. The curl at the bottom of the pyramid slide looks totally rad. Unfortunately, the slide just doesn't generate enough speed to send kids around the berm, so they slowly slide to a stop and fall off the side. Still fun, just not as fun as it looks.

Blazing a trail through the bamboo.

The path through serene Swing Valley.

The impromptu trails through the bamboo in the slide park were super popular among kids, mine included. Nobody designed them; kids just made them, which is the best kind of playground feature. Swing Valley was more serene than fun, and the one exception to the crowds.

Parking the Stumpjumper at the Water Lab.

Running the Water Lab gauntlet.

The splash pad, rebranded the “Water Lab,” was the busiest zone, and for good reason: it's unlike any other splash pad in the city. It's built into the side of a rocky hill, with lots of original water features, including an Archimedes screw that kids can crank to lift water uphill.

Sandbox Village, one of the biggest sandboxes around.

It was very busy when we visited on a weekend, with barely any room for parents to sit on the sidelines. This park is so far out there, I was surprised to find so many people. It's an interesting mix: some foreign tourists, some day-trippers from other parts of the city like us, and some locals. The bathrooms are on the pier nearest the Water Lab, which can be a bit of a hike from the slides on the other side.

Verdict: there's plenty on the pier for grown-ups too, so it's definitely worth making a day trip. Pro tip: bring snacks. Not for the kids. For negotiating with the kids. Bonus: the Governors Island ferry leaves from this same pier, so you can pair it with The Yard.