10 Best Running Routes In NYC To Do This Summer
Calling all exercise junkies! We’re getting in shape this summer and these running routes around NYC are perfect for your next jog or run. From iconic bridges and scenic waterfront paths to serene parks nestled within the urban jungle, our city is a runner’s paradise…offering a perspective of NYC that you have to partake in to understand.
Without further ado, lace up your sneakers and get ready to hit the pavement because we have some new routes for you!
1) East River Greenway
This car-free path stretches down the east side of Manhattan, from Battery Park on the south end to 125th Street on the north end. It’s about 9 miles long, all while incorporating a 1.2 mile gap between 34th and 60th Street where the United Nations headquarters is (must use First and Second Ave to get around). This gap makes it easy to split into 2 routes!
Starting from the south, you can run along the East River and see the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge as well as Brooklyn. As you get further north you’ll run into views of the RFK Bridge and Roosevelt Island!
2) Summer Streets
New York City’s annual tradition of shutting down the most popular streets is happening again this year! On every Saturday this August (5th, 12th, 19th, 26), some of NYC’s most popular streets will go car-free in order for locals to take advantage of the open streets! This includes Park Avenue, Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, and many more. Utilize these shut-down roads as a route that you normally wouldn’t be able to! Check out all the street closures here.
3) Hudson River Park
On the opposite side of Manhattan lies Hudson River Park and the West Side Highway, a route that basically runs up the entire west side of NYC. You can start all the way up at Pier 97 in the north and trek through the path all the way down to Pier 25 in the south. It’s about 4 miles long and you’ll pass all sorts of piers, parks, and landmarks like Little Island, The Vessel, and Whitney Museum of American Art.
4) Brooklyn Bridge + Manhattan Bridge
If you want to transcend boroughs with a route, experiment with running over NYC’s iconic bridges! For this 4-5 mile route, we recommend starting in Lower Manhattan (near World Trade Center), running north and east over the Manhattan Bridge, looping around in Brooklyn and back over the Brooklyn Bridge pathway into Manhattan. Not only will you be able to check out the city’s most famous bridges, but the pedestrian pathways are perfect for seeing great skyline views while you run.
5) Central Park (Full Loop)
Central Park is so massive that we had to split it up into two routes. On this more challenging route, it’s a full loop around the entire park, which equals up to about 6 miles. While you can start just about anywhere you wish, we always find the best starting point to be at 59th Street and 7th Avenue.
6) Central Park (Reservoir Loop)
The other shorter route that is much more popular for many Central Park runners is the 1.58 mile reservoir loop around the park’s massive body of water! This route has its own soft surfaced gravel running track that runners can use to their heart’s content. If you run this path, be sure to run counterclockwise so you don’t interfere with the flow of foot traffic!
7) Prospect Park
For all of our Brooklyn runners, you simply can’t go wrong with Prospect Park! With Grand Army Plaza serving as the perfect starting point, you can give this 3.5 mile route a try next time around. There’s a designated running lane along the Park Drive that makes it easy to get in your zone.
8) Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Moving onto Queens, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is one of the best running routes at your disposal. You can get anywhere from 3-4 miles if you complete a whole loop, starting at the boardwalk outside the 7 train’s Mets–Willets Point subway stop. You’ll run by Citi Field, the Fountain of the Planets, and much more too…it’s beautiful. Definitely go in the morning or at night, because during the day it could be busy and super hot.
9) Rockaway Beach
.jpg){kind=link}
There’s no other feeling like the ocean breeze hitting your face while you’re running on the sand. At this NYC beach, you can either run on the sand to your heart’s desire, or take advantage of the over 5 mile long boardwalk that runs up and down Rockaway Beach. There’s a dedicated running lane as well as water fountains along the way too.
10) Silver Lake Park
In our opinion, Staten Island is such an underrated running spot! Especially Silver Lake Park, which has a decent body of water to loop around. If you start outside the Staten Island St. George Terminal and the Ferry Terminal Viaduct, you can get a 4.5 mile run in as you loop around the body of water in the park and back to the starting point. You’ll see Borough Hall, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and of course the gorgeous park.
The post 10 Best Running Routes In NYC To Do This Summer appeared first on Secret NYC.