Take your wheels on some of the most scenic and exciting trips you can find in New York City.
Written by Shaye Weaver
Advertising
Last year, bicycleswere one of theonly wayswe gotaround the city, and now that we know our commutes, there's time to scope out some scenic paths,from Brooklyn Bridge Park's iconic bikeway to Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and more.
So if you're looking to expand your horizons on two wheels, check out some of NYC's bestroutes and paths below based on cyclists' recommendations.
An email you’ll actually love
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!
Best bike routes in NYC
- Things to do
The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway ride will take you along26 miles roughly following the greenway route, which is ideal for relaxed biking without worrying about traffic. You'll discover Brooklyn’s Red Hook, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge neighborhoods and pedal through city, state, and national Parkslike the Naval Cemetery Landscape, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Bush Terminal Park, and Pier, Erie Basin Park, Owl’s Head Park, Plumb Beach, and Shore Parkway. Of course, you'll also take in breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, Jamaica Bay, and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
When fininished in 2021, the Greenway will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, ensure that residents in historically underserved neighborhoods can access the water, and strengthen our resilience in the face of rising sea levels and storm surges brought on by the changing climate, according to the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative.
Read more
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- The Bronx
Check outCrotona Park(1700 Crotona Ave at Claremont Pkwy, Bronx). The green space boasts a 3.3-acre lake and 28 species of trees (the shade will come in handy).
Advertising
- Attractions
- Public spaces
- Financial District
The East River Waterfront Esplanade is a public greenway in Manhattan that runs from Battery Park to Harlem. The 10-mile path is interrupted for about 20 blocks, but you'll get to ride alongside the East River and see the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts, the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburgbridges and the United Nations Plaza.
Read more
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- Rockaways
This ocean-front park features a number of nature walks, as well as remnants from its military past. Its fortifications were built in 1917 to protect New York Harbor from air and sea attacks. The beach is a part of the 26,000 acre Gateway National Recreation Area that runs through Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island all the way into Monmouth County, New Jersey. The best part? It’s a long ride, and it’s mostly flat. Let the Atlantic wash away the sweat of a solid trek, and make headway on that paperback you’ve been toting around.
Read more
Advertising
- Things to do
Bike NYC photographer Ed Glazar has been documenting the city’s booming bike culture for decades and recommends the cemetery belt in Queens.
"It’s massive, it’s entrenched in New York and American history, and there are more dead buried here than there are people living in Queens—three times more. It also has abundant photo opportunities."
Read more
- Attractions
- Historic buildings and sites
- Staten Island
The ground on which Staten Island’s Fort Wadsworth(Bay St at Wadsworth Ave, Staten Island;nps.gov/gate; free)now stands was originally fortified by the British in the middle of the Revolutionary War, and continued to operate as the oldest active military installation in the United States until 1994. Explore the site on your bike and stop to check out the derelict Battery Weed, the catacomb-like tunnels and gunpowder rooms.
Read more
Advertising
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- Brooklyn Heights
Glide along the Brooklyn waterfront with gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline across an 85-acre expanse withunique attractions such as Jane’s Carousel, a restored 1920s merry-go-round. A designated bikeway travels from Pier 1 to Pier 6 offers cyclists twists, turns and dips to enjoy the city’s premier urban playground.
Read more
Book online
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- Morningside Heights
Measuring almost 160 acres, this green space in Washington Heights is home to the Little Red Lighthouse, the star of a popular children's book (not to mention Manhattan's only lighthouse) with dramatic cliffs, meadows, and wooded areas that overlookthe Hudson River and the Palisades.
Read more
Advertising
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- Randall's Island
Located on the East River between East Harlem, the South Bronx and Astoria, Queens, this park offers waterfront views of the East River along its western shoreline, which also features bicycle and pedestrian trails.
Read more
- Attractions
- Parks and gardens
- Chelsea
This strip of waterfront park stretches from Battery Park to 59th Street, allowing you to walk, bike or skate while looking at the Hudson River and New Jersey. There are flowers, benches, piers and usually lots of programs—including youth sports and kayak rides in the river.
Read more
Book online
An email you’ll actually love
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!
An email you’ll actually love
Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!
Recommended
You may also like
You may also like
Advertising
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!