Outdoor Recreation

| 15 May 2025 | 01:15

Bicycle Racing

While the verdict is still out on how much the growth of New York City’s bike-lane network has benefited bicyclists compared with speeding e-bikers, illegal mopeds and scooters, and whatever delivery vehicles “think” they can park there, summer is otherwise an excellent time to ride a bicycle. Too hot? Never! That’s why God created water bottles. But what if you want to ride fast, or at least faster than usual, to test your heart and legs, both against your own sense of fitness and that of your Lycra-clad brethren? Recreational bike groups are great, with the venerable New York Cycling Club a standout. Bicycle racing is the next step and need not be daunting: The Century Road Club Association of Manhattan—which counts Olympic gold medal winner Kirsten Faulkner as an alum—takes all comers, from beginner to veteran, the only barrier being one’s ability to get up early (Central Park races start at dawn) and volunteer some time as course marshal and whatnot. Forget all notions of elitism too. While such attitudes do exist in any hobby, bike racers are essentially egalitarian—they all suffer together. Races in Prospect Park and weeknight summer series at Floyd Bennett Field are also popular, while spectators ought not to miss Manhattan’s two iconic on-street races, the Harlem Skyscraper Criterium (June 15) and Grant’s Tomb Crit (June 28).

Volleyball

Manhattan has many things in its favor but, alas, sandy beaches are not among them. Not that one needs sand to play volleyball, by any means, but it’s summer, it’s hot, it’s humid, what little grass we have is likely either plastic or trampled: For the sand lover, it’s almost enough to make one want to move to Brighton Beach—not that there’s anything wrong with that, but for those who work in the city, it’d be a schlep. There are some closer alternatives, however, and if you plan ahead, you too can feel the sand between toes as a red-white-and-blue volleyball goes streaking across the sky. At Pier 25 in Hudson River Park, there are three regulation-size beach volleyball courts; to get there take N. Moore Street in Tribeca to the river. (Note: These courts aren’t free, but they’re so nice, it’s worth the rental.) Uptown, the destination is Riverside Park at around 105th Street, where both sand and asphalt courts are available. In Central Park, there four volleyball courts: two sand, just east of Sheep Meadow, and two asphalt, northeast of the Great Lawn. For more sand, one needs to cross the East River, where Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park has two well-maintained sand courts, and Domino Park in Williamsburg has one. NYC Ferry will get you close to both. Best asphalt scene: Seward Park on the Lower East Side (north of East Broadway and east of Essex Street), where the summer is filled with Chinese 9-man (and 6-woman) volleyball matches, including the epic New York Mini tournament in July.

Track Running

Let’s keep things simple and skip the field events, though the wonders of the long-jump pit for adults and kids can’t be overstated. Why run around in circles, or rather ovals? Because it’s safe, it’s relatively quiet, and the fixed distance of 400 meters is valuable for everyone, especially runners seeking to get faster and stronger by doing intervals. For the summer of 2025, there are two go-to tracks in Manhattan. In the section of East River Park named John V. Lindsay Park, there’s a good red oval that has thankfully survived all the surrounding East River Resiliency construction and commotion; carefully cross over from East Houston Street to get there. How long the track will remain open in the future is unclear so stay vigilant— and make your track love known to local officials. Uptown, the choice is Riverbank State Park at 145th Street and Riverside Drive, and for serious runners, it’s worth the trip for the variety alone. While the wonderful Central Park Reservoir loop is track-like, at 1.58 miles, it’s a different beast altogether.

Birding

As the legendary Minneapolis rock band the Trashmen exclaimed in their 1963 hit single “Surfin’ Bird”—“Bird is the word!” And though one might question the authority of Minnesotans on the subject of surf, their repeated declaration of loyalty to the language of avians remains a call worth heeding. Speaking of bird talk, there was a group called the Audubon Society of New York. While they still exist on a state level, the local chapter changed its name to the NYC Bird Alliance last year. Important as he was as an ornithologist, artist, and naturalist, John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a man of his time whose inherited values, some birders have argued, are incompatible with post-Civil War—and Civil Rights—reality. So be it, and there are NYC Bird Alliance members who can tell you more; they are friendly, passionate, and love to talk about birds. Which birds? All birds! In Manhattan, some of the top birding spots include Central Park, of course; Riverside Park; the heavily wooded Fort Tryon and Inwood Hill parks; and Carl Schurz and John Jay parks (surprisingly). Sadly, until the Lower East Side regains some of the 700-odd trees destroyed by the East River Resiliency Project, it will be a birding also-ran. Happily, if less accessible, are the escarpments and coves uptown, from High Bridge Park north along the Harlem River—a birder’s wonderland. Recommended “Take the ‘A’ Train” trip: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, a destination for birders citywide; get off at Broad Channel, and don’t forget binoculars and a notebook.

Fishing

That’s right, piscivores, omnivores, outdoorswomen, outdoorsmen, and all others who, with rod and reel in hand, might wish to make your very own catch-of-the-day. This isn’t as daft as it might first sound. Though Manhattanites have, with the notable exception of ferries, become ever more distant from our maritime past, including the 2005 relocation of the Fulton Fish Market to the Bronx, we still live on an island. And not just any island: In some ways Manhattan has been improving. Our water is cleaner, and the East and Hudson river waterfronts are generally more accessible than they’ve been since the 19th century. All that water, so many fish (and the occasional sea mammal); why not cast your lot with a lure or bait tied to monofilament nylon? No reason at all, but unlike some, please do it legally. That means getting your New York State fishing license and following the relevant state and city regulations. Beginners might start out at the Harlem Meer in Central Park (catch and release only), where equipment rentals are available at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. On the waterfront, the sanctioned saltwater fishing spots are the East River Esplanade; the John V. Linsday section of East River Park; and the West Harlem Piers. Depending on where and when, expect to match wits with white perch, striped bass, flounder, black sea bass, oyster toadfish, and the occasional eel.