With so many attractions in New York City, it is easy to fill your day up with activities that every visitor does in the city. Luckily, the city has so much to do, and so many people living there, it is easy to find random activities at any time, and get some exercise from them as well. You can go to nearly any corner of the five boroughs and find some entertainment for the day.
Biking
New York City is a good place to avoid being in cars at all costs because of the traffic. Instead, you can get around the city on a bike. There are many places throughout the city to rent a bike, including Bike Rental Central Park. This rental shop also offers tours around Central Park that last about two hours. Renting a bike for two hours costs $14, as of 2010. There are other tours that you can join as well. Bike New York offers one tour that covers all five boroughs. This 42-mile bike ride takes place on the first Sunday of each May. You can also choose to discover your own route, or get some help from NYC Bike Maps, which has suggested routes to follow.
Hiking, Walking and Running
There is quite a bit of foot traffic in New York City. You can choose to hike, walk or run through the city on one of the many paths or sidewalks available. There also are trails within Central Park that you can use to walk, hike, run or even skate. For more city enjoyment, take a walk or run through one of New York City's neighborhoods. You can walk or run through Soho, Williamsburg or the Upper West Side.
Yoga
Get some relaxation in one of the world's busiest cities with some yoga. Many different yoga studios offer some classes in Central Park when the weather gets nice. Bikram Yoga NYC offers a free Central Park yoga class. On Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings Central Park yoga offers $10 classes. For even more of a workout, Yoga To The People, which has three locations in New York City, offers power and hot yoga. Each class costs less than $10. Prices are as of 2010.
Scavenger Hunts
Learn more about New York City, get some exercise running around, do fun challenges and make new friends by participating in a scavenger hunt. Watson Adventures offers both public and private scavenger hunts on weekends throughout the year. There are many different scavenger hunt themes that occur in Central Park, Chinatown and Little Italy, Grand Central Terminal, Greenwich Village, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Natural History. Tickets must be bought in advance and prices range from about $15 to $40 depending on the hunt. Got a Clue also offers scavenger hunts in the subway system, Union Square and a hunt that focuses on pop culture. Public and private events are available and you should contact them or join their mailing list to find out when the next scavenger hunt occurs.
Swimming
At the end of June, New York City's outdoor pools open for the season. Indoor pools are open year round. Indoor and outdoor pools are located throughout all five boroughs and no membership is required to swim. You can also take a swim in more natural waters by diving into the Hudson River. NYC Swim offers several different swimming events that all take place in the waters surrounding New York City. The water, by the way, is clean enough for swimming. These are long, difficult swims, so you should have experience swimming before attempting them. The longest swim, which can be done individually or as a relay, is the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, which is a counter-clockwise swim around the island of Manhattan. The winner takes home $1,650.
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