New York City comprises of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. In each one, many places for outdoor activities exist that the whole family will enjoy. Check out each borough for fun on both land and sea.
Parks
The largest and most popular parks are Manhattan's Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Central Park has miles of trail set aside for hikers, and a path for those who want to bike, run and skate. Its Great Lawn has numerous baseballs fields, basketball and volleyball courts. Central Park's website says the park is 843 acres, so pick up a map before you go exploring. Brooklyn's website for Prospect Park says that park is 545 acres. Check out the public tennis courts or the park zoo. On Saturdays year-round, visit the Green Market in Prospect Park's Grand Army Plaza. Farmers from all over the state come to the park to sell their fresh and organic foods.
Brooklyn Bridge
Bike ride, jog or take a romantic evening stroll on the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge connects lower Manhattan to two sections of Brooklyn that have taken on the acronym, DUMBO--the District Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. The bridge measures just about a mile. You can enter the bridge from either side. Bring your camera for breathtaking views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the East River.
Adventure
Head over to Alley Pond Park's Adventure Center in Queens. Try the impressive rock climbing wall, or fly through the trees on a zip line. High elements start at 45 feet above the ground, so those afraid of heights should cheer on others from the ground. The course is available for group reservations and overnight camp-outs. The adventure program offers instructor-led night climbs and stargazing. You must be at least 8 years old or over to participate. With the little ones, try Springfield Playground, which was modeled to be a smaller-scale version of the adventure program.
City Island
City Island is a small seaport community located in The Bronx. Known for its numerous seafood restaurants, the island has a large marina lined with businesses that offer boat rentals. Spend the day sailing or kayaking with the whole family, or watch the Columbia and Fordham universities' sailing teams practice. Both are based at City Island yacht clubs.
Boardwalk
Take the free ferry from lower Manhattan to Staten Island. During the day, you can clearly see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, while at night Manhattan is lit up beautifully. The route is about six miles long. Hop a bus over to the two-mile South Beach Boardwalk for biking or jogging. Walk over to the Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier with your bait and tackle for 835 feet of prime fishing spots. After you have caught lunch, head over to the picnic area with a playground, a roller hockey rink and baseball fields.
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