As many of you may know, I spend my early mornings and weekends often pounding the pavement.
Not selling real estate, though, but running through every neighborhood in New York City.
This has taken me as far away as Coney Island, The shoreline of Staten Island, Westchester via the rails-to-trails in Van Cortlandt Park, Sunnyside Queens and beyond, and every nook and cranny of Manhattan.
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Highline Phase 3
With that in mind, here are a few suggestions of nice walks (or runs!) you can take, now that the weather is (almost) feeling like Fall:
The Highline
If you haven’t had the chance, enter the Highline at 34th street at 7am on any day and you can run the entire 1.5 miles of it without the crowds. I’ve done it on a weekend morning.
It’s absolutely lovely.
At the running pace, you get to experience running “along the river” in a very different way, as if you had 20′ tall shoes.
I happen to love looking at buildings from the Highline’s vantage point.
Specifically, everything that’s going on with Hudson Yards.
So much construction!
In five years, you’ll have trouble remembering what it looked like before it was completed.
Take some photos!
Oh, and there are water fountains sporadically located, along with restrooms.
Looking at Hell Gate Bridge from Astoria Park
Astoria Park
This is really a lovely walk in the morning.
While you can run over the Triboro (The RFK bridge, excuse me) Bridge from Manhattan or Randalls Island, you can also take the subway.
The Ditmars R/W will get you closest, then walk WNW to the water.
Dogs, pool, kids playing sports, lovely walks along the East River, experience the Hell Gate Bridge Underpass, one of the most gorgeous structures built during the WPA (it’ll last 400 years, some say), and lots of light and sky.
The housing is marvelous, too!
Construction in Long Island City
Long Island City
Again, this is an interesting time to take a walk through LIC, due to the construction happening.
I marvel at the sheer volume of projects going on.
If you like cranes, construction crews, ease of access back to Manhattan when your walk is done, lots of neat little bars and restaurants, this is a fun 20-30 minute walk.
If you want to extend the walk, head north to 36th avenue to get to…
Roosevelt Island
There’s never been a better time to take the F train over from Manhattan to visit the new buildings, the
redone older buildings, the design-forward ideas, the park, the future buildings and the mysteries of Roosevelt Island.
The new campus of Technion/Cornell is lovely (and open!), and you can get a quiet 4-mile walk around the perimeter of the island, with sweeping views of Manhattan to boot!
The Cornell/Technion Campus, now open
The High Bridge
Not too different than the Walk Over the Hudson, a 1.5-mile walk near Poughkeepsie (but a LOT closer), the High Bridge is a pedestrian-only bridge that was reopened about 18 months ago after being closed for 40 years! Access (click here)- from 173rd street in Highbridge Park in Manhattan, to the Bronx.
It’s a lovely time of year to see changing leaves.
And very easy to get to, whether running or walking (168th street A/C).
I personally enjoy walking around the Bronx on the other side, down to Yankee Stadium, or over to the Grand Concourse, and down lots of easier subways to get home, too.
A peek of the High Bridge
Have fun with these, and let me know how you made out!
If you’re running, make sure to bring your MetroCard!
You never know when you may want to stay a while, and subway it back.
Happy Fall!
Scott