There’s nothing better than taking a morning jog and freeing your body from stress of work, family, or just life. While I usually take boring routes around my neighborhood, those of you lucky enough to live in New York City have the advantage of taking in beautiful sights WHILE taking your daily jog.
Here are five routes that will make all you runners fall in love with running again and encourage all you couch potatoes to get out and exercise.
1. The Hudson River Run
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The Hudson River Greenway is a favorite among runners and cyclists. The path runs from the Bronx all the way down to Battery Park. The highlights of your run will be the Statue of Liberty, Chelsea Piers, USS Intrepid, famous art installations, and the George Washington Bridge.
The regular length of the route is 8.89 miles, but the short route is 2.94 miles.
2. The East River Run
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If you’re ready to break a sweat during a long run routine, definitely try this route. It starts at the top of Central Park over the RFK, goes to Randall’s Island and Queens, and circles back. This route has killer waterfront views of Manhattan, the Hell’s Gate Bridge, and the Queensboro Bridge.
The regular length of this route is 16.07 miles long (I know, you’re sweating already) and the short route is 5.26 miles long.
3. Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges
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Each bridge is 3.5 miles of breath-taking scenery. Bringing your phone is a must, considering this is truly a postcard-worthy route. You’ll be able to snap pictures of the Manhattan skyline while running across both bridges and the stacked highways near the Brooklyn Bridge Park.
4. Tip of Manhattan
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This route should only be taken by intermediate and serious runners. It is a 7 mile long route that will have many uphill battles. It starts at the river on the east or west side of Manhattan on Houston Street and continues along the West Side Highway. You will see the New Jersey skyline and the Freedom Tower as you head south.
As you round the tip of Manhattan, you’ll catch the stunning landscape of the Statue of Liberty, the Staten Island Ferry, the South Street Seaport and Governor’s Island where the annual Governor’s Ball is held. Along the east side you get to take in the views of the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges before heading back to Houston Street to finish your run.
5. The Five Bridges Run
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This route is definitely the most challenging, but most adventurous out of the five listed. This island-hopping adventure is about 16.68 miles long regularly, but can be cut short to 3.37 miles if needed.
This route takes you practically everywhere and you will see EVERYTHING. You’ll start at the 59th Street Bridge and make your way to the Pulaski Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge. I would tell you what you’re going to see, but the better question is, what won’t you see?