Guest post provided by Anthony Clayton. Anthony is a biking enthusiast and marketing manager for Bike Rental Central Park – offering Central Park bike tours.
When you think about New York, you often think of all the big city attractions. While many of those sites are a fantastic part of every New York City vacation, you can miss seeing a lot of the city if you don’t also add a more relaxed, intimate bike tour to your itinerary.
New York is more than just a busy place with a lot of hustle and bustle. It is a beautiful area of the country. There is a lot to see, and one of the best ways to see it is on bike. Next time you are in New York, rent a bike and explore the beautiful surrounding through the following trails.
Central Park
Visiting Central Park is on every tourists ‘to-do’ list while visiting the city. It is a beautiful park that is iconic to the city. The park is huge, 843 acres to be exact. With so much to see, a bike tour is the way to go. When you sign up for Central Park bike tours, guides help you get the full picture of what the park has to offer.
Hudson River Greenway
This bike trail is 11 miles long and spans from Battery Park to the Little Red Lighthouse underneath the George Washington Bridge. This is a great trail to ride, as Battery Park is a place many tourists like to visit. It is also the longest car-free path in the city and offers a gorgeous view of the Hudson River.
Wards Island Park
Wards Island is a park between Manhattan and Queens. The park is located on 255 acres, and the bike trails through the park offer several breathtaking views. The 103rd street footbridge will take you directly to the park.
Ocean Parkway
Riding this bike path gives you a little taste of history. Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway was the nation’s first bike trail, created in 1894. You can get on this trail from Prospect Park and ride it out to the beach. The trail is 5 miles long stretching from Prospect Park to Coney Island. The ride offers beautiful views through classic Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods.
Manhattan Waterfront Greenway
This path is 32 miles long and goes around the island of Manhattan. It is made up of three smaller greenways: Hudson Rover Greenway, East River Greenway, and Harlem River Greenway. If you are looking for a long ride, take the whole loop. If you are looking for something a little shorter, ride a single portion. This greenway is a car-free zone and has specific sections for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Williamsburg Bridge Bikeway
This bridge is positioned above traffic and extends from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Many claim this to be the best bike trail in New York City. This bike path is the most used trail in the city, receiving around 4,000 bike riders a day.
Highbridge Park and Cunningham Park
The Parks department of NYC has opened trails specific for mountain biking in both Highbridge and Cunningham Parks. These parks provide a way to escape fast-paced city life and enjoy a nice mountain ride. You can find free ride trails, dirk jump parks as well as single track riding.
The Muddbunnies encourage and welcome female riders of all experience and skill levels to join them in getting down and dirty. Come on, ride like a girl!
