Take a day trip cruising around the waters of the city. Choose from sightseeing, dinner and music cruises. Sign up for a cruise at one of the piers surrounding the city harbor including the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises on Pier 83 at West 42nd Street. Tours include a three-hour island cruise that circumnavigates around Manhattan Island. Passengers can see sights such as three rivers, seven major bridges, five boroughs and more than 25 landmarks including the Statue of Liberty. Book a sunset cruise and see the New York City skyline as the vessel sails down the Hudson River, around the Battery and up the East River. Cruises are often narrated by a tour guide.
Enjoy the outdoors by exploring the many hiking and bicycling trails of the city. Take your bike around Central Park's 843 acres or rent from one of the many rentals available in the area. Two-hour guided bike tours are offered daily. Wear a helmet and bring along other useful items such as a map, bike lock, water and a poncho or jacket in case of rain. If you want more rural paths, hike or cycle around the trails of Harriman State Park. The park is in Rockland and Orange counties at Bear Mountain, just about an hour from the city. Bike along 31 lakes and reservoirs or choose from 200 miles of hiking trails.
Learn a new skill and break a sweat by signing up for a guided outdoor rock climbing near Lake George and the Adirondacks. Take a day trip to Queensbury, just four hours away from the city and visit the Rock Sport Indoor Climbing and Outdoor Guiding Center. The length of climbing sessions varies, but sessions can last up to nine hours. Trips include climbing the scenic cliffs of the Adirondack's or rock walls along Lake George reaching up to 400 feet high.
Sign up for private horseback riding lessons or participate in guided group rides in Brooklyn. Take a day trip to the Kensington Stables at Prospect Park and reserve a spot to participate in one-hour guided trail ride. Prospect Park offers scenic landscapes such as woodlands and freshwater lakes. The park is also home to 200 species of birds and other animals such as the yellow-bellied sapsucker, bats, scarlet tanager and chipmunks. The trail is a 3.5-mile bridle path with varied terrain.
Improve your bowling skills as you enjoy the outdoors by attending a free lesson courtesy of the New York Lawn Bowling Club. The club welcomes first-timers with a free session at the Greens in Central Park at West 69th Street.
