The Best Outdoor Activities in NYC

The Highline, formerly a railroad track, is now an elevated walking path up the west side of Manhattan. The path extends from the Meatpacking district all the way up to Hudson Yards and is completely free to use. I'd highly recommend checking it out on a warm afternoon in NYC.

Sheep's Meadow, an open field located in Central Park, is the most fun part of the park to lay out a blanket and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. On a sunny day, the field will be filled with 20-somethings in swimsuits, drinking White Claws, and playing spike ball in the grass. Take the subway up to 72nd street and wander your way into the park to find it.

MOMA PS1, an outdoor art exhibit hosted by the Museum of Modern Art,, is located in a former New York public school in Queens. On Saturdays in the summer, they'll host live concerts with food trucks and cocktails for sale, as well as admission to the museum. Be sure to check for tickets a few weeks in advance before they sell out!

Washington Square Park, a park located smack dab in the middle of Lower Manhattan, is the perfect place to gather with friends on a warm summer day. During the pandemic, the park skyrocketed in popularity for being a great place to gather outdoors and is also located in the middle of NYU, making it a large gathering spot for local college students. The park has the famous Washington Square Arch to the north, the fountain in the middle, and then four quadrants of grass, as well as dog parks and playgrounds, to hang out in. Grab a blanket and come enjoy some of the best people-watching in the city!

The Hudson River Waterfront Greenway spans the full length of the west side of Manhattan along the Hudson River. Toward the south, you can find a handful of piers boasting various activities, including mini golf, wine tasting, and various outdoor workout classes. Not only is it a pathway along the river, but it's also a bike path with a number of CitiBike stations along the way. I'd recommend walking along the river downtown and then grabbing a CitiBike and biking your way up to Central Park once you get above 14th Street.

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is famous for a reason - it's a beautiful way to spend the day and see some stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Take the subway down to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall and walk over to the bridge. On the bridge, you'll find two decks - one just for cars and the other for pedestrians. I'd recommend coming here early in the day as it tends to fill up with tourists quickly. You can either choose to walk half of the bridge, or if you walk the full length, you'll find yourself in Dumbo, a great neighborhood to stroll around in Brooklyn.

Along the Hudson River are a handful of piers with a wide-variety of activities downtown. From wine tasting at City Vineyard to workout classes at pier 40, there's no shortage of activities in the Hudson River Waterfront Greenway. One of my favorite activities? Mini golf at Pier 25. The outdoor range is open throughout the warm months in the city and you don't need a reservation. Just walk up, pay $10, and enjoy a lively game of mini golf with great views of the World Trade Center.

The Staten Island Ferry is my #1 favorite activity in all of NYC! Reason being: It's completely free, it's BYOB (they sell alcohol on the ferry or you can bring your own), and you get amazing views of the city and the Statue of Liberty. Many people will pay an arm and a leg for a boat tour of the Statue of Liberty and, while that tour does get you a little closer to Lady Liberty than the free ferry does, I don't think it's worth it. Crack open a beer on a warm summer day and check out the views of the city as you float along the river.