Home to some 15 million people, New York City is one of the most vibrant cities in the world and is a major commercial, cultural, and financial center. Given its incredible density, running along the main streets of Manhattan can be a challenge. But, there are some iconic and inspiring places to go running in Manhattan, mainly in Central Park and along the wonderful and continually improving greenways along the Hudson River and the East River. It is possible to run nearly the entire length of Manhattan on off-road paths. Our guide to running in New York City is divided into two parts: the island of Manhattan, and the other four “Boroughs” — Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. If you’d like to have an in-person guided running experience in Manhattan, we highly recommend our friends at Go! Running Tours.
In Manhattan, there are three “must-do” runs: Central Park (numerous options); the spectacular run on the west side along the Hudson River Greenway, which runs for nearly 12 miles from Lower Manhattan to the George Washington Bridge; and on the east side, paths along the East River, which can be combined with one of the bridges crossing over to Brooklyn. For another running experience, get up early and run the High Line. In North Manhattan, there’s nice running Fort Tyron Park & Indwood Hill Park, and even a crossing over the George Washington Bridge! There are also three easily accessible islands just off Manhattan that make for wonderful running, with dedicated paths and water & skyline views: Roosevelt Island, Governors Island, and Randall’s Island. Also, check out our NYC Boroughs running guide for great runs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Runner Notes: All our routes are easily accessible by public transportation. Note that NYC weather can be stiflingly hot in summer.
