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. Note: If you’d like to have a guided running experience in Manhattan, we highly recommend our affiliate partner Go! Running Tours.
In Manhattan, there are four “must-do” runs: Central Park (numerous options); the spectacular run on the west side along the Hudson River Greenway, with views of the river, New Jersey, and the new One World Trade Center; the East River; and a run incorporating one of the bridges crossing over to Brooklyn. We’ve also added some routes at the northern end, around Fort Tyron Park and a crossing over the George Washington Bridge!
The Manhattan topography is very flat. Any hill options are generally in Central Park. And the fantastic subway system (called the MTA) can make getting to or from any run a snap. All of our routes are easily accessible by subway.
View our companion piece, covering Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Or hop across the river for some fabulous runs in New Jersey!
Great Runs – NYC Boroughs Great Runs – Hoboken/Jersey City/Newark
