It's the season of sunny skies and warmer weather. I am finally ready to leave the comfort of my…read morebed and go somewhere fun. Amongst my many hobbies, one that I've missed the most is boating. I had the best time rowing my kayak in the Downtown Boathouse. LISTEN UP! Make sure you get there early, as lines can get super long. I got there with my friend at 2:30PM and got into the water at 3:20PM. We were one of the last groups to get into the water because the volunteers had to leave for the day. We were allowed into the water for only 20 minutes at a time. The water was a bit rough and WILL seep into the kayak, so I recommend bringing a change of clothes and/or a protective phone case. There are other locations in the city offering free kayaking, but you must check out their respective webpages. Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 Weekends 10 AM - 4:30 PM, Tues/Thurs 5:30 PM-7 PM

Quality, value, and LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! Always lots of different food choices and a good…read moreselection of local beers!

We seven were ticketed for the Manhattan II vintage yacht…read more Classy comfy with a taste of nostalgia. We brought some light snacks, every one of age received a free beer or wine beverage. Soft drinks or coffee for non-drinkers. There was a self serve ice-water dispenser on the bar. There are snacks for sale ie a cheese & nut tray for $22. The narration was appreciated and the info. was well-rounded. They allow plenty of time for picture taking at the Statue of Liberty. Beautiful enjoyable tour!!

Outstanding tour cruising completely around Manhattan with a History/Architecture Guide! Very…read moreknowledgeable, he kept you informed about buildings and history from one end of the island to the other. Clearly he had a great love for his home city! Great way to see the city on hot NYC day.

I joined one of the beginner paddle board classes with a friend on Sunday a week or two ago. I…read morethink the class had about 7 participants total, with two teachers. I came in from Manhattan, and took the PATH to get back home. The walk from the station to Pier 13 isn't short, so I can see why Google Maps suggests the bus to get to Pier 13. Personally I plan to snag a ride share from the station to Pier 13 in the future since I run late to most things and the walk took a while. Although I've been paddle boarding before, this class highlighted that I had never been taught some paddle boarding basics during my prior adventures. We hung out pretty close to the docks most of the time because the water was so choppy that day, but I believe the instructors said under better conditions the class sometimes ventured further out. For those of you wondering about how clean the water is - I personally did not mind falling in and was splashing my hair with the water to cool down as needed. The water felt fairly clean, and was "brackish," as the instructors liked to say. The instructors for this class were great, namely Ben (I believe that was his name anyway). He was fun, easy to talk to, and 100% willing to jump into the water to demonstrate re-mounting the board for people that had fallen. They cover how to get onto your board from the dock, how to hold your paddle, which parts of your body you should be engaging to paddle, paddling while kneeling, paddling while standing, tips on steadying yourself, and re-mounting the board. By the end of the hour I felt way more confident, and was interested in signing up for their other classes where you get a guided tour of the nearby areas. There was mention of paddling to an island nearby for one of those classes. Would highly recommend this as a weekend activity. There's plenty to eat and drink on the piers/walkways around there after you get done.

What an amazing time! A safe new and enjoyable adventure. We learned a new skill, the people in…read morecharge made sure we had an amazing experience.

The setup: Mother's Day was coming up and I always try to find something unique and different for…read morethe momma of my kids as well as the mother-in-law. And I stumbled upon Urban Paddle and booked it for a 9am adventure. We lucked out that every variable and condition was ideal: weather, tide, calm water, almost no other boat-related traffic. We're a party of 7. The 'Urban Crew' numbered at 5. We were spoiled from start to finish with a group of really cool and helpful workers that were informative, fun, professional and made sure we were always safe and engaged the entire hour. (Make sure to watch their 6-minute YouTube video ahead of time so you know all about the proper paddling/rowing techniques when it comes time to hit the water.) The 'Urban Crew' were also invaluable because the owner was constantly taking pictures and videos and at the end airdropped them to us which was a nice 'cherry on top' since you can't really snap pictures for big chunks of the time when you're on the water. Is it expensive for an hour? No doubt. Did everyone absolutely love kayaking and getting to see everything from the Colgate clock to the back of the Statue of Liberty's head to the NYC skyline, not to mention all of the stunning yachts all docked and looking completely out of my price-range? Of course. Was it the funniest thing to see my mother-in-law somehow leaning back in her kayak like she was on a hammock while the father-in-law did all the hard work? Yup. (Did a cranky security guard try her best to be a stick in the mud regarding confusion over some parking-related issues when we were about to leave? Oh yeah.) I'd suggest clothing/footwear that you don't mind getting wet as well as sunglasses and sunblock (that sun is no joke bouncing off the water). Highly recommended. (The Mrs. is already plotting when to go back and I think she's even pricing kayaks to buy with that stimulus check that's burning a hole in her wallet.)

Overall this place is solid. My boyfriend and I went for the LED kayaking. The view was beautiful!…read moreThe difficulty was a 2/10 but honestly it does depend who you are and where your skill level is now. Our guide was perfect and he talked to us all night! Only bummed I never received the photos taken from that night. The entire trip takes a little over an hour. Parking is a little confusing but you have to find the parking authority and tell them you are there to kayak and pay $5 for a pass to put on your car. Overall great experience. I strongly advise not to put your hand into the water (who really knows what is in the Hudson River)

Great neighborhood park. There's so much to enjoy in this…read morepark: 1. A baseball field 2. Tennis courts 3. Basketball court 4. A track you can run/jog/ walk on 5. A reservoir path across the street that offers a dirt path around the reservoir surrounded by trees and wildlife There's a lot to enjoy in this park, lots of space for recreational activities. The reservoir path does get crowded during peak hours and some people don't really follow the "rules" posted (no fishing in reservoir or biking on path) but it's wonderful nonetheless.

(Visited 12/07/2022 WE @ 11:00am... and several times before and after): Apparently... we're…read morepursuing squirrels at this field park! Since my dear friend moved to Jersey City last year along with a furry family member we shared during the pandemic lockdown in 2020, she found Pershing Field Park as the new place in her neighborhood to take Rasputin, a Scottish Terrier, on one of his adventurous walks. Named for General John J. Pershing, nicknamed "Black Jack", who served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front during World War I. We have since playfully nicknamed this place, "Squirrel Park", for the abundance of these fuzzy-tailed rodents he would maniacally pull and tug on his leash as he excitedly chased after them https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=mR1fKuAnp0j3MhZPKgChdQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. It also seemed to be very dog-friendly although I couldn't recall seeing any posted signs to acknowledge this. Obviously, the little black beast loved this place, but what about us humans!? PURCHASE Sorry, there was nothing to buy here. I didn't even see any street vendors unlike the abundance I would see back in L.A. SERVICE Of the several times I've visited the park, I've never seen any staff members or workers cleaning or tending to the various facilities (e.g. bathrooms, fields, general grounds, pool, trashcans, etc.). Thankfully, everything appeared to be well-kept generally speaking, except for the bathrooms which were always an issue at any public park wherever you went. PARKING (FREE; N/A this instance) A simple 10-minute one-way walk from my friend's place. Otherwise, there was a small onsite lot, and there seemed to be sufficient street parking along the main drag of Central Ave. and all surrounding roads - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A spacious city square corner and park located in The Heights, this had most if not all or more of what you'd expect from such a place. From open spaces, grassy field, oval running track, baseball field, basketball court, tennis courts https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=g2BS61DWG-FtY0oWI2GLBw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw, plenty of walking pathways https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TFhigo921QNxiSSTS7s80Q&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw, and even a recreation center along with a pool and ice rink, plus, a children playground - whew! In addition, there was a nice Vietnam Veterans Memorial community Center https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=_d3XRPltFQJVfhZK8ZyRaw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw with many commemorations memorials to fallen service individuals since World War I marked by a lovely archway https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=tuOxZ5MdJunS8pYsa2qevA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. And, there was this fun little literary post https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=CHUqdmAeJsnpwoRQGWXgyA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. Furthermore, there were plenty of trees and squirrels https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=3Wb1IsMqXDRTn8HJi5pZ-w&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw! Obviously, there was plenty of natural lighting (duh!) while electric lights illuminated the playing fields. There weren't any TVs while the confluence of exercising people, playing children, random chatter, vehicular traffic, and more, filled the background. ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops... if it weren't so freakin' cold. OVERALL I found Pershing Field Park very pleasing, relaxing, and such a joy for our fuzzy alligator, and would continue to visit it for years to come. It was in a safe area, and I would like to see how it was during the warmer months (I imagined more robust activities) versus the colder winter months when I visited. And darn it... Rasputin loved chasing the squirrels! I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, because there was nothing to buy, they didn't accept any form of payment that included my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

We stumbled upon Manhattan Community Boathouse free kayaking program while exploring the city and…read morewhat a glorious experience. The program is run by volunteers and funded by donations. Kayaking is offered on a first come, first served basis. They supply everything: life jacket, paddle, a single or two person kayak and a locker. You have 20 minutes and must say within the boundaries of the cove. Participants must be at least 18 years and know how to swim. Under 16 must share the kayak with an adult. Our experience felt like finding a treasure but in our case we want to share it with others

I first came here back in 2016 for the free kayaking. It was a blazing hot day and I just HAD to…read morefind a way to get out on the water, somewhere in the city. Manhattan Community Boathouse was just the place! I felt so welcomed and had so much fun during my first visit that I decided to become a volunteer. 5 years later, I still spend almost every summer weekend here, helping the organization offer the public the priceless (FREE!) experience of paddling on the Hudson river. Sharing this unique experience with the public is one of my favorite things to do in the city, and seeing the smiles on people's faces makes it all worth it. As a volunteer, I enjoy the extra training classes offered and volunteer-only kayaking trips we get to go on as well! A few things to know for the 2021 season, some of which is different from prior year reviews: MCBH is operating by reservation to prevent overcrowding. They are open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 PM - 6 PM through October 10. You can reserve your spot up to 2 weeks in advance on the website. Paddlers of all skill levels are invited to participate as long as you know how to swim. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. They offer changing rooms and lockers with locks provided, so you can bring a change of clothes if you want, because you will get wet. There's no public restroom here though, so be sure to stop in Clinton Dewitt park at 54th & 11th Ave before walking over if you need to use the facilities! Otherwise, a portapotty along the bike path near the boathouse is the only toilet option. Did I mention it's all free? The program is run entirely by volunteers, and funded solely by donations from the public, but there is absolutely no pressure to donate. Whether you come as a volunteer or as a member of the public, I think this is the best free activity in NYC!

This is a beautiful addition to the Weehawken waterfront. The "Homies of Hudson", the fish that…read morelive in the Hudson River, are on view. Created by the Weehawken HS Climate Club artists.

My cousin took us to this pier when we visited her place and it is one of the most memorable places…read morewe went to while visiting the NY area. The pier itself is very clean and we were practically the only people there. The entrance has a cool gate and then you walk a bit to get to the end where you are met with a very close encounter to the water and have the most amazing view of the New York skyline. Side notes : The breeze from being next to the water can be a little chilly so unless it is summer months I would recommend bringing a jacket. There is also a little greenery area where you can let your kids loose nearby along with a playground so if you have little ones be sure to check it out! Parking can be tricky but there are apartments across the small street where they have visitor parking and then you can walk to the pier.

Great place with welcoming people. They're teaching you how to row and handle boats. They also…read moreinvite people to build boats. I enjoyed rowing here. Looking forward to came again and bring my friends.

Our family needed a refreshing experience a few weekends back and thought we'd do some free…read morekayaking but ended up at the Village Community Boathouse for a 2 1/2 hour row. Wow! That was great! You get to go out in traditional rowboats up or down and across the Hudson River. We made it all the way to a little beach on the NJ side. Who would have known there was a beach? The whole experience on a Sunday afternoon was just so unusual and full of interesting surprises. And we (ages 17 to 69) felt very safe with our very experienced coxswain lady. Oh, and best thing is ....it's free. Apparently it is an entirely volunteer run non profit organization and the rely on donations. Which we happily did (by check for a tax deduction) BTW - they were super nice and let us park our bikes inside the boathouse.