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.

It was wonderful experience with my family with amazing team. Great team work. Best wonderful…read morememories with my family. Everyone must try this adventures. Great staff.

12 year old boy died yesterday on my daughter's school trip. The children were not even offered…read morehelmets, most of the rafts had no guides. Reportedly, the children pulled each other out of the water when the raft capsized at a down tree in the river. So yelp asks what could be improved? Proper supervision. Offering people helmets even though they are not required. Perhaps a safety briefing like what to do if your raft capsizes. Appropriate staffing who try to help children in danger. This company's attitude toward safety is truly cavalier.

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)

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!

I've never met a friendlier, kinder group. People of all ages. They share rides, gear, and mad…read moreskills. They knew so much about the Adirondacks and local rivers, but even more, they also travel to Southern rivers. It's great to see a group that really bonds with each other. I was tired of groups where people just wanted to paddle and go home. Here, day trips always have a Happy Hour tailgate party where folks share snacks and stories. I've heard the camping trips are fantastic. I was afraid to sign up when my skills were new, but the instructional weekend keeps giving...people keep coaching and helping. Or, you can also be in a tandem canoe with an expert. That's how I broke into moving and whitewater adventures. Best sport I ever did...and I"ve done a lot...because this group is so professional and warm.

AMC is great! I've been a member for about 8 years now and have been a student, taught students and…read morelead lots of paddling trips around the northeast region. I thought I went to learn to kayak, but I came out with so much more... Friends, community, and hundreds of memories and amazing experiences on and off the water. Trips are lead by volunteers so if it's not free, it's really inexpensive for you get involved.

Margo and Paul took excellent care of us on our sunset kayak trip. With an emphasis on safety, they…read moretaught the basics on land, made sure we were comfortable on the water, and then led us on a tour, stopping often to share historical information (and to let the stragglers catch up.) Our trip wasn't a high level athletic event, but Manhattan Kayak does offer training and equipment to get you there if you desire. PS, my wife forgot her wallet in a changing room, the staff called and texted immediately but we were already home when we checked our messages. Stacy came in early the next day so we could collect the valuables. Operation, equipment, and staff all highly recommended at Manhattan Kayak.

I did a night kayak and took Kayaking Basics 1 and 2 from Manhattan Kayak. The night kayak was…read moreslow-paced for beginners. It looks cool with all of the under-lit kayaks. In Kayak Basics 1 and 2 I learned a lot I didn't know. They run small classes so that you get individual feedback when you're doing something correctly or incorrectly. Kayak 1 covered basic strokes. Kayak 2 added more techniques like tilting the kayak. In Kayak 2 they had us do a "wet exit" where you exit the kayak while inverted and get back in. I've always feared inverting and avoided it--and will continue to attempt to avoid it, but doing so in a controlled environment provided valuable knowledge to handle that situation if it ever occurred unexpectedly.

Seamless trip - easy to ensure that you are fully equipped for the trip with wetsuit rental and…read morelunch grab bags. River guides always on hand for any 'involuntary out of raft experiences' or if anyone got stuck. Perfect balance of feeling adventurous for the kids and safe for the adults.

What a disaster. I have gone twice with Girl Scouts and again with boy scouts. My first adventure…read morewith the girl scouts was generally enjoyable. Nothing notable to report but not overwhelmingly great either. The last time I went with the Boy Scouts was one of the worst weekends of my life. There was some river guide who named himself "zombie". He has the worst chip on this shoulder ever. First, he got nearly naked on the bus clearly wanting to show off all his tattoos. Inappropriate in front of a bunch of kids. If he was discreet then fine. He was showboating and it was gross. Then while on the river, I splashed with a paddle. It is indeed against the rules and I was wrong for that. However I knew I messed up the second I did it. A reminder would have been sufficient. Oh no. Zombie came over immediately and berated me loudly in front of everyone (including the kids). Yikes. I said "understood, I'm sorry". He then continued saying he was "gonna hike me out of 'his' trip" if he saw it again. What? He was going to evict me from the boat in the middle of nowhere and walk me home? Alone? What the hell is wrong with this guy? I don't care how capable or good of a river guide he is. If he's going to talk to customers who paid for the trip like garbage, then he doesn't belong there (especially around kids). Major jerk. Then we camped there overnight. Some camp site decided to have a rager party. Like thumping music turned up to full volume that could be heard for miles. No one came to quiet them down. At midnight I had to walk over myself and ask if they could please let us sleep. They said no and it kept going. I called the campsite phone # and got a voicemail. No one was there to help. Needless to say we didn't sleep at all. Just a generally unpleasant experience. You need to get rid of this zombie person. You can't call yourself "zombie" then demand to be taken seriously. Give me a break. You need someone who can patrol the campsite and keep order and the campers safe. Don't go here and waste your money.

Can't believe I missed reviewing Pier 26 as it's a beautiful area which I've passed through on my…read morelong runs down the west side highway. On a nice sunny day this pier area offers terrific scenery of New Jersey (Hoboken & Jersey City across the water). Plenty of seating with benches and other structures along the way. There is a Science Playground which is a great place to take the kids. Kayaking, green areas, a City Vineyard for food/drinks, and a dog run park too. Great spot to enjoy and relax.

Hudson River Park in the winter on the day before the big snowstorm was nearly deserted. Even…read morethough it was freezing cold, it was worth going here for the gorgeous water views. There was hardly anyone there - why would anyone go there in the middle of winter? But I think this may be my most favorite time to visit this part of NYC. It's so peaceful with a uniquely urban atmosphere.

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!