Sport and fitness

One of the things we really love about Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is how imperfect it is in shape. It is the place for a nice running loop of varied elevations and wandering paths. It even has a few trail elements (if that’s your thing).

Start your run on the north end of the greenway at Grand Army Plaza. From there, follow the path right. At this point it’s called West Drive. You’ll pass through a few microclimates: grassy meadows, ponds and dense forested patches as you wind through the park.

If you want to do as a New Yorker does while breaking a sweat, pay a visit to Equinox Printing House. This standout location from the tidy and ubiquitous Equinox gym brand spans multiple storeys in a refitted West Village building. In the summer a rooftop pool gives sun-worshipping gym-goers a sweeping view of the Hudson River. Why not head outside for a post-workout run along the water? A beefy schedule of fitness classes will get your heart rate up; all you have to do is show up on time.

Distance: 12.3km
Gradient: Flat
Difficulty: Easy
Highlight: Rounding the southern end of Manhattan, where you’ll find views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty
Best time: Midday, as most flock here for sunset
Nearest subway: West 4th Street – Washington Square 

The districts of Lower Manhattan can be a little overwhelming on a map; for a visitor they often merge together. Where does Soho end and Little Italy begin? What does Tribeca stand for? It’s best to immerse yourself in the local geography. A dash from Greenwich Village’s Washington Square Park out to the East River and south around the tip of Manhattan is a good way to assert your neighbourhood knowledge. To start, run south from the park, down MacDougal Street for three blocks until you hit West Houston Street. Turn left and follow West Houston all the way to the East River (it becomes East Houston at a certain point). From there find your way onto the waterfront path and turn right. Stay on that path as it takes you around the tip of southern Manhattan. And keep going. Once you get to where the Hudson River meets Christopher Street take time for a stretch on the pier. Then follow Christopher Street through the West Village, where you can envy the perfectly restored low-built dwellings and some of the most impressive brownstones in the city.