5 Scenic NYC Running Routes
Photo by Marques Jackson. The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway offers incredible running views.
By Marnie Kunz
Whether you’re traveling to NYC or are a local NYC runner, it can be easy to get stuck in the same NYC running routine. Spice up your runs with some beautiful new running routes. After living and running all over NYC, I’ve had my fair share of amazing running route discoveries. Here is my list of the 5 best NYC running routes:
Manhattan Waterfront Greenway
The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway stretches 32 miles around the island of Manhattan and offers amazing running views. It is basically an incredible running and biking path that circles the island of Manhattan, with just a few stretches that are interrupted by streets. This waterfront running route includes three main parts - the East, which winds along the East River from the bottom tip of Manhattan up through the Upper East Side. The Harlem Greenway stretches along the north side of Manhattan, from East Harlem to West Harlem. The Hudson River Greenway, the most popular stretch of the path, is the longest portion of the running path, following the West Side of Manhattan along the Hudson River, from Dyckman Street in the north to Battery Park in the south, mostly through Hudson River Park and Riverside Park.
For a beautiful run, begin at the South Street Seaport and run up the west side, along the Hudson River Greenway. You’ll have access to the pedestrian running path stretching along the river and pass by ships, ports and stunning waterfront views. Since the path is so long, you can choose your run distance and do an out and back run or create your own loop, coming farther into central Manhattan.
Williamsburg Bridge
Running the bridges in NYC is a great way to see iconic NYC skyline views and run uninterrupted by traffic. The Williamsburg Bridge is one of my favorites because it is full of graffiti and also features a wide path dedicated to pedestrians only, separate from the bike path. You’ll also see stunning NYC views on your run. The Williamsburg Bridge is about 1.38 miles in one direction, so you can go over it and back and add a few blocks to make a 5K or 3 miles. Or, include it in a longer run and continue running in Williamsburg, Brooklyn or the Lower East Side in Manhattan.
Bushwick Collective
The Bushwick Collective is a street art mecca with NYC’s biggest collection of murals. This urban art haven is located off the Jefferson Street subway station on the L subway line. Run to Troutman Street and St. Nicholas Ave. and you’ll be surrounded by incredible street art for blocks. The Bushwick Collective is a great place to run to for a longer destination run, as you’ll want to stop at a lot of the art so I recommend ending your run here. The artists in the collective come every year from around the world to paint their best work. You’ll be amazed at the variety and scope of the murals at the Bushwick Collective. To extend your run, also check out the murals along Broadway that are part of the JMZ Walls.
Manhattan Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is iconic and a must-see, but it is often too crowded to run due to the millions of tourists who walk the bridge every year. For equally stunning NYC views without the crowd, run the Manhattan Bridge. The Manhattan Bridge, which connects Chinatown in downtown Manhattan to downtown Brooklyn, is 1.3 miles and offers incredible views of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. The bridge has separate sides for pedestrians and bicyclists so make sure you follow the signs of the walker/pedestrian side.
Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway
The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway serves up another scenic NYC run. The 26-mile running and biking path connects Brooklyn’s waterfront areas. As a Brooklyn resident, I may be slightly biased, but the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway has the best running views. From the breathtaking views in Dumbo to the serene Statue of Liberty views in Red Hook, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway never ceases to amaze me. For a beautiful NYC run, hop on the path on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, and head south through the Brooklyn Navy Yard and then into Dumbo. This is one of my favorite runs and it is pretty flat so it’s great for speedwork.
Where are your favorite places to run in NYC? Comment below.
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified Brooklyn trainer, a USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, and the creator of Runstreet Art Runs, which bring together communities through running and street art. She is a Brooklyn resident, running coach, Akita mom, and writer. She enjoys traveling, art, and eating messily. You can follow her running and events at @Runstreet Instagram and Runstreet Facebook.
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