Boating, Kayaking & SUP
Central Park has rowboats (plus one Venetian gondola for glides in the moonlight) on the 22-acre Central Park Lake. Rent your rowboat, which holds up to four people, at Loeb Boathouse, near East 74th Street, from April through November ($15 an hour).Gondola rides (complete with gondolier) are available only in summer and can be reserved ($30 per half hour); the gondolas hold up to six people.
In summer at the Pier 96 Boathouse in Midtown West, you can take a sturdy kayak out for a paddle for free on weekends and weekday evenings from mid-May through mid-October. Pier 40, in the West Village, and the pier at West 72nd Street have similar schedules. Beginners learn to paddle close to shore until they feel ready to venture farther out into open water. More experienced kayakers can partake in the three-hour trips conducted every weekend and on holiday mornings. Because of high demand, there is a lottery to determine who gets to go out each morning; to be entered, you must be at the pier to sign up before 8 am. No reservations are taken in advance. Manhattan Kayak Company gives kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) lessons for all levels and runs trips on the Hudson River between May and late September, including a fun New York After Dark tour for $80.
Downtown Boathouse. The Downtown Boathouse, at Pier 26 in TriBeCa, offers free kayaks with instruction and all necessary equipment. The season runs from late May to early October, but it's strictly first-come, first-served. Pier 26 Boathouse, near N. Moore St. at the Hudson River, TriBeCa, New York, New York. www.downtownboathouse.org.
Loeb Boathouse. Central Park has rowboats (plus a Venetian gondola for evening glides) on the 22-acre Central Park Lake. Rent your rowboat, which holds up to four people, at Loeb Boathouse, near East 74th Street, from April through November ($15 an hour). Gondola rides (complete with gondolier) are available during the same period and can be reserved ($45 per half hour); the gondola hold up to six people. East side of Central Park between 74th and 75th Sts., Central Park, New York, New York, 10128. 212/517–2233; www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/boats.php.
Manhattan Kayak + SUP. Manhattan Kayak + SUP gives kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) lessons for all levels and runs trips on the Hudson River between May and late September, including a fun New York After Dark tour for $65. Pier 84, 555 12th Ave., at 44th St., Midtown West, New York, New York, 10036. 212/924–1788; www.manhattankayak.com.
Manhattan Community Boathouse. Operated by Manhattan Community Boathouse is the Pier 96 Boathouse in Midtown West, where you can take a sturdy kayak out for a paddle for free on weekends from late May through early October and on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from June through the end of August. This walk-up kayaking program is offered on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations are taken in advance) and is suitable for people of all ages and abilities. Kayaks, paddles, life jackets, and basic instructions are provided. All participants must sign a liability waiver and know how to swim. 56th St. at the Hudson River, Midtown West, New York, New York, 10019. www.manhattancommunityboathouse.org.
