The 5 Best Tourist-Free Walks in NYC

Katherine Ripley • August 28, 2015

Is the tourist season in NYC ever over? Is it even a season or just a long tourist-ridden year? In case you get tired of all the people taking selfies with iPads while you’re trying to enjoy the skyline or the waterfront, here are five great alternative places to take your walk:

1. The High Bridge

The bridge across the Harlem River was out of commision for about 40 years, only reopening about three months ago. It provides a fresh view of the Manhattan skyline, and it’s an excellent alternative to the High Line, which is always swarmed with people taking pictures of plants with iPhones.

2. The Bike Path

This route is so non-touristy, it has no name other than “the bike path,” not even capitalized. It goes along the waterfront in Bay Ridge, where you won’t find anyone but native Brooklyn residents. It goes from 69th Street Pier to Ceasar’s Bay Bazaar, but you can explore even further to see what you find.

3. Dead Horse Bay

It used to be a site where dead horses were used to make glue and fertilizer, then it became a trash dumping ground. Now it’s somewhat of an informal museum, where you’ll find all sorts of cultural artifacts. To get there you take the 2 or 5 to the last stop in Flatbush, then get on the Q35 bus, which takes you to a trail that leads to the beach. Make sure you wear close-toed shoes.

4. Fort Greene Park

It’s named for an American military general, General Greene, but the scenery is very green as well. It’s a good walk for history nerds, as it was originally home to multiple forts during the Revolutionary War. It’s in an easily accessible Brooklyn location, but it’s just far enough away from the city buzz to keep the tourists at bay.

5. Inwood Hill Park

If you’re looking for a quiet, scenic walk, this is the place to go. Inwood Hill Park is as far uptown as you can possibly get in Manhattan, and a walk there lets you see the geological history of the city. There are dramatic caves, valleys and ridges left by shifting glaciers. If you get lucky, you may even be able to spot a bald eagle.

Cover photo credit: Wally Gobetz/Flickr

Tags: Adventure, Fitness, Outdoors