Fun Day and Weekend Bike Trip Ideas!

By Meg Ausen

Bike season is here!! The city has come alive and the streets are teaming with cyclists. New York City provides some awesome riding but WE can’t help but think about planning some summer day and weekend trips on two wheels! Looking ahead to days when the temps will be boiling and you will be stuck behind a giant truck’s exhaust waiting for a green light, your mind might already have started to wander to peddling on beautiful and peaceful trails or out of New York City completely. Here are some suggestions so you can start planning!

Day and Overnight Trips
 
Bronx River Bikepath
 
Just north of Van Cortlandt Park, you can catch this bike bath that starts in Mount Vernon, NY. This paved pathway runs adjacent to the Bronx River Parkway. From start to finish this path extends about 13 miles.
 
Pelham Bay Park / City Island
 
If you’re craving some delicious seafood and some fishing-village charm, take a day trip to City Island. For a more relaxed ride, try the West Side Greenway up Manhattan and then link up with the Mosholu Parkway Greenway in Van Cortland Park and then to the Bronx and Pelham Parkway. As you pedal towards City Island, you’ll pass through Pelham Bay Park, the largest recreation area in the City, so make sure to build some time into your ride if you want to explore!
 
Floyd Bennett Field
 
If you’re looking to camp under the New York City Sky, try Floyd Bennet Filed in Brooklyn where you will find 32 tent sites (and RV parking). In Floyd Bennett Field, there are areas to fish, hike and bike. It’s about a 15 mile ride from downtown Manhattan. Also, Floyd Bennett Field is right next door to Fort Tilden and Jacob Riis Beaches – go for a swim! (arriving by bike gives you the chance to scout out your ideal spot of sand. 
 
North and South River Parkway – Croton Point Park

A good 30-ish mile ride from northern Manhattan up through Van Cortlandt Park along the beautiful and paved North and South River Parkways lands you at Croton Point Park, a 508-acre park that has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming. The parkways have easy access on and off along the way in case you need to hydrate or get some snacks. The terminus of the North River Parkway is in Brewster – if you’re loving this paved path, keep on peddling all the way there!
 
Weekend Camping Trips
 
Harriman State Park

Cross the George Washington Bridge and head up 9-w before cutting west to get to Harriman State Park, where you will be surrounded by nearly 200 miles of hiking trails and 31 lakes! There is a lot of great riding around Harriman and Bear Mountain and there’s camping (both tenting and cottage). This trip, about 50ish miles from midtown Manhattan, is great for a weekend getaway!
 
Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park
 
Close to Cold Spring (where there is also a Metro North stop) is this park which has trails and beaches and campsites. To get here by bicycle, you’ll follow the same route out of Manhattan as you would to Croton Point Park, and keep going north! The park has a lot of services and amenities (including rowboats!) This is great for a weekend trip as the distance is around 60ish miles from upper Manhattan. 
 
For more resources of dedicated paths and parkways and for planning your own get away, go here and here!