map of nyc bike tour

• NYC Bike Map
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NYC Bike Map is a free interactive bike network map for New York City that combines information from NYC OpenData, Citi Bike and other sources. It currently displays the NYC Bike lane network, bike racks, bike shelters, Citi Bike docks, Oonee Pods and Bike tips + hazards.

Who made NYC Bike Map?

NYC Bike Map was created and is under development by Todd Lee-Millstein . It is also open-source so anybody is able to contribute to it if they want.

Why should I use NYC Bike Map?

Currently, there is no good interactive bike map for NYC. DOT only provides a PDF version of the NYC bike network which lacks a lot of functionality. Google Maps also has an interactive version of the bike map but it doesn't provide the same depth of information that NYC Bike Map has.

Where does NYCBikeMap get its data from?

• NYC Bicycle Routes
• Citi Bike System Data
• NYC Open Street Locations
• Oonee Pod Locations

Can I advertise on NYC Bike Map?

Yes! Contact us for more information.

How can I support NYC Bike Map?

We currently don't have any operating costs but if you would like to contribute to the code, you can do so at https://github.com/todd-lm/nycbikemap Your feedback is also extremley important to the development of NYC Bike Map so if you have any, please let us know!

What new features are coming to NYC Bike Map?

NYC Bike Map is still under development so new features are constantly being added. If you would like to see any features added or you have any suggestions, let us know! Here is a broad list of features that will be added, in no particular order:

Protected Bike Lanes:

Protected Bike Lanes include all dedicated bike lanes that are seperated from vehicular traffic.

On-Street Bike Lanes:

Standard Bike lanes that mix with vehicular traffic.

Marked routes mixed with vehicular traffic.

Temporary Bike Lanes:

Temporary bike lanes were implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic by NYC DOT. The conditions of these lanes are oftentimes variable and many have not been maintained properly.

Open Streets:

Open streets are streets that were closed to vehicular traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some open streets are not closed to vehicular traffic at all times.

Citi Bike Docks:

Citi bike dock locations, updated July 2021. Learn more about Citi Bike here.

Bike Shelters:

There are a few dedicated bike shelter locations located throughout the city. Find out more here.

Standard Bike Racks:

Publicly availible bike racks with capacity.

ADA Acessible Stations:

Stations with ADA acessible facilities. This usually means it's a lot easier to take your bike on the train. Learn more about taking your bike on public transit here.

Areas where you are supposed to dismount and "walk" your bike.

Be prepared to carry your bike up/down stairs.

Steep areas: use caution when riding downhill and in inclement weather conditions.

Important Information:

Important Information about an area.

Information:

Information about an area.

Want to see more icons? Let us know here.

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NYC Bike Map v1.3.1

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Take a nyc biking tour.

• New York Highlights Bike Tour (3 hrs) - good for all ages, offer bike trailers and baby seats, helmets, guides, from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge (9 miles).
• Guided Bike Tour of Central Park (2 hrs)- guided tour through our amazing 843 acres, seeing Strawberry Fields, Cherry Hill, Tavern on the Green, Bethesda Fountain, Onassis Reservoir, the Alice in Wonderland Statue, Cleopatra’s Needle and the Dakota
• Brooklyn Bridge & Waterfront Bike Tour (2 hrs) - cycle around Manhattan’s southern tip, climb uphill into the City Hall area, then up onto the Brooklyn Bridge, a steady climb of about 15 minutes.
• New York Pass - includes choice of bike rentals and tours: Blazing Saddles, Brooklyn Bridge Sightseeing Bike Tours and Rentals, Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals and more!
• More Biking in New York City - details on DIY tours, best places to eat on the water and more.

More New York City Bike Tours

Central park sightseeing bike tour, new york highlights bike tour, brooklyn bridge bike tour, nyc hotels with free bicycles.

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Biking in New York City – Insider Tips

• Stick to official bike lanes only. Any rental shop will offer a printed bike map, with several bike lane categories: Fully protected (cars and bikes are completely separated), bike lane alongside traffic and temporary commuter bike lanes.
• Most map programs and apps offer bike transport as a choice – so you would not look at walking or driving directions – but rather, biking directions, which will keep you in the safest bike lanes on every route.
• When renting a bicycle, make sure the rental includes a lock, helmets and/or water bottle. Most bike tour options include these, but you’ll have to check with bike rental companies if exploring on your own. You may want to bring these things from home if they don’t.
• If you choose a hotel with free bicycle option, confirm in advance the hotel will have a bicycle for you when you want to use it. Some are only offered during certain hours and some are first come, first served

Using Citi Bike in New York City

Five boro bike tour (by td bank), nyc biking coming soon.

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A beginner's guide to planning your first cycling trip

5 Boro Bike Tour in NYC: The Ultimate Guide

There’s no better way to discover New York City than by bicycle, and NYC’s 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the most popular one-day cycling events in the United States.

This 40-mile, car-free ride takes place in New York City each May. It follows a route through each of the city’s five distinct boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.

The 5 Boro Bike Tour is not a race. Instead, it encourages riders to cycle at their own pace and take in the city’s beautiful, diverse neighborhoods throughout the tour. There’s no other event like it in the city. The car-free streets make the tour a fun, family-friendly event for NYC locals and visitors of all ages.

If you’re planning to participate in the 5 Boro Bike Tour, here’s everything you need to know, from how to register, what to wear, which type of bike to bring, and how to train.

History of the 5 Boro Bike Tour

The 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the oldest cycling events in the United States. It first took place in 1977, when a group of 50 high school students and 200 local cyclists rode a 50-mile loop of all five boroughs starting and ending in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

Just one year later, as the city started to promote cycling, the route became officially known as the Five Boro Bike Tour and was shortened to 40 miles.

That year, in 1978, over 3,000 cyclists participated in the tour, and the ride has been growing ever since, with a cap of 32,000 riders. Today, 32,000 riders still take the streets of New York City each May to participate in the tour.

How can I sign up for the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

If you’re interested in riding the 5 Boro Bike Tour, you can register directly on Bike New York’s website here .

There are two main registration options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour:

• Standard registration: $129
• VIP registration: $400

Each registration fee includes a tax-deductible charitable donation, at $27 and $84 respectively.

Both registration models include the following:

• Rider Identification Kit
• Snacks and entertainment along the route at rest areas
• Water stops along the route
• Access to complimentary bicycle repair along the route
• Access to Support and Gear vehicles
• Entry to the Finish Festival at the end of the route on Staten Island
• Finisher medal & digital finisher certificate

The VIP registration option includes additional add-ons, including guaranteed placement in the first wave, a limited-edition Five Boro Bike Tour jersey, a tour-branded Manhattan Portage Bag, pair of Primal Wear Socks, and breakfast and gourmet lunch before and after the route.

You can also sign up through Charity Registration, although the price of registration depends on your selected charity.

What are the age restrictions on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

Children under age 3 are not permitted on the tour, and those aged 3-9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, or in a child’s seat, tag-along bike, or bike trailer.

10-17 year olds can ride their own bikes. They must remain close to the adult with whom they registered for the tour.

5 Boro Bike Tour route

The 40-mile route of the 5 Boro Bike Tour begins at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. From there, it heads north on 6th avenue into Harlem before crossing Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx.

After a quick section in the Bronx, the route crosses back into Manhattan via the Third Avenue Bridge, continuing south on FDR drive. After crossing the Queensboro Bridge, cyclists head north to Astoria Park. They immediately turn back around to continue riding through Queens and later cross the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn section of the 5 Boro Bike Tour takes riders through Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge before crossing the famous Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. This leads into Staten Island, the last of the five boroughs.

Once in Staten Island, cyclists ride toward the Staten Island Ferry. They then finish the route with a scenic ride on the ferry back to Lower Manhattan.

How to prepare for the 5 Boro Bike Tour

Train for the ride

Cycling 40 miles is not for the faint of heart. However, most people can successfully complete the 5 Boro Bike Tour with proper training. In the months leading up to the tour, commit to cycling at least 3-5 days per week.

If you’re brand new to cycling, start with 5-10 mile rides and gradually add 5 miles every week or two.

Practicing cycling outside is preferred, but this may not be possible for those living in cold climates. As an alternative, consider purchasing a bike trainer to use indoors with your bicycle, giving you practice on the bike you’ll ride during the tour from the comfort of your home.

Prepare your bicycle

It’s crucial to ensure your bike fits and is tuned properly for the tour.

There are too many stories of cyclists starting a bike tour only to realize that their bike is the wrong size, their gears are malfunctioning, or that their seat is uncomfortable.

The last thing you want to happen on the 5 Boro Bike Tour is be miserable on a bike that doesn’t work. Take the time to ensure your bike is working before the tour begins, whether you complete maintenance at home or bring the bike to a local cycling shop.

Practice riding with a group

Cycling alone is vastly different from cycling with 32,000 other riders. Before the 5 Boro Bike Tour, make sure you understand how to ride in a group. 

Even if you are riding solo for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, there are times in which you’ll be wheel to wheel with other cyclists. Knowing proper cycling etiquette and lingo will go a long way in completing a successful ride. After all, no one wants to be that guy who crashes into another cyclist or cuts them off!

Before the tour, be sure to practice riding with a group. Start riding with friends or join a local cycling team. Not only can this be a lot more fun than riding on your own, but it will help you prepare to ride with thousands of other people during the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

What should I bring on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

If you’re wondering what to wear for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, the short answer is to wear layers . Spring in New York City is anything but predictable, so it’s important to prepare for a wide variety of weather conditions.

First wear a base layer, such as a cycling jersey or breathable workout shirt. If the forecast looks chilly, pack an insulating layer and/or an outer waterproof and windproof layer. 

For bottoms, wear a comfortable pair of padded cycling shorts. You can purchase padded cycling underwear to wear under a pair of regular shorts or padded shorts designed solely for cycling.

If the forecast looks exceptionally cold, wear leg warmers under your cycling shorts or opt for longer pants.

You’ll likely take off and put on layers several times during the ride, so prepare for multiple weather conditions.

Regardless of whether you wear regular athletic shoes or cycling shoes for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, it’s important that the shoes are comfortable, durable, and supportive.

Cycling shoes are designed specifically for cycling, and have a stiff sole that effectively transfers power when pedaling. If your bike is equipped with SPD pedals, use a cycling shoe you can clip into the pedals for efficient riding.

Our favorite cycling shoes are the Giro Rumble VR Mens Mountain Cycling Shoes. These sturdy shoes have a street design with adequate traction on the sole; they don’t look like a cycling shoe, making them more versatile for riding and commuting purposes.

If you’re bike does not have SPD pedals, a reliable pair of athletic shoes will do. Make sure the shoes fit properly to ensure they don’t cause any pain or discomfort while riding.

Accessories

Aside from clothing and shoes, you’ll want to bring several accessories with you for the 5 Boro Bike Tour. Here are some of our recommendations:

• Gloves , either cold-weather gloves or cycling gloves
• Helmet , make sure it fits properly before riding
• Speaker , for playing your favorite tunes during the ride
• Snacks , in case you get hungry between rest areas
• Water bottle : Bring two bottles of water; you can refill them at water stations along the route

We recommend bringing a day bag to store items like your phone, jacket, and snacks for use during the ride. However, bags with shoulder straps (such as backpacks and drawstring bags) and pannier bags are prohibited on the tour.

No one wants to deal with a flat tire on a bike ride, but unfortunately they’re very common. Luckily, the 5 Boro Bike Tour can help riders with any bike repair needs during the event.

Related : Bicycle tour mistakes: the rookie mistakes I made on my first cycling trip

Volunteers known as Rider Assist Marshals are available during the tour to help with flat tires and bike repair. In addition, the tour has several repair tents located throughout the route. Repairs are free, but bike parts come at an extra charge.

If you know how to fix a flat on your own, however, we recommend packing a spare tube or two in order to get back to riding as quickly as possible. Here are our recommendations for bike tools during the route:

• 1-2 spare tubes that match your bike’s tire size
• Small bike pump or CO2 cartridges
• Tire levers

One of the easiest ways to help prevent flat tires and ensure a smooth ride is to make sure your bike’s tires are properly inflated before starting the tour. Recycle-A-Bicycle has Pump Teams available near the route’s start area and at select rest areas. Be sure to take advantage of this service!

Which bike should I use on the 5 boro bike tour?

Any human-powered bike, including recumbent bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and tandems, are allowed on the the 5 Boro Bike Tour. The tour is on paved roads, so there’s no need to ride a hefty mountain or gravel bike.

Road bikes will see the best performance on the tour; their thin tires and little wind resistance make riding efficient. However, hybrid bikes and city bikes can also be great options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

Related : S&S coupler & Break-Away bikes: are these the best touring bikes?

Class 1 pedal-assist ebikes are permitted on the tour. These bikes have a motor that kicks in only when pedaling and have a maximum speed of 20 mph.

Should I use clip-in pedals on my bike?

We advise against using clip-in or SPD pedals unless you have prior experience with them. It’s common to fall several times as you learn to use clip-in pedals, and this is something you definitely do not want happening on the day of the bike tour.

Therefore, if you’re not used to clip-in pedals, use a pair of flat pedals with a sturdy pair of cycling shoes or tennis shoes.

5 Boro Bike Tour bicycle rentals

If you don’t have your own bike or are visiting New York City from out of town, you can choose to rent a bike for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

Unlimited Biking is the tour’s official bike rental partner, and they offer rentals from $75 for kids bikes to $250 for tandem bikes. Most adults will opt for the $109 daily rental for a Cannondale Men’s Quick 6 bike or Cannondale Women’s Lady Adventure. In addition to the bike itself, bike rentals include some form of a bag or basket, a water bottle cage, and a helmet.

Other bicycle shops around the city offer rentals for the tour, too, including Blazing Saddles, NYC Bicycle Shop, and The Bicycle Planet.

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TD Five Boro Bike Tour Returns to NYC Sunday: Street Closures, Map and More

Cyclists will be taking over the streets of the five boroughs during the annual event — here's what streets and areas to avoid as the bikes take over the city's roads, by nbc new york staff • published may 5, 2023 • updated on may 7, 2023 at 9:39 am.

The NYC streets won’t be filled with typical transit this Sunday, and the city’s Department of Transportation is encouraging commuters to plan ahead.

The TD Five Boro Bike Tour hosted by Bike NY makes a return this Sunday, May 7, where cyclists will take over 40-miles of commonly-used roadways for motor vehicles.

The tour will comprise cyclists of all skill levels with proceeds going towards "free bike education programs," their website says.

The city's DOT warns that places such as the FDR Drive, BQE/Gowanus, the Ed Koch-Queensboro Bridge, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be shut down for the event. They say that either mass transit or routes avoiding the Bike Tour will be your best bet to navigate the city.

Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

MTA’s revised bus routes will be available at MTA.info , and a map of where the cyclists will be traveling can be found here .

The city posted the following list of streets being impacted Sunday by the race:

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Manhattan Portion : At the Discretion of NYPD Greenwich Street between Battery Place and Morris Street Trinity Place between Morris Street and Liberty Street Church Street between Liberty Street and Canal Street Chambers Street between Broadway and West Broadway Worth Street between Broadway and West Broadway Canal Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue 6th Avenue between Franklin Street and West 59th Street  West 59th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue Grand Army Plaza between West 59th Street and East Drive  East Drive between Grand Army Plaza and Center Drive  Center Drive between 5th Avenue and East Drive East Drive between Center Drive and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 110th Street and West 135th Street East/West 135th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Madison Avenue Madison Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx – Bound)

Bronx Portion : 138th Street between Madison Avenue Bridge and 3rd Avenue 3rd Avenue between 138th Street and 3rd Avenue Bridge Rider Avenue between 138th Street and 137th Street 137th Street between Rider Avenue and 3rd Avenue 3rd Avenue Bridge (Manhattan bound)

Manhattan Portion Continued: Harlem River Drive/FDR Drive (Southbound) between 3rd Avenue Bridge And East 116th Street East 116th Street between FDR Drive and Pleasant Avenue Pleasant Avenue between East 116th Street and East 114th Street Harlem River Drive /FDR Drive (southbound) between 116thStreet and 63rd Street exit East 63rd Street between FDR Drive (Southbound) and Queensboro Bridge Exit QueensBoro Bridge Exit between East 63rd Street and East 60thStreet QueensBoro Bridge Upper Level (Manhattan - bound)

Queens Portion: 21st Street between Queens Plaza South and Hoyt Avenue North Queens Plaza South between 21st Street and Vernon Boulevard /Alternate Route Hoyt Avenue North between 21st Street and 19th Street 19th Street between Hoyt Avenue North and Ditmars Boulevard Ditmars Boulevard between 19th Street and Shore Boulevard Shore Boulevard between Ditmars Boulevard and Astoria Park South Astoria Park South between Shore Boulevard and 14th Street 14th Street between Astoria Park South and 31st Avenue 31st Avenue between 14th Street and Vernon Boulevard Vernon Boulevard between 31st Avenue and 44th Drive 44th Drive between Vernon Boulevard and 11th Street 11th Street between 44th Drive and Pulaski Bridge Pulaski Bridge (Brooklyn - bound)

Brooklyn Portion: McGuiness Boulevard between Pulaski Bridge and Greenpoint Avenue Java Street between McGuiness Boulevard and Franklin Street Greenpoint Avenue between McGuiness Boulevard and Franklin Street Franklin Street between Java Street and North 14th Street Kent Avenue between North 14th Street and Williamsburg Street West Williamsburg Street West between Kent Avenue and Flushing Avenue Flushing Avenue between Williamsburg Street West and Navy Street North Elliot Place between Flushing Avenue and Park Avenue Navy Street between Flushing Avenue and York Street York Street between Navy Street and Gold Street Gold Street between York Street and Front Street Front Street between Gold Street and Old Fulton Street Old Fulton Street between Furman Street and Prospect Street Cadman Plaza West between Prospect Street and Tillary Street Tillary Street between Cadman Plaza West and Adams Street Brooklyn Bridge Promenade between Tillary Street and Centre Street Furman Street between Old Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue Atlantic Avenue between Furman Street and Columbia Street Columbia Street between Atlantic Avenue and BQE West Entrance Columbia Street BQE/Gowanus Expressway between BQE West Entrance Columbia Street and Verrazano Verrazano Bridge Lower Level (Staten Island - bound)

Staten Island Portion: Bay Street between New York Avenue and Hylan Boulevard Hylan Boulevard between Bay Street and Edgewater Street Edgewater Street/Front Street between Hylan Boulevard and Hannah Street Hannah Street between Front Street and Bay Street Bay Street between Hannah Street and Richmond Terrace Richmond Terrace between Bay Street and Nicholas Street Wall Street between Richmond Terrace and Dead End

Manhattan Portion: Peter Minuit Plaza between State Street and South Street Whitehall Street between South Street and Water Street State Street between Whitehall Street and Battery Place Battery Place between State Street and West Street Morris Street between Broadway and Greenwich Street Albany Street between West Street and Greenwich Street Greenwich Street between Rector Street and Cedar Street West Broadway between Vesey Street and Barclay Street West Broadway between Murray Street and Warren Street Rector Street between Broadway and Greenwich Street Cedar Street between Broadway and Greenwich Street Liberty Street between Broadway and Greenwich Street Dey Street between Broadway and Church Street Vesey Street between West Street and West Broadway Barclay Street between Broadway and West Broadway Warren Street between Broadway and West Broadway Murray Street between Broadway and West Broadway Duane Street between Broadway and West Broadway Thomas Street between Broadway and West Broadway Leonard Street between Broadway and West Broadway Franklin Street between Broadway and West Broadway White Street between Broadway and West Broadway Walker Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue Lispenard Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue

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The 5 best bike tours in NYC

From a quick ride across the bridge to a day-long Central Park trek, here are the best bike tours NYC has to offer

For those looking to experience New York City like the locals, hop on two wheels and join one of the best bike tours NYC has to offer. There are lots on offer but we've whittled down the best – we think you're going to like them. And yeah sure, the best walking tours  may allow you to take your time and the NYC bus tours may cover more ground, but bicycle tours are an ideal way for first-time visitors to explore a specific area or see the top New York attractions at their own pace. From a breezy ride down the idyllic Brooklyn waterfront to a cruise through Central Park, our guide rounds up the best bike tours in NYC for every mood and budget. We would say they are all wheelie good but that would be lame. Enjoy!

RECOMMENDED: 📍Full guide to NYC tours and walks 🏨Check out the best hotels in NYC 🗽Don't miss out on the best things to do in NYC

This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click  here .

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Best NYC bike tours

1.  From Manhattan: 2-Hour Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour

This one's a cracker – and not just for fans of bridges, of which we guess there are a few knocking around. Anyway, you'll ride across two iconic New York bridges in this three-hour tour. Kicking off in DUMBO, you'll travel from Brooklyn to China Town, gliding along the East River and stopping in the South Port Sea, City Hall Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Finally, the tour winds up in Brooklyn Heights, where you'll find a wealth of shops and eateries to head to post-tour. And you'll have totally earned that reward you know.

Time Out tip: Biking around the city is enjoyable overall and the guides are really good at filling you in on the history of the neighborhood. The only downside is that you don't get to see the whole bridge, so it's worth a second trip on foot if you want a closer look. 

2.  Small-Group Central Park Bike Tour

You might already know this fun fact but, fun fact:  Central Park spans a whopping 2.5 miles from 59th Street to 110th Street, making it quite a trek on foot. Luckily, you can pedal your way through a good number of the park’s famed attractions in just two hours during this tour. Stops include the Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, the Dakota, Cleopatra’s Needle and the Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.

Time Out tip:  The tour is capped at just eight to provide a more personalized guided experience. Which is of course wonderful but does mean you also need to reserve your spot early.

3.  Brooklyn Bridge Guided Bike Tour

Did you know that Brooklyn Bridge is one of the city’s most popular biking destinations? Well, it is. And you'll find out why on this excellent bike tour. Your guide will take you on a quick spin around the southern tip of Manhattan before leading you into the City Hall area and then up onto the bridge. Once you hit the bridge tower on the Brooklyn side, you’ll be able to turn back towards Manhattan to snap photos of the Statue of Liberty, the port of Brooklyn and Manhattan’s Financial District. Dreamy Insta stuff.

Time-out tip: The pace of this tour makes it a great family activity, especially if you have teens. 

4.  New York at Night Bike Tour

Sightseeing in New York City doesn’t stop after sunset—this is the city that never sleeps, after all. Make the most of your evening on a bike tour of Midtown’s most dazzling lights. After meeting your guide at Columbus Circle, you’ll pedal south past Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, the Empire State Building and other iconic landmarks that light up the city skyline.   Again, great for Insta, people.

Time Out tip: Back at the meeting point you'll find the Burger Joint. A bit naughty after a bike ride, but well deserved. 

5.  New York Highlights Bike Tour

Another Manhattan-based tour, only this one is three hours long in total and sees you cruising along with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, then takes you up the Hudson Greenway, before swinging by the iconic Highline and Chinatown. After such a long but leisurely morning head to Time Out Market because, despite the shameless plug the food actually slaps, as do the views of Brooklyn Bridge from here. 

Time Out tip: If you're headed to NYC in July, first of all, lather up that sunscreen and pray for AC, and second of all you've got to capture Manhattanhenge in Midtown. 

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The best cycling day trips from NYC

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9 Best Bike Tours in NYC for a Memorable Ride Through the City’s Highlights

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It’s big, it’s bustling, and it’s full of surprises around every corner — New York City has long captured the hearts of millions with its endless energy and diverse culture. But with so many world-famous things to do in NYC , the streets can get a little crowded.

That’s exactly why more and more visitors are looking for the best bike tours in NYC — from leisurely rides through Central Park to art-chasing adventures through hipster Brooklyn — as a way to get off the beaten track and see the Big Apple from a far more authentic perspective.

Want to dive straight in? Browse our catalog now!

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1 – New York Highlights Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 4.1/5 ( 674 reviews )

“fantastic tour, its a great experience to get to see NY on a bicycle with a great very knowledgeable guide.” Enrique. headout

When people think of the best tourist attractions in New York City , they think of Manhattan: Central Park, Times Square, Wall Street, Grand Central and so forth.

With Unlimited Biking ‘s all-in-one excursion, you’ll get to pedal past all the must-see sights between Upper and Lower Manhattan while learning all about the Big Apple’s rich, diverse culture along the way.

In just three hours, you can check off dozens of quintessential landmarks — the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park and more. It’s the perfect introduction to everything the Big Apple’s most densely populated borough has to offer.

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This tour is a great option if you want to squeeze as much of Manhattan as possible into just a few hours. The tour guide is knowledgeable and passionate about the city, and knows a lot of the under-the-radar spots around town.

Even though you see A LOT, it feels leisurely, not overwhelming. Definitely worth doing for first-timers!

2 – Highlights of Central Park Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 4.6/5 ( 405 reviews )

“An extraordinary visit where we discover Central Park with breaks punctuated by anecdotes, history, superb places where we can take photos.” Lecourieux. getyourguide

As the world’s most famous urban green space, sticking out like a sore thumb from the surrounding concrete jungle, Central Park is a non-negotiable for any tourist — especially those looking for cheap things to do in New York City .

With the Unlimited Biking crew, you’ll get to tick off the most famous things to do in Central Park like the Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, and Bow Bridge; as well as plenty of lesser-known treasures (including movie-famous landmarks).

And for the cherry on top, as you pass spots like the Belvedere Castle and the Imagine Mosaic, you’ll hear all about the man-made park’s unique history and design too.

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No trip to New York is complete without exploring Central Park, the city’s famous green oasis — and this Unlimited Biking tour is without a doubt one of the best ways to do exactly that.

The guides share anecdotes about the history and hidden gems of the park, and they’re happy to be photographers too! Definitely recommended!

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Read more: Best NYC city tours

3 – Highlights of Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 4.1/5 ( 600 reviews )

“The Brooklyn Bridge tour was a wonderful adventure! Our tour guide, Eddie, has an impressive knowledge of the city and sights along this route” Jean. Google review

Move over, Manhattan! As what many consider to be the frontrunner for New York’s art, food and culture, Brooklyn invites locals and tourists alike with an eccentric combination of all three.

Showing off the most celebrated things to do in Brooklyn , the Unlimited Biking highlight tour whisks you out of Manhattan toward the city’s most populous borough, where you’ll end up at picture-perfect spots like DUMBO, the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights.

With several panoramic viewpoints en route, and myriad stories about how this dynamic neighborhood has gentrified, you’ll get to experience a whole new side of the Big Apple.

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The Unlimited crew are incredibly welcoming. And not only do they show you some of the best sights in Brooklyn, they’re also happy to answer any questions.

Manhattan has its draws, but no trip to NYC is complete without a visit over the East River to Brooklyn. Worth doing!

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4 – Electric Bike Tour of Manhattan and the Waterfront Greenway

Rating: ⭐️ 4.5/5 ( 81 reviews )

“We were amazed at how easy it is to bicycle around NYC. Bob made it feel so accessible while teaching us new things at every turn.” Sheryn. Viator

Combining all the highlights of Central Park, the Hudson River Greenway and the West Village, this popular bike tour invites you to check off a handful of the best things to do in Manhattan without breaking a sweat — that’s the beauty of having an electric bike.

With a particular focus on green spaces, the leisurely adventure promises a relaxed change of pace from the typically chaotic city streets while still knocking off fascinating landmarks like Grant’s tomb and Columbia University.

Plus, the Unlimited Biking guides are friendly, knowledgeable about NYC history and landmarks, and will have you laughing along the way.

A very comprehensive tour of Central Park and some amazing sightseeing along the Hudson too!

The guides (Morgan, Bob, Dan and co.) keep a good pace and provide awesome updates about the landmarks. Even if you’re not overly fit, it’s a must-do.

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5 – A Day in Manhattan Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 4.5/5 ( 29 reviews )

“Learning new facts about ny and getting a little exercise to bootl. Weather was perfect and guide was really cool and knowledgeable.” John. Viator

Showing off a concoction of all the city’s finest sights, from the bustling streets of Midtown Manhattan to the peaceful oasis of Central Park, with culture-rich enclaves like Little Italy thrown in, this Brooklyn Giro Bike Tours bike tour serves as the ideal way to get the lay of the land for NYC’s most famous borough.

Led by friendly, Manhattanite locals, you’ll spend a day ticking off some of the best places to visit in New York City — the diverse neighborhoods of Soho and the West Village, and iconic landmarks like Wall Street and the historic South Street Seaport area.

Definitely one of the more complete Manhattan bike tours, this activity is a fantastic way to explore the city by bike and hit all of the must-see spots.

Besides seeing so many iconic landmarks, Tom, Josh, John and the guides keep it interesting with wonderful stories throughout the entire ride. Highly recommended!

6 – Brooklyn Street Art Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 5/5 ( 2 reviews )

“We came to places you would normally never come. Nice group and fun guide. Our most enjoyable experience in NYC.” Maria. Viator

While you can snap those cliché photos at the Brooklyn Bridge, to really get under the skin of this dynamic and energetic borough, a behind-the-scenes street art adventure — like that run by Brooklyn Giro Bike Tours — is the way to go.

Led by street art aficionados, you’ll pedal through the vibrant enclaves of Williamsburg, Bushwick, Fort Greene and DUMBO, taking in colorful murals, graffiti art and hidden gems that only locals know about (until now).

As you check off notable installations like the Brooklyn Navy Yard exhibitions and the old Domino Sugar Factory, your guides will wax insights into the history and influences behind Brooklyn’s thriving street art scene. It’s not only a Brooklyn must-do, it’s one of the top things to do on Long Island , period.

Something a little different from the usual bike tours of New York City, this Brooklyn Street Art Bike Tour shines a spotlight on an underrated, stunning part of the local culture.

While the focus is on the art, the fact that you get to see some fantastic views of the city as well makes it a superb option!

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7 – NYC Harlem and Bronx Bike Tour

Rating: ⭐️ 5/5 ( 4 reviews )

“If you want to see Harlem and the Bronx and get the real feel if the cities, people, culture and the history this is the tour to go on.” David. Viator

Overflowing with history and culture – yet still often overlooked due to their somewhat out-of-the-way location – Harlem and the Bronx are undeniably fascinating neighborhoods to explore.

Sure, they’re both big in size (which makes for a bounty of notable sights), but that’s exactly why hopping onto a bike and pedaling your way around with Brooklyn Giro Bike Tours is such an excellent idea.

This 25-mile Harlem and Bronx adventure takes you through these diverse communities, unraveling their fascinating past and present. And with landmarks along the way — Yankee Stadium, Strivers’ Row, and the Apollo Theater (to name a few) — you can expect myriad photo ops!

If you’re an adventurous tourist looking for a unique way to explore NYC, away from the run-of-the-mill sites, then this bike tour might just be the perfect option.

The average tourist would never see most of the fascinating spots visited on this tour. Robbie and the team make you feel so welcome as well. 100% recommend it!

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8 – Bike Tour of Manhattan: Radical & Weird History of NYC

Rating: ⭐️ 4.9/5 ( 8 reviews )

“Riding a bike in New York is much more relaxed than you might think. You don’t get stuck in traffic, you move quickly and you get to see a lot in a short time. Robby designed the tour according to our wishes.” Laura. Getyourguide

Manhattan-based bike tours are a dime a dozen. But only Freewheelin’ Bike Tours combine your classic sightseeing experience with a dramatic walk through history, focusing on the weird, the wonderful and the wacky traits that make New York City so unique.

Diving into local history (think: underground movements, the mob) and the contrasting neighborhood personalities, this 8-person bike tour delves deep into Manhattan’s very storied past.

Besides learning a bunch about the city’s most famous borough, you’ll also get to snap iconic photos at the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Central Park (to name a few).

The history, the sights, the tour guide (Robby and co.) are all amazing! You get to see so many different aspects of New York in just a few hours, but it definitely doesn’t feel rushed.

Plus, since the tour is capped at just 8 people, you get a much more intimate and personalized experience compared to larger group tours. 10/10!

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9 – NYC Central Park Bicycle Rentals

Rating: ⭐️ 4.5/5 ( 269 reviews )

“Great and easy, right across the street from Central Park! The staff was nice and helped us with everything we needed .” Kelsey. Viator

Guided bike tours are fantastic — you get to learn the ins and outs from a local’s perspective. But sometimes, you just want to explore on your own terms — peddle down that unknown street, snap selfies at quirky landmarks, even pause for a little picnic.

That independence is what you get with a Fancy Apple bike rental. Headquartered at Central Park, you can ride around at your own pace, checking out spots like the Bethesda Fountain and Strawberry Fields – and since you’re in charge, you can venture further and explore other inviting neighborhoods as well.

Thanks to the freedom, it’s a great option for anyone looking for family things to do in New York City with kids .

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If you want to ditch the other tourists and drive your own path, then renting is the way to go. The Fancy Apple are on hand to give you advice on places to see and answer any questions you may have as well.

Overall, a wonderful way to experience Central Park.

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How to book bike tours in NYC?

As America’s most visited tourist city, NYC has no shortage of bike tours to choose from. Plus, different companies offer discounts at different times, so it can be hard to know if you’re making the right call.

For that reason, it’s best to use our search engine and compares ALL of the bike tour options available. This way, you can lock in the best price and also read helpful customer reviews.

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A Visual Tour of New York’s 750-Mile Bicycle Route

By Jane Margolies and Wm. Ferguson Nov. 5, 2021

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We rode every inch of it, from Manhattan to Buffalo to the Canadian border. This is what it was like.

By Jane Margolies and Wm. Ferguson

Photographs and Video by Johnny Milano

November 5, 2021

Last December, the Empire State Trail — a sprawling, 750-mile cyclist and pedestrian route that connects Buffalo to Albany and New York City to the Canadian border, forming what looks like a sideways T — opened to the public. Considering the pandemic bike boom, the timing was perfect.

About 400 miles of greenways, repurposed rail lines and bike paths already existed in New York. So, when the $200 million project was announced in 2017, the state rushed to fill in the gaps between them.

Where new bike trails were not possible, blue-and-yellow signs were installed on roads signaling the way, and some guardrails were added to protect cyclists from vehicular traffic.

The result — a combination of protected paths, city streets, highway shoulders and country roads that pass by small towns and cities — offers views of wetlands, waterways, grasslands and mountain ranges. It is a showcase for New York State’s history and natural beauty.

Recently, two reporters set out on bikes to experience the trail for themselves. One traveled from Buffalo to Albany, and the other, from New York City to the Canadian border.

Here are the highlights.

Point north and start pedaling: N.Y.C. to Canada

By Jane Margolies

Rouses Point

Poughkeepsie

New York City

The route: Lower Manhattan to Rouses Point

The north/south part of the trail, on the eastern side of the state, is not one bike route but many, each differing in length, type, surface material and scenery, all stitched together.

If diversity is what you’re after, this trail’s for you.

The official website divides the whole 400-mile shebang into two main sections: the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (N.Y.C. to Albany) and the Champlain Valley Trail (Albany to Canada). But on the ground, those categorizations are largely irrelevant; it’s the smaller trail segments that define the journey.

The approach

The concept of leaving my front door in New York City with my bike and, 400 miles later, arriving at the Canadian border, had definitely piqued my interest.

But I didn’t have a spare week to do the whole trail in one go. Plus, when I started plotting this trip back in April, I had yet to be vaccinated and trains and hotels still seemed risky. So I cooked up a crazy scheme, made possible because I have a car, a bike rack and a very understanding husband.

The plan: Whenever my husband and I had a free day, we would hitch our bikes to our car and drive to the section of the trail I’d last completed. I’d start pedaling while my husband drove to the day’s destination, parked and sometimes biked back to meet me.

After I’d completed my jaunt, we’d head home and, yeah, I do cringe at the environmental impact of all that driving.

City greenway, Bronx-bound

My first day, however, was car-free. On April 30, I started at a kiosk in Battery Park City at the bottom of Manhattan, which serves as the gateway to the Empire State Trail. It has a map and one of those “you are here” arrows at this southernmost point — which kind of throws down the gauntlet.

From there, I started pedaling north on the Hudson River Greenway .

I knew this 13-mile protected path intimately. Many cyclists depend on it as an efficient alternative to Manhattan’s traffic-choked streets. Said to be the busiest bike path in the nation, it’s usually teeming.

In Upper Manhattan, the greenway ends at Dyckman Street, and a little urban adventure — complete with iffy signage and rutted roads — begins. Beware of the dangerous Broadway Bridge entering the Bronx, and have fun when the trail takes you onto the sidewalk (seriously?) of the Manhattan College campus.

New York’s Stonehenge and quirky birdhouses

The city portion of the Empire State Trail concludes in Van Cortlandt Park, on the new and splendid, if short, Putnam Greenway . This path, which opened last fall, follows the Putnam Division of the old New York Central railroad, which operated until 1958.

I passed 18-acre Van Cortlandt Lake and the curiosity known as the Grand Central Stones , a row of pillars that some have described as an urban Stonehenge . In fact, these are quarry samples that were under consideration when Grand Central Terminal was being built in Midtown Manhattan in the early 1900s.

The Putnam flows into Westchester’s South County Trailway , where construction of a different sort caught my eye in Hastings-on-Hudson: whimsical wooden birdhouses hanging from trees. Steve Pucillo, a local retiree, makes them.

On the North County Trailway , which came next, homeowners whose properties border the bike path had built wooden boardwalks, ladders and even paths made from carpet remnants connecting their land to the trail.

After 40 or so miles and deep into Westchester County, I turned around and pedaled home.

Easy, pretty and smooth: The Maybrook Trailway

In May, I resumed my journey through Westchester. In Putnam County, I picked up the Maybrook Trailway in Brewster.

The 24-mile section opened in January, and there’s nothing quite like riding on asphalt that is still perfectly smooth, before tree roots and seasonal freeze-and-thaw cycles cause the paving to buckle. The trail is essentially flat, following part of a former freight rail corridor.

It passes wetlands, a couple of small waterfalls and, at a spot where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Empire State Trail, a bridge over a stream that is a nice place to pause, enveloped in the sound of rushing water.

Peek-a-boo with the Hudson

The trail crosses New York’s famous river four times, as the waterway goes from mighty in Manhattan to quite modest near its origin in the north.

The most dramatic crossing is the Walkway over the Hudson . This wide 1.5-mile trailway, built on a historic railroad bridge from Poughkeepsie to the town of Lloyd, is more than 200 feet above the water’s surface.

From old brickyards to open roads

I arranged to meet Andy Beers, the Empire State Trail director, in New Paltz to ride the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail . He told me about the scramble to install thousands of signs across the state (admitting to stashing some in his car so he could hop out and hammer one in on the spot). We passed the charming Rail Trail Café (wood-fired pizza, kale drinks) and old limestone caves, ending up at Kingston’s new Hudson River Brickyard Trail , which will eventually be part of a new state park on 520 riverfront acres that will include the ruins of brickyards .

At the next Hudson crossing, on the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, the view was impressive, but the busy bridge’s bike lane was entirely unprotected. Much of the Kingston-to-Hudson stretch is on-road — a taste of what I would increasingly encounter.

In fact, roads make up 55 percent of the trail heading south to north, but open roads do let you take in more of your surroundings; on the rail trails, you often can’t see beyond the dense greenery. I got so caught up ogling the historic houses on a country road in Dutchess County that I missed a sign around Bard College, and it took me a while to find the newly upgraded trail through the Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area .

A trolley line with a textiles past

Another day, another fantastic trail. The 36-mile Albany-Hudson Electric Trail , between Hudson and Rensselaer, opened last December on a route where a trolley ran from 1900 to 1929. Several old depots still stand.

Much of the Electric Trail is paved with stone dust — finely crushed, compacted gravel that my road bike had no trouble handling — interspersed with asphalt.

The country road sections pass through small hamlets and wind past the ruins of old mills. This area was a major textile producer for decades, and the same creeks and waterfalls that provided water power for the trolley line also fueled the manufacture of cotton and wool.

Americana redux: shops and sites along the trolley trail

It was tempting to keep sailing along, but I stopped to check out local businesses.

Velo Domestique , a new bike shop in Valatie that opened in a 1990s carwash, has a cool relic of cycling’s early days: a set of huge old wooden rollers, which allow for indoor training on outdoor bicycles. The rollers were previously owned by a motorcycle officer and sometime cyclist who is said to have once pulled over Babe Ruth for speeding.

Farther north, Smiles Soft Serve Ice Cream , a family-run frozen custard stand in Nassau, installed a bike rack and recently added a porta-potty that the owners rented to save their septic system because of so many cyclists passing through.

And Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook rang a bell for me because its apples are sold at the city’s Greenmarkets.

A city looms on the horizon

By the time the buildings of Albany rose up in the distance, it was good to see a city again. But the route skirts the capital, continuing on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail , the river on my right already narrower and more placid.

Farther north, there were a few tranquil trails made from old canal towpaths, along with still-active canal locks and lovely Lake Champlain.

Much of the Champlain Valley Trail follows old New York State Bike Route 9 , which meant mile after mile of on-road riding, sometimes on the crumbling shoulders of 55-mile-an-hour roads. In the Adirondacks, State Route 22, north of Willsboro, wound to an elevation of nearly 1,000 feet. The ride was made all the more challenging by a skimpy road shoulder and trucks zooming by.

In Keeseville, the road leveled out. But I saw so few cyclists, I found myself waving like a maniac whenever I encountered someone on two wheels.

The final push to Canada

By this time it was June, Covid had momentarily receded as a threat, and I was able to piece together a few consecutive days to wrap up the journey. I biked by day, my husband and I stayed at Airbnbs by night, and, for our final stop, we pitched a tent at Ausable Point Campground on Lake Champlain, which put me less than 40 miles from Rouses Point, a village on the American/Canadian border, with flags from both countries flying from lampposts. I reached the border the following morning and saw the kiosk map with its “you are here” arrow, this time at the top of the trail.

I’d officially become an end-to-ender.

I doggedly covered every mile in the interests of journalism, but the 80 miles in the Adirondacks between Whitehall and Keeseville are not for everyone. You need to be physically fit to handle the hills, and you have to have nerves of steel to cope with the noise and proximity of the trucks.

For mostly stress-free riding, stick to the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail, the route’s southern half, where day-trip options abound. For an overnight, consider Kingston or Hudson as midpoints.

Psychic Highway: The Erie Canalway Trail

By Wm. Ferguson

The route: Buffalo to Albany

Dotted with canalside towns that tell a rich and often strange history of the westward expansion of America, the Erie Canalway Trail, a 360-mile bike path connecting Buffalo to Albany, is a route to savor. One endurance cyclist I spoke with made it from end to end in just over 31 hours (stopping only to stretch, eat and fix a flat), which is impressive. But racing through this trail defeats its purpose.

The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, not only opened up the nation to commerce, it also was a kind of psychic highway that attracted a steady stream of 19th-century freethinkers: Abolitionists, Mormons, Spiritualists, Adventists and suffragists can all trace their roots to this fertile vein of New York State.

The towns along the path, which is much more established than its north/south counterpart, can hardly be glimpsed from the interstate and are very welcoming to cyclists.

If you live in New York City, the Erie Canalway isn’t easy to get to. I have family in Buffalo, so I could start there. Along with my 22-year-old son, we planned a week to ride to Albany, where we had left his car, and then to drive home to Brooklyn.

I highly recommend sharing the trail with a physically fit young person who is happy to bear half the camping gear and is eager to ride in front and let you draft in his slipstream.

The cycling is relatively easy. Eighty-five percent of it is on a dedicated bike path, most of which is flat and is either paved or made of crushed stone. The towns are never much more than 20 miles apart, so it’s simple enough to ride to a hotel every night.

There are a few state parks not far from the trail where you might pitch a tent, but we had planned to “wild camp” at the locks along the canal. These are first-come, first-served hiker-biker-boater sites. But as we pedaled past the locks in the early part of the ride, it was hard to tell: Were these well-tended lawns meant for public camping? Right next to the path? It turns out yes.

I spoke with Robin Dropkin, the executive director of Parks & Trails New York and the woman behind the indispensable map and guidebook “Cycling the Erie Canal.” She confirmed that these were the suggested campsites, but she also agreed with my hesitancy. “They are a little exposed,” she said.

It felt like camping in Central Park. Despite having loaded our bikes with a tent, sleeping bags and cooking gear, we mostly stuck to hotels.

Points of entry

Buffalo is a fantastic city. It had electric lights years before Paris. But if you’re only going to use Buffalo as a starting point, consider beginning farther down the road. There are a few lovely miles along the shore of Lake Erie, but the trail here is a patchwork of poorly marked sidewalks, multipurpose paths and aggravating detours.

If you’re not a completist, maybe start at North Tonawanda . This is really where the Erie Canalway begins in earnest. In fact, you could do worse than beginning your ride in Pendleton , a few miles down the path and home to Uncle G’s , the first of many excellent ice cream parlors suspiciously close to the bike trail.

We brake for honey wine

Medina doesn’t look like much from across the canal, but it’s a wonderfully preserved town that once made its fortune from Medina sandstone, used worldwide (the Brooklyn Bridge, Buckingham Palace) until the 1930s. Hart House , a boutique hotel that occupies one floor of a former shirt manufacturer, seems eager to court cyclists (our room was decorated with an enormous Schwinn medallion and nicknamed the Brake Pad). On the ground floor is Meadworks , an actual meadery that makes and sells artisanal honey wine, which is served in a rustic-chic bar or in the outdoor “Beegarten.”

Engineering feats: locks and tunnels

There are any number of impressive structures along the canal. The “flight of five” locks in Lockport is considered an engineering marvel; it allowed barges to rise in five separate chambers as if on an escalator over the Niagara Escarpment. The Nine-Mile Creek Aqueduct outside of Camillus is the last of 32 working aqueducts. The enormous UTICA tower that emerges without warning in a lonely field is kind of a thrilling moment in a monotonous stretch.

But only one attraction will elicit a visceral response from the nonengineer. Around Knowlesville , you can scramble down a hill to wander into the only tunnel to pass under the Erie Canal. It is wondrous and alarming to stand in this echo chamber, which is clearly dripping a lot of canal water.

Take the detour

The Parks and Trails guidebook offers a few alternate routes away from the canal. Around Clyde , it suggests a detour south to Seneca Falls , past Cayuga Lake and rejoining the canal after a trip through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge . Take the detour.

Once you have left the trail and endured a short, sketchy ride on the shoulder of a busy highway, you enter miles of bucolic country lanes. We didn’t encounter a single vehicle for more than 90 minutes as we passed through Amish farmland and field upon field of sunflowers.

Seneca, not Bedford Falls

Seneca Falls simultaneously tries to honor competing pasts. It is the birthplace of the women’s rights movement, dating to the first Women’s Rights Convention in 1848, which is commemorated by the Women’s Rights National Historic Park and the National Women’s Hall of Fame .

It is also the inspiration for “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

There is a museum dedicated to the movie (Seneca Falls stood in for Bedford Falls), but really all you need is to stroll the truss bridge and imagine George Bailey contemplating hurling himself into the waters below.

We booked a room at the Gould , another boutique hotel. The staff was wonderful, although our room had so much chrome and filigree it looked the apartment of a drug lord in Grand Theft Auto. Still, the hotel let us store our filthy bikes in a conference room.

For dinner, the concierge suggested we make a reservation for Sackett’s Table. Reservations? On a Tuesday night in Seneca Falls? In the middle of a pandemic?

In fact, the place was booked, and it deserved to be. Sackett’s Table is an artisanal butcher attached to a restaurant, a farm-to-table experiment in a valley of brewpubs.

The menu is haute comfort food: duck nuggets, deconstructed fried chicken, braised beef ravioli. But there’s also a butcher’s case filled with locally sourced meats. You point out the cut — that pork tenderloin, say, or that beef flank — and they’ll prepare it to order. Best meal of the tour, without question.

Camping, finally

Determined to make use of the many pounds of camping gear we carried, we made for Green Lakes State Park . We had nearly 60 miles ahead of us, but we had to get through Syracuse first. We had been alerted to the terrible state of cycling there. Adventure biking forums were filled with dire warnings about unfriendly city streets and how easy it was to get lost.

But this was before a $36 million, 14-mile extension passing through the city was completed last year. The new bike path runs right through a rundown stretch of strip malls and muffler shops. But it’s nicely landscaped, and the ride feels like a gentle luge run through an urban highway. Is this what those Danish bicycle superhighways feel like?

Before we knew it, we were back in nature and climbing a steep ridge into the state park.

Rain happens

Fortified by our night in the campground, we had intended to spend the next night in the tent. But we got off to a slow start when we realized that the bolt securing my son’s pannier rack had sheared right off. It is truly amazing what you can achieve with a full roll of electrical tape and 45 minutes of profanity.

Then it started raining, just as the trail put us on a two-lane highway for 10 miserable miles. We rejoined the bike path in Ilion , sheltering at a hot dog joint adjacent to a marina along the Mohawk River. Was the grilled frankfurter at Voss’s truly the best I’d ever had? Quite possibly. But it still wasn’t reason to pitch a tent in the freezing rain next to the marina. We rode a bit longer until Little Falls and decided to check into the somewhat pompous-sounding Inn at Stone Mill .

What a stroke of luck. The hotel was part of a massive 19th-century building, and the manager had no problem allowing us to roll our sopping wet selves (and our bikes) into our room, which had a grand view of the Mohawk River and the rocky promontory of Moss Island. On the ground floor was a terrific wood-fired pizzeria . Close by was a microbrewery in a converted garage that was equally hospitable to dogs and bluegrass musicians. A perfect end to a challenging day.

To the ramparts!

We wanted to spend a little time wandering along nearby Moss Island , which has some world-class rock climbing in the middle of the Mohawk River. So instead of pushing through to Albany, we spent a last night in Amsterdam , largely because there is a hotel there that looks like a castle.

The Amsterdam Castle Hotel did not disappoint. A former armory, the castle sits on a hilltop. Where the town is tidy and unassuming, the Castle Hotel is a riot of incongruous suits of armor, random medieval weaponry, mismatched and highly ornate furniture and photocopied portraits of lords and ladies in gilded frames.

It is nutty and wonderful. And if you happen to be in town on a Friday, I highly recommend the fish fry at Shorty’s Southside Tavern , the polar opposite experience on the fancy axis.

Homeward bound

My son and I had grown a little weary of each other after six days. It happens. But the rolling hills leading into Schenectady and the well-groomed paths outside of Albany inspire a kind of Zen state. And when my annoyance subsided and I slowed down and let him catch me, we both had to smile at the beauty of an endless ribbon of bike trail.

If you want to finish the trail in a week, expect to ride a little more than 50 miles a day. It sounds like a lot, but once you’ve done a day or two of that distance, four or five more feels like no big deal. Even at a leisurely pace of 10 miles an hour, you’ve got maybe five hours in the saddle every day, with time for lunch and a snack break. Also worth bearing in mind: Heading east from Buffalo toward Albany means you’ll be going downhill overall, and the prevailing winds will be at your back.

Planning your trip

The official Empire State Trail website is a good resource; it just added GPS to its map and will soon include lodging ideas, Mr. Beers said. Come spring, there will be a trip-planning guidebook.

For day trips, consider reaching your departure point by train. Much of the trail is reachable on Metro-North and Amtrak, and they’ve been making it easier for cyclists to hop aboard.

As of this fall, it is no longer necessary to have a bike permit to get on Metro-North . On weekdays, four bikes per train are allowed; on weekends, eight. You can also check timetables for bicycle trains — look for a bike symbol and a plus sign — these can accommodate up to 44 bikes on off-peak hours, perfect for group rides.

Amtrak’s carry-on service costs $20 and requires advance reservations, although some cyclists have had success as walk-ons. Train cars marked with a sticker have bike racks.

If you are driving and doing the trip with a group, consider organizing your own “sag wagon.” Ride with a group of three or more cyclists. Every day, someone takes a turn and drives the car ahead to that day’s destination. The designated driver can either tour the town or ride halfway back and meet the group.

Lodging and dining

Unlike many bike trails, the Empire is never far from civilization. You could certainly pack all your food and a tent and rarely need to pull out your wallet. But you could just as easily rely on hotels and restaurants. Most will opt for a middle path. And it’s worth considering Warmshowers , a network for traveling cyclists that offers free lodging to members.

Do I need a special bike? Should I do this?

Pretty much any bicycle that you feel comfortable riding for more than a few hours at a time will be fine on most of the trail, and cyclists of all levels of fitness will find most of the riding doable. That said, flat-bar handlebars have fewer hand positions and become tiring on long rides or multiday trips. Carbon-fiber road bikes with narrow wheels will find the occasional passage through gravel or mud difficult to navigate. Check with an outfitter like REI or the Brooklyn-based 718 Cyclery & Outdoors to see what kind of racks and bags your bike can handle. The more rugged sections of the trail are best done on wider tires, and if you’re heading into the Adirondacks, you’ll definitely want some gears .

The Empire State Trail is about as close to biking bliss as you can get in one of the least bike-friendly regions of the country, and while it’s an achievement to have ridden from the Battery to the border or from Buffalo to Albany, any time on two wheels among its many peaceable corridors is well worth it.

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Famous the world over, the 'City That Never Sleeps' is America's most populous city and one of the most influential modern metropolises on the planet, with a unique sway over global commerce, politics, and fashion.

There is a thrill in the very air here, New York's skyscrapers representing the unwavering commitment of the American People to attaining the incredible successes of the future which, here, seem a little more within reach than anywhere else on earth.

It is a city defined by its skyline and topography. As one of the world's largest natural harbors, NYC is surrounded by the alluring embrace of the Atlantic Ocean. By day, it intoxicates with its glittering extravaganza of skyscrapers. By night, it dazzles, Manhattan a flickering beacon from Brooklyn Bridge. To take it all in within a single day is a challenge, but one that a bicycle tour makes possible. With family-friendly tours and bike rental available, what's to stop you? Go on, take a bike out of the Big Apple!

New York City, NY Bike Tours · 1 to 4 of 4

New York Highlights Bike Tour

New York City, NY · from $81.66 USD

Description: If you're looking for a family-friendly bike tour that encapsulates the key destinations in NYC, we've got you covered. Your guided bicycle tour will take you all around the Borough of Manhattan for an all-encompassing sightseeing day tour, with the…

Best of New York E-Bike Tour

New York City, NY · from $114.32 USD

Description: Experience an unforgettable adventure in New York City from the comfort of an electric bike on the Best of New York E-Bike Tour! With the added flexibility of bike rental, you can relax into a ride around the legendary landmarks that define the…

Highlights of Central Park New York Bike Tour

New York City, NY · from $48.99 USD

Description: See NYC's most iconic park in the most efficient way possible - by bike! This guided day tour is your special sightseeing experience taking you to all the noteworthy spots in this gorgeous landmark which, at a total of 843 acres, is larger than the…

Highlights of Brooklyn Bridge New York Bike Tour

New York City, NY · from $59.88 USD

Description: For your all-encompassing guided bike tour of the magnificent Brooklyn Bridge, look no further. Offering you the most spectacular vantage points of iconic New York, this family-friendly bicycle tour is your opportunity to make the most of the magisterial…

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Your City, Your Streets From the scenic beaches of the Rockaways to the lush parks of the Bronx, the NYC Century Bike Tour presents an unparalleled perspective on the Big Apple. Whether you’re a native New Yorker or a first-time visitor, you’ll get a front-row seat for the best vistas in town. Your Ride The NYC Century Bike Tour is all about  you .   

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Your Vision Use your pedal power to  raise funds for — and awareness about — Vision Zero, the elimination of deaths and serious injuries in traffic. When you join the Ride for Vision Zero, you get a discount on registration fees , great tools to make fundraising fun and easy, and, best of all, the satisfaction of making Vision Zero a reality on New York City streets.   

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We are open for the 2024 season - Reserve your eBike tour today

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Iconic Five Bridges Tour

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: 3 hours
• Users Capacity: 8 riders
• Calendar Availability: April 1 - Dec. 31
• Clock Times: Check Calendar , Varies, Check Calendar
• Info Ages: Ages 16+

Explore the Five Bridges of NYC

This signature tour takes you over five of NYC’s most iconic bridges: the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Queensborough Bridge, and the Pulaski Bridge or Koscuiuszko Bridge

The first one we cross is the Queensborough Bridge, a.k.a. 59th Street Bridge. Then we travel through NYC’s newest neighborhood, Long Island City. The next bridge we travel over is the Pulaski Bridge or Koscuiuszko Bridge, which crosses over the Newtown Canal that separates Queens from Brooklyn.

Once in Brooklyn, we travel through the trendy neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The next stop is the Williamsburg Bridge, which takes us back into Manhattan, where we travel to the East River Greenway until we reach the Manhattan Bridge. We cross the East River once again back into Dumbo, Brooklyn.

The next bridge is one of the most famous in the world, the Brooklyn Bridge.  We cross that and once in Manhattan, we travel though the Civic Center, (NYC, State, Federal Government)  then the 9/11 memorial, then we ride up the Hudson River Greenway final destination at our storefront on 87th Street and Amsterdam Avenue

Route Overview

• 26 mile ride
• 90% protected bike lanes/greenways
• 5% traditional bike lanes
• 5% shared streets with cars/trucks
• Tour starts and finishes at our storage facility on 29th Street and 11th Avenue – Manhattan Mini Storage building Subway #7  Train (Purple Line ) to Hudson Yards 34th street –  Exit train and walk to 29th Street and 11th avenue – across the street from 311 11th Avenue or 5 min off the 11th Avenue/Hudson Yards exit walking on the High Line. 
• Private guided tour
• Walkie-talkie Smart Helmets
• Important Info
• Weekend Surcharge of $15.00 (per person)
• Young adults ages 16 – 20 are welcome to ride their own bike if  accompanied by an adult
• All tours have a minimum of 2 eBikes
• Tour route is subject to change because of possible road closures due to summer street fairs, parades, construction, or NYPD activity.
• Note that all members of my party are knowledgeable in operating a bike and feel comfortable riding around a busy New York City environment. THESE TOURS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR BEGINNER RIDERS! 

Roof Top Experience

Roof Top experience in Hudson Yards after your tour.  

• Similar to the Edge observation deck, but without the crowds and long wait.
• 30 minute access after your tour. $20 per person.

Roof Top experience in Hudson Yards after your tour – Similar to the Edge observation deck,  but without the crowds and 2 hour wait.

• Roof Top Access: $20pp.

(Roof Top experience is across the street from our starting and finishing point)

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• Lower East Side
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• East Village
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#1   Queensborough Bridge (a.k.a. 59th Street Bridge) #2   Pulaski Bridge #3   Williamsburg Bridge #4   Manhattan Bridge #5   Brooklyn Bridge

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• Food add-on option at checkout!
• Info Ages 16+
• Hour Glass 4 hours

Iconic Parks Tour

A one of a kind tour to see and ride in some of NYC’s most iconic parks.  With over 1700 parks in NYC, ride though all the must-see ones such as: Central Park, Bryant Park, Madison Square Park, Washington Square Park, Hudson River Park, Battery Park/NY Harbor,  Little Island and the NEW Gansevoort Peninsula Park (Manhattan’s first beach)

Manhattan Sightseeing Tour

This is your NYC Sightseeing Bus Tour but done on eBikes. Same concept. You have a guide navigating you to all the top landmarks, plus giving the commentary along the route via our handsfree walkie talkie helmets. A huge benefit touring on eBikes is traffic doesn’t exist, you go right around it in dedicated protected bike lanes meaning you get to see a lot more of the city in a fraction of time.  We also ride where the bus can’t in Central Park,  NY Stock Exchange, on the Hudson River Greenway, etc… This  tour is simply the greatest possible way to explore the city.

• Hour Glass 3 hours

Central Park Sightseeing Tour

If you want to explore all of Central Park, this is a must do tour.  Stopping at iconic spots in the park such as Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Terrace, Harlem Meer, The Revine, Central Park Conservancy, Belvedere Castle, Shakespeare Garden, the Mall and more! eBiking Central Park is truly the best way to explore it.  

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Nyc bike maps .com is your online resource for bicycling in new york city..

Our goal is to provide you with accurate maps, relevant information, and up to date news to facilitate a safe and enjoyable biking experience in the New York metro area.

The New York City Bike Maps is also available for Google Earth

Download: Google Earth NYC Bike Map

More From Forbes

The world’s most inclusive bike ride is back again in new york: hop on.

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Many-colored ride

How do you love a bike?

Well, Ken Podziba practically sees the grand old two-wheeler as virtually New York City’s savior.

Ken, as head of Bike New York, is the guiding (tail) light behind the world-renowned TD Five Boro Bike Tour, being run this year on Sunday, May 5. But to him, it is more than a one-day event, more than a ride that attracts more than 32,000 cyclists, more than one of those annual events that bring in thousands of people from all over the world.

For he is smitten with its inclusion, and the good works that the ride creates.

“What we try to do every year is increase the diversity,” he explains. “It’s the most diverse bike ride in the world—84-year-olds and 4-year-olds, so many women, so many people of color.”

Most bike rides—including the world’s largest in South Africa—are overwhelmingly dominated by white males, he said. In this year’s ride, though, almost 40 percent of the entrants are women. But this one not only has an inclusive group of folks, it also has more than 5,000 people who don’t even live in the Tristate area. “And,” he adds, “it doesn’t matter what shape you’re in. It’s a ride, not a race.”

A ride with diversity and inclusion.

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And then there’s the post-race benefits to hundreds of others.

Bike New York teaches the once-incarcerated bike mechanics, and gives them a chance to join unions, with a month-long course. They also help to maintain all the Citibikes in New York City.

Bike New York’s reach extends to the public schools: It also trains gym teachers ways to teach bike education. And there are many youngsters in the city who can’t afford a bike. So Bike New York distributes hundreds of bikes to those who can’t afford them.

And then there are charities that work within the tour. They include the Boomer Esiason Foundation. The former N.F.L. quarterback has been a long-time supporter of cystic fibrosis research as well as working with the cystic fibrosis community, from scholarships to athletics. Amani Toomer, another former football hero, also rides. So has the television personality Al Roker, who might have spotted Bill Nye, the Science Guy, or Ivanka Trump among those pedaling.

The ride—it is not a race, Podziba stresses—spins through 40 miles of New York, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. But he would like to make it even more of a New York thing.

“I want to go into Times Square. The Bronx, Yankee Stadium, see more of the iconic sights of New York City,” he says.

“I want to run for Mayor just so I can get that.”

He certainly is an advocate for the city. The bike, he claims, is the best way to see New York City on two wheels.

But don’t worry if you don’t have a bike and want to join the fun on May 5. More than 3,000 people actually rent a bike just for the Tour.

Quite a difference from the 250 folks who made up the first Five Boro event back in 1977. And within two or three years from now, says Podziba, “We expect 35,000 riders, which would make it the world’s biggest bike ride.”

Want to watch? Here are some of the tour’s suggested spots, which they call “cheer zones”:

· Cheer Zone 1 | Manhattan | 6th Ave & 52nd St. (TD Bank)

· Cheer Zone 2 | Manhattan | Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. & 110th St.

· Cheer Zone 3 | Bronx | E 138th St. & Rider Ave.

· Cheer Zone 4 | Queens | Vernon Blvd. & 41st St.

· Cheer Zone 5 | Brooklyn | Kent Ave. & N 14th St

Interested in riding? There may still be some spots available. Go to: www.bike.nyc .

Remember. It’s not a race. It’s a ride. And there isn’t another place in the world where you get the intensity, fun, and just plain joy of practically rubbing elbows with thousands of other fun-seeking folks.

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Tour de Staten Island bike tour set for April 21: Here’s what riders need to know

• Updated: Apr. 15, 2024, 11:21 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 14, 2024, 12:06 p.m.

Registration is now open for the 12th Tour de Staten Island, which will take place on April 21. The event, which begins in Stapleton, is organized by Transportation Alternatives. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson)

• Mike Matteo | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Get on your bike and ride! The Tour de Staten Island returns Sunday, April 21.

Organized by Transportation Alternatives, a group that works to make the streets of New York City safer, this ride-at-your-own-pace, non-competitive bike tour will take riders around the landmarks and vistas of Staten Island

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