Escape NYC

Curated by our US Junction team in New York, these two rides offer everything from great food stops and inner-city greenery to the lush upstate countryside around the city’s fresh water source.

 1. Afternoon escape: Prospect Park

Loops around Prospect Park followed by NYC’s best shrimp tacos and margaritas at Alta Calidad.

Distance: At least 4 miles but do as many laps as you like!

Difficulty: Easy

What to look out for: Prospect park is a wonderful little blob of greenery set right in Brooklyn and riding around it is far from dull. It contains a zoo, a botanic garden and a great museum, plus lots of other things to discover. Finish just a few blocks away for the best shrimp tacos you’ll probably ever have.

2. Weekend escape: Gravel & Beers

Start point: MetroNorth train from Grand Central to Croton-Harmon Station

Distance: 17.8 miles

Difficulty: Medium

 What to look out for: Refresh yourself with this route in and around NYC’s fresh water source. A mix of gravel/paved road around Croton Reservoir, including a crossing of the Croton Dam (which is very cool). The Croton Aqueduct feeds fresh water from the Croton-Harmon Reservoir to New York City. There’s a gravel cycling/walking trail along the top of the underground aqueduct that runs almost all the way to NYC.  This route follows the first bit of it to the Croton Dam and then circles the lower part of the reservoir before proceeding into Peekskill to end at a Brewery within a 2 minute ride from the train back to NYC.

Full refreshments: Burger and beer at Peelskill Brewery 

Want to escape another city? Check out our City Escape Guides.