Say hi to Lady Liberty just south of Battery Park, continue north, and at 14 th Street ascend to The High Line, a public park on an elevated former railway that extends up back to 34 th Street on the other side of the island. Jump onto the recreation path anywhere south of 34 th Street on the East Side of Manhattan and follow it around the lower tip of the island to the West Side.

“When I am by myself, I am usually on those dirt paths exploring the park,” he says.įor an even more serene experience, head to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, where you might see an owl, a gaggle of geese, or even a turtle crossing the road-and easily forget that you’re in the heart of America’s largest city. When Ward is in town, this is where he does most of his runs. Although the 6-mile exterior loop attracts most of the foot traffic, the lesser-known 2.5-mile bridle path in the park’s middle offers a soft gravel surface and a shockingly quiet reprieve from the urban bustle on all sides. Home to dozens of races throughout the year-including the NYC Marathon finish line-Central Park is one of the most popular running destinations in the world. But go early–the Brooklyn Bridge tends to be packed by mid-morning.

Start at City Hall in Manhattan and run over the Brooklyn Bridge, then back over the Manhattan Bridge for four miles of some of the best views you’ll find anywhere in the city. Domino Park along the Brooklyn Waterfront Drew Reynolds

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