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Manhattan...

Biking in The City

Biking in Manhattan includes commercial (deliveries), commuting, and recreational. We were pleased to see so many dedicated bike lanes and CitiBike rental locations all over town. The paved trail options include the Manhattan Greenway Trail which runs 12.5 miles from The Battery to the George Washington Bridge and Inwood Park on the west side, and the East Side Greenway running 9 miles from The Battery to 125th Street (with some gaps) on the east side. The two are linked by the Battery Bikeway at the south, and the Harlem River Greenway at the north (gap here, includes street routes). When complete, this will create a 32-mile loop around Manhattan Island together known as the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. (Detailed map and photos below.)

Biking Map...
Manhattan

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Location: New York (Manhattan), NY (See map)
Distance: Various
Surface: Paved

Bike Shops/Rentals:
CitiBike Bike Sharing (bike share)
Bike Rent NYC (rentals, tours)
Blazing Saddles (rentals, tours)
Liberty Cycles (rentals, sales, service)
Toga Bikes (rentals, sales, service)
Waterfront Bike Shop (rentals, service)

Biking in Manhattan... Comments and Photos

Many city parks have bike paths and trails, plus Central Park is closed to traffic on weekends and before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on weekdays. Many bridges allow bicycles, we visited the Brooklyn Bridge. And because this is Manhattan and there are unending things to do and places to visit, we share some we enjoyed.

Manhattan Greenway

The Manhattan Greenway runs along Manhattan's west side for 12.5 miles from The Battery, through Battery Park City, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park, and past the George Washington Bridge to Inwood Park. The Greenway runs between the Hudson River and the West Side and Henry Hudson Parkways (Rte. 9A), much of it close to the roadway but separated by barriers. The Greenway is part of both the Empire State Trail (NYC to Albany, Canada, and Buffalo) and the East Coast Greenway (Maine to Key West, Florida).

• Starting from The Battery, we visited the Manhattan Greenway along West Street to the World Trade Center (about 3/4 mile).

The Battery

The Battery (formerly known as Battery Park) is a public park at the southern tip of Manhattan along New York Harbor. It's a meeting point for the Manhattan Greenway, Battery Bikeway, East River Greenway, and Battery Park City Esplanade.

• The park has restrooms, restaurants, bike paths, lawns and gardens, urban farm, learning playground, splash pad. Other features include Castle Clinton National Monument (Fort Clinton, built in 1807-11), the Sea Glass Carousel, 20 monuments and memorials centered on Monument Walk, and ferry terminals to Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Governor's Island.

Battery Park City Esplanade

Another bike route from The Battery is the Battery Park City Esplanade. Starting from The Battery where the Manhattan Greenway and Battery Bikeway meet, the Esplanade runs about 1.5 miles north along the Hudson River, through Battery Park City (a planned community developed to reclaim an old, dilapidated pier area) to Stuyvesant High School where it meets the Manhattan Greenway. Along the way are residential and commercial areas, parks and marinas with views of the Hudson River, Manhattan, and the New Jersey waterfront.

We visited the northern section, from Brookfield Place through Rockefeller Park, to the end.

• Brookfield Place is a shopping center and office building complex with restaurants, shops, North Cove Marina.
• Rockefeller Park features wide lawns, gardens, playground, Lily Pool, public art, pavilion, restrooms.

Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Pedestrian and bike lanes cross the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade, with great views of Lower Manhattan, The Battery, Statue of Liberty, East River, and Brooklyn.

• The bridge opened in May 1883, the first fixed crossing over the East River, and longest suspension bridge in the world at the time.

More Manhattan Biking

Some miscellaneous views

More to See and Do

The High Line

The High Line is a city park and greenway built on an historic elevated freight rail line, running about 1.25 miles on Manhattan's West Side between West 16th St. and West 34th St. Bikes are not allowed, but the High Line is a wonderful and unique walk/hike with outstanding views of Manhattan and the Hudson River, gardens, art and special events.

More about the High Line

Statue of Liberty National Monument

• The Statue of Liberty ("Lady Liberty") has stood as a symbol of freedom, inspiration, and hope since its dedication October 1886. May her light continue to shine as we navigate the future.
• A gift from France, it was designated the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1924. Other features include the Statue of Liberty Museum with exhibits and artifacts including the original torch, scenic grounds and gardens. Guided and audio tours available.

• Ellis Island served as the busiest immigration entry station from 1892 to 1954, processing 12 million new arrivals. After falling into disrepair, it was incorporated into the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1964 and underwent restoration.
• Features include: the National Immigration Museum (the former processing center), the Family History Center with searchable family records, and the American Immigrant Wall of Honor inscribed with over 1 million names.

• The only access is by ferry, departing from The Battery in Manhattan, or from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
• The ticket covers the round-trip ride, plus admission to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Additional fee to visit the statue's pedestal and crown.

More information

We could go on endlessly, but we'll end with a quick tour of other worthwhile stops.

Related Information and Resources

More Biking:
Empire State Trail - Manhattan to Albany, Buffalo, and Canada
Bike-New York - More bike trails and information about biking in New York State

Related Resources:
Empire State Trail - Manhattan Greenway Trail
City of New York - Greenway Map
NY Economic Development Council - Manhattan Waterfront Greenway
City of New York - Bicycle Resources
Central Park Conservancy - Bicycling

Support and Advocacy:
Transportation Alternatives
Bike New York
Central Park Conservancy