Summer evenings are best spent messing about on the river enjoying views of the Manhattan and Jersey skylines. Starting tonight it’s easy to do, as the New York City Downtown Boathouse at Pier 96 (Hudson River at 56th St) launches its season of free weekday evening (5–7pm) kayaking sessions.
The only things you need to know are how to get there and how to swim. Downtown Boathouse provides changing rooms, a life jacket, a kayak, a paddle, some tips on paddling and a hose to wash you off afterward. You’re free to paddle in the protected embayment and proceed to splash your friends for 20 minutes, safe from river currents and boats full of tourists.
Downtown Boathouse isn’t the only place to get out on the water; we’ve rounded up seven places to go kayaking, rowing and canoeing.
