Running in New York City: Big Apple
- audreyubertino
- Jun 16
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 17
Running in New York City, made up of five boroughs, is an opportunity to discover the achievements of resolutely modern and frenetic urban planning. From the dizzying skyscrapers of Manhattan to the charming brownstones of Brooklyn, via legendary bridges and wide, bustling avenues, explore the Big Apple with JOOKS and experience the unique energy of this metropolis that never sleeps!
‘I go to Paris, I go to London, I go to Rome, and I always say, “There's no place like New York.” It's the most exciting city in the world today. That's just the way it is. That's all there is to it,’ said Robert De Niro, the famous American actor, about the Big Apple.
The history of New York dates back to 1524, when navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano, commissioned by the King of France, landed in the bay, then inhabited by the Lenape people. He named it Sainte-Marguerite, in honour of François I's sister, and named the land in the bay and along the river ‘La Nouvelle-Angoulême’. Today, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, connecting the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island, commemorates this first European explorer to cross the Narrows, the strait separating Lower New York Bay from Upper New York Bay. Preoccupied with other matters, Francis I took no further interest in the region, which was rediscovered in 1609 by Henry Hudson, an English explorer. Employed by the Dutch East India Company, Hudson gave his name to the river that flows through New York.
It was not until 1664 that the English conquered New Amsterdam, which was renamed ‘New York’ in honour of James, Duke of York. Today, after experiencing phenomenal expansion between the 18th and 20th centuries, it consists of five boroughs known as Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. A major international financial centre, the third most populous city on the American continent, and home to the UN headquarters, New York City has many titles and its fame is undeniable. It attracts 50 million visitors annually. As a result, running there can be very rewarding, both culturally and emotionally!
Manhattan, city of glass and steel
Manhattan is the vibrant heart of New York. Located on the peninsula of the same name, it is the location for a staggering number of films. During your visit to New York, every street corner will make you feel like you're in a Hollywood production!
As you run or walk through the streets of Manhattan, you will undoubtedly see Ground Zero, the site of the tragedy of 11 September 2001. From there, Battery Park is nearby, offering breathtaking views of Upper Bay and Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty. Then, after passing the Empire State Building as you head northeast, you can admire Times Square, a neighbourhood named after the former headquarters of the New York Times. Located between 42nd Street and Broadway, it is nicknamed the ‘Crossroads of the World.’ However, you don't have to be agoraphobic to appreciate the view: around 365,000 people pass through here every day!
Not far from there, on the edge of Central Park, stands the Metropolitan Museum of Art, nicknamed the ‘MET’. It is Manhattan's most famous museum, along with the nearby Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). With two million works of art, 130,000 square metres of floor space and 4.5 million visitors annually, the MET is one of the largest museums in the world. Don't forget to look out for its famous grey squirrels (especially on Mondays) during your run in Central Park!
Brooklyn, Dumbo and Williamsburg
Brooklyn occupies the western end of Long Island and neighbours Queens. Since 1883, it has been connected to Manhattan by the Brooklyn Bridge, the oldest suspension bridge in the United States. Once a working-class neighbourhood, sometimes looked down upon, Brooklyn has nevertheless experienced a new wave of dynamism since the beginning of the 21st century. This is reflected both in the growth of the business districts of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, known as a hipster hangout, and in the popularity of Dumbo.
In New York, Dumbo is not (just) the name of an elephant with big ears. It is an acronym for ‘Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass’, one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the city. Highly prized by artists, it is filled with old warehouses converted into luxurious lofts, giving it a very special atmosphere!
Further south, you will discover the Brooklyn Museum, one of the largest in New York, and the huge Prospect Park adjacent to it. Finally, don't hesitate to head down to Coney Island during your run in Brooklyn! This peninsula, located at the southern tip of the neighbourhood, has many attractions, including a magnificent sandy beach bordered by a famous amusement park.
Queens, "The World's Borough"
Queens is the largest borough in New York City and the second most populous after Brooklyn. It is nicknamed ‘The World's Borough’ due to its cosmopolitan population. As a result, running in Queens also means exploring its diverse multicultural neighbourhoods.
Flushing is now the largest Chinatown in the United States, while Jackson Heights and Elmhurst are home to Indian, Tibetan and Hispanic communities. Astoria, close to Manhattan, is the Greek neighbourhood and birthplace of Maria Callas. Corona has historically been home to a large Italian population and is now the heart of the Latin American community in Queens, while Jamaica is home to a large African American and Caribbean community. Finally, the historic Jewish neighbourhood stretches from Rego Park to Kew Gardens.
During your stroll through Queens, you can also visit Long Island City and admire the MoMA PS1 museum, or enjoy the greenery of Gantry Plaza State Park. Along the East River, you will discover wonders of street art before heading to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. There you will find the Unisphere, a 43-metre-high steel representation of the Earth, placed above the Perisphere, a structure comprising a pool and water jets. It gives the illusion of floating in space!
It is impossible to express the very essence of New York, its diversity, in just a few lines. The Bronx, long known for its violence, is the birthplace of hip-hop culture and a neighbourhood undergoing gentrification. Staten Island, the most remote borough, has five uninhabited islands and long threatened to secede from New York City before a regular ferry service was established in 1993! Today, the hills in the centre of the island are home to a series of public parks, well connected by hiking trails, including a trail nicknamed the Greenbelt, making it a paradise for runners.
Contrary to popular belief, New York City is home to a rich biodiversity in its parks, the Hudson River, and the various wetlands of the bay. The megacity is home to hundreds of bird species, dozens of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as 3,000 plant species! During your run, you may encounter a snow goose or an ibis. And as you will have understood, despite its reputation as an ‘urban jungle’, New York is full of parks and natural spaces, so you are sure to encounter its famous squirrels or discreet raccoons! 27% of the city's total area is occupied by green spaces.
Run, walk or cycle with JOOKS, from Staten Island to Manhattan!
Find all the routes in New York City and more than 1,500 others on the JOOKS app.
Comments