Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
meets at 10pm at the southwest corner of Central Park, across from Columbus Circle. The trip is around 10 miles
and runs all 12 months of the year. A Prospect Park Moonlight Ride has also been added, leaving from Grand
Army Plaza on the second Saturday of the month at 9pm. TIME'S UP! is on the hunt for permanent headquarters,
but you can take advantage of bike repair workshops and classes at their temporary spaces in Williamsburg and
on the Lower East Side. All events are free, although as a volunteer-run organization, donations are cheerfully
accepted.
156 Rivington St., btw. Suffolk and Clinton sts.
212/802-8222.
www.times-up.org
. Subway: F to Delancey St.; J/M/Z to Essex St. Other location:
Williamsburg, Brooklyn,
99 S. 6th St., btw. Bedford Ave. and Berry St. Subway: J/M/Z to Marcy Ave.; L to Bedford Ave.
Gym Neighbors
When hauling groceries and laundry up to your sixth-floor walk-up is no longer exercise regimen enough,
it's time to hit a gym. The cheapest choice by far is signing up with the Department of Parks and Recreation,
though other options that don't much exceed $1 a day are available. If you want to shop around first, the website
www.gymsearch.net
has free coupons and guest passes for gyms around the region. It's free, but you have to
register your contact info. If you want an even larger sampling of what's available around NYC, look into the
PassBooks put together by the
American Health & Fitness Alliance
(
212/808-0765;
www.health-itness.org
).
It costs $85, but free passes for health clubs (up to 1 month in some instances), classes, and training sessions tally
up to $3,500. There are also similar versions for yoga and Pilates.
Department of Parks and Recreation
On top of playing fields and courts, the city also runs 49 recreation cen-
ters spread across all five boroughs. The amenity list is long and varied, including indoor and outdoor tracks,
weight rooms, dance studios, and boxing rings. All of this can be yours for $100 a year. If you want to join a center
with an indoor pool, it's an additional $50. (For seniors age 62 and over, it's only $25 a year with or without pools,
and for under-18s, it's all free.) Many centers also offer classes in Pilates, aerobics, karate, kickboxing, wrestling,
swimming, and the like. Some centers even have personal trainers. Usually an extra fee applies for classes, say $60
for a 10-class session. If you want to sample the goods, check out
BeFitNYC Free First Mondays,
which provides
classes and equipment at no charge (a few classes may carry a nominal fee). Other days of the week, catch the
Shape Up NYC
program, which offers free fitness classes around the city. Although scenes vary from rec center
to rec center, generally city-run facilities are family-friendly and community oriented—look elsewhere if you're
in the market for a meat market.
311.
www.nycgovparks.org
.
Planet Fitness
This gym chain has long held down spots across the four outer boroughs, but its Manhattan pres-
ence is new as of 2012, in the form of a sparkling three-story gym. As with the other locations, prices are rock
bottom. A $30 annual fee plus $10 a month is all it takes to join, with classes and fitness sessions thrown in for
free. Pony up $20 per month (plus a $39 annual fee) and you'll have a “Black Card,” providing access to all 500
Planet Fitness gyms. At prices like these, the floors can get crowded, but the Chelsea location eases things with
24-hour access on the weekdays.
158 W. 27th St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves.
212/268-2501.
www.planetitness.com
. Subway: N/R to 28th St.
YMCA of Greater New York
The Y (
212/630-9600;
www.ymcanyc.org
)
runs 24 health and wellness centers in
the five boroughs. The facilities vary from site to site, but the general roster includes gyms, pools, racquetball
and handball courts, aerobics studios, exercise machines, steam rooms, and saunas. (There's also cheap lodging
at some locations; see p. 33). Fees vary. There are reduced fees available for seniors and families, and you should
inquire about income-based reductions. The state-of-the-art facility is the new McBurney location (125 W. 14th
St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves.; F/M or L to Sixth Ave./14th St., or 1/2/3 to 14th St.;
212/912-2300
). A 1-year
membership to McBurney is $1,116, plus the $125 initiation fee. To get fit at a less central location is a much bet-
ter deal—the Greenpoint YMCA (99 Meserole Ave., btw. Leonard St. and Manhattan Ave.; G to Nassau Ave. or
Greenpoint Ave.;
718/389-3700
) is only $648 for a year, with an $80 initiation fee. For a citywide YMCA pass,
which allows access to every center, it's $125 to join and $97 a month after that.
Cheap Skates
