I love the Upper West Side because it is quiet, spacious, and close to Central Park, Riverside Park, and express trains. I work downtown in the Financial District so it's great to go home and experience some quiet in the city. The UWS was the first suburb for the metropolis of lower Manhattan and despite being an active part of the city still holds on to its neighborhood feel. There are so many fantastic options for running. You can keep things simple and short with a quiet run in one of the parks or you can go long and hop on the Henry Hudson path. In either direction, north or south, you will experience majestic views of the Hudson River.  

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I love Astoria because where else can you get Greek food, copious trendy bars and beef stroganoff on the same street? Check out Gregory's Taverna on 26th and 23rd Ave for Greek and Koliba on 31st and 23rd Ave for beef stroganoff. Q.E.D. boasts some of the best up and coming local NYC Comedy, and the Sparrow Film Project (created by some local bar patrons in the neighborhood which now has grown to include international submissions) hosts a gala each year at the nearby Museum of the Moving Image—a good excuse to don heels instead of running shoes.

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Believe it or not West Harlem is a very runner friendly neighborhood!!  You may want to work off that burger or beer you had at one of the many cool restuarnats/beer halls/ pubs that Harlem has to offer. Beth suggests running on the bike path to the George Washington Bridge, the Riverbank track, or Riverside Drive. Beth has lived in Harlem for two years and has discovered the hidden treasures her neighborhood has to offer. You will find the only lighthouse on the Island of Manhattan, a great route to the NJ Palisades for those of you who are trail runners, and easy access to Riverside Drive. Having completed a handful of ultra marathons, Beth often takes her long runs up the Palisades to get some elevation change and diverse terrain for good training. Run with her and she'll bring you to her favorite places in this amazing city! 

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Known mostly for being the heart of ‘Brownstone Brooklyn’, there are countless 19th century homes where once a family would live, now four or five may now occupy these gorgeous structures.   A run through the neighborhood should include a jaunt down Court street, past Carroll Park and by the famous St. Mary Star of the Sea where Al Capone was married.  One can head west and make your way to Columbia Street to feel the cool air from Buttermilk Channel.   Or head east to Smith Street, where you will have to dodge endless strollers, window shoppers and revelers.  The best route is one unplanned, weaving through the blocks of the neighborhood as the wind takes you.  Drink in the atmosphere and visuals of the set back brownstones and the myriad of well kept ‘gardens’ in front of these homes that if they could speak – would have some great stories to tell. 

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The Upper West Side was my first home in NYC, and after bouncing around Manhattan and Brooklyn, I can honestly say that I have returned to reside in the best neighborhood in the city.  The atmosphere is quiet but somehow still vibrant with bustling streets, outdoor cafes, and even the occasional celebrity sighting (a lot of TV shows make use of the gorgeous brownstones and tree lined streets for filming).  And NOTHING beats having Central Park as your backyard!  From quick morning runs on the reservoir to long Sunday jogs, Central Park certainly makes the UWS a haven for runners.  Lucky for active UWS residents, Riverside Park is also close by to offer an alternate route with sweeping views of the Hudson to while away the miles. While the UWS may not be as well known as the more tourist-laden parts of the city, it holds a rich history that serves up a surprising fun fact at every turn ... which I enthusiastically impart on everyone I come across from tourists to family to friends.   

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My wife and I have been in Hamilton Heights for about two years, and we can't imagine living anywhere else. Tucked in-between Harlem and Washington Heights, it feels close to everything, yet far enough removed to feel peaceful. There's incredible architecture all throughout the Sugar Hill area in particular, all along Convent and St. Nicholas Avenues, as well as within City College (The photo below is taken with Shepard Hall, a gorgeous, towering structure from all angles.) We love being so close to Riverbank State Park, always bustling with sports and activity- it's the perfect spot to catch an outdoor workout near the water or to spend a lazy Sunday.

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My neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens is best known to runners as the middle miles of the NYC marathon. For many years LIC was very industrial with factories and warehouses of all sizes: it was a place where people went to work. In the past 15 years it has become very residential as factories have been torn down or converted into apartments. Lots of high-rise buildings have gone up giving LIC a skyline of its own. LIC has several great parks for running on the East River waterfront with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. Arts and culture came to Long Island City many years ago when it was a depressed area and some remain: PS1 (contemporary art museum, an adjunct of MoMA), Socrates Sculpture Park (an outdoor art space with frequently changing displays) and the Isamo Noguchi Museum. LIC is also home to several small breweries, including Fifth Hammer Brewing and and Rockaway Brewing Company.

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I love my neighborhood because it has a city vibe with a neighborhood feel. Walking out my door I am greeted by trees and quaint rowhouses on my way to bustling 30th Ave. From the avenues and surrounding streets the diversity of Astoria is on display with Greek, Bosnian,German, Italian restaurants, a 100 yr old Czech beer hall and Middle Eastern fare and hookah lounges to name just a few. Astoria is no culture slouch either with two museums, the iconic Steinway piano factory, a sculpture park, and (my running haven) Astoria park bordered by the East River. 

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Jillian is a native Texan, living in Queens for the past 12 years, first Astoria and now Woodside. She is a longtime runner since high school, an avid athlete and explorer. She loves to eat and is studying culinary. She loves the local eats in Woodside and Sunnyside close nearby. You may see her shopping at the local GrowNYC farmer's market in Sunnyside on Saturdays or enjoying a beer at The BeerKeeper.

Lily Panych is a native (upstate) New Yorker, who has called Astoria, Queens, her home for the last 8 years. She loves to run but is really in this as a history and tourism geek who digs meeting fellow travelers.

Astoria is a really livable section of New York; centrally located, multi-cultural, and friendly, you can find anything you need to boot. In the ‘hood, Lily recommends eating Greek food at Zenon Taverna, drinking a beer al fresco at the historic Bohemian Beer Garden, and taking in the views of Manhattan from in front of the Coca-Cola sign at Gantry Plaza State Park (OK, this last tip is actually in Long Island City).

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Known mostly for being the heart of ‘Brownstone Brooklyn’, there are countless 19th century homes where once a family would live, now four or five may now occupy these gorgeous structures.   A run through the neighborhood should include a jaunt down Court street, past Carroll Park and by the famous St. Mary Star of the Sea where Al Capone was married.  One can head west and make your way to Columbia Street to feel the cool air from Buttermilk Channel.   Or head east to Smith Street, where you will have to dodge endless strollers, window shoppers and revelers.  The best route is one unplanned, weaving through the blocks of the neighborhood as the wind takes you.  Drink in the atmosphere and visuals of the set back brownstones and the myriad of well kept ‘gardens’ in front of these homes that if they could speak – would have some great stories to tell. 

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While I love my fellow guides, they are unfortunately all wrong... the Upper East Side is the best neighborhood in NYC! The Upper East Side has it all. Where else can you go to world class museums (It's called Museum Mile for a reason!) great restaurants, hidden bars and most importantly easy access to Central Park. My favorite 843 acres in all of New York.  Come check out the Upper East Side - now with 2 Subway lines!

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I moved to NYC 10 years ago and have called the East Village home for the past 4 years. It truly feels like a small village in the middle of a huge metropolis. I love the restaurant, cocktail bar and cafe scene in my neighborhood. The Puerto Rican community adds a layer of culture and salsa music that is always playing somewhere in the background. Living just off the East River is perfect for a runner since I can follow the path downtown and over to the West side, hit the track at the East River park for some speedwork or get in some hill training by running over the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn. The sense of community, the running options and the amazing food make the East Village home for me.

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I live Astoria and I absolutely love my neighborhood. It is one of the only neighborhoods where you will find over five different cuisines along two city blocks. Not to mention, it boasts some of the best Greek restaurants in all of New York City. Aside from eating, it is a fantastic place to run. You can go for a scenic and yet shorter run along the water in Astoria park or make it a long run over a bridge and explore Randalls Island. About one mile from Astoria Park, you can find yourself on the bridge to Roosevelt island and a little past that on the 59th street bridge to Manhattan. Astoria is in close proximity to another exciting neighborhood in Brooklyn known as Green Point. I often run there via the Pulaski Bridge in Long Island City. It is clear that  I what I love most about Astoria is it's convenient and central location makes for some of the most exciting running routes! 

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While I am a native son of Queens, i've spent enough time in the East Village that it was really a second home for me all my life. The east village is known as little Ukraine, and as a child of Ukrainian immigrants, I spent every Saturday growing up here going to Ukrainian School, Scouts, and then Folk Dancing. It is an eclectic neighborhood, one ever changing with the times. On any given day, you'll see students rushing to NYU or Cooper Union next to grandmothers making perogies in a church basement. The neighborhood has a wide range of old and new: From the Irish bar that Lincoln drank at (McSorleys) to the punk rock scene of St. Marks Place and CBGBs , the east village has it all.

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