Yes, your gym has AC. But if you’re going to endure a sticky New York City summer anyway, you might as well do it while also getting in shape, soaking up the sun and fresh(ish?) air, and taking in amazing views.
Trust us, squatting and tree-posing while looking at soaring skyscrapers, rivers, and blue skies can be just as satisfying as sipping a perfectly mixed mojito at a chill rooftop bar.
Or better yet, do both.
We found the 10 best outdoor yoga and fitness experiences—with top workout studios and instructors in stellar locations—you should hit before Labor Day.
1. The Sweat Sessions at Hudson River Park’s 14th Street Park
The Meatpacking District and Wellthily are co-hosting three back-to-back 45-minute classes at 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights in a gorgeous grassy park adjacent to the Hudson River, right beneath the High Line. The (free!) weekly line-up is a who’s who of the best of New York City fitness. Think Rebecca Kennedy, Taryn Toomey, Core Fusion, and more. thesweatsessions.splashthat.com
2. Pure Yoga at Mr. Purple
Pure Yoga is bringing some of its best instructors to teach classes on weekend mornings at 9:00 a.m. at this trendy Lower East Side rooftop bar at the Hotel Indigo. $25 gets you great downtown views and a post-class juice. pureyoga.com
3. GetFierce X ClubTran Bootcamp at Pier 46
Star fitness instructors Dyan Tsuimis and Jason Tran teamed up to create a monthly summer boot camp series at Hudson River Park’s Pier 46, where you can expect speed work, strength training, and an overdose of infectious positive energy. The next dates are Sunday July 17 and August 14 at 9:30 a.m., and each session costs $30. eventbrite.com
4. Summer Run Buzz with Surf Yoga Beer
This weekly Monday night run club hosted by cool wellness-party retreat purveyor Surf Yoga Beer includes a sunset group run along the Hudson followed by happy hour at Merchants River House (think views of the Statue of Liberty). Commit to the whole summer of running and rosé for a flat fee of $75. surfyogabeer.com
5. Bryant Park Yoga
Bryant Park’s mega-series is always the free yoga event of the summer, with up to 1,000 people sometimes showing up to triangle and tree pose on the lawn. Classes take place on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m., with a rotating cast of the city’s top teachers, like Colleen Saidman Yee and Rodney Yee, Lyons Den Power Yoga’s Bethany Lyons, Elena Brower, and Yoga Vida’s Kat Fowler, leading the crowd. bryantpark.org
6. Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp
Similarly, this iconic boot camp is like the O.G. of NYC’s outdoor fitness scene. It’s been around for a long time but is still one of the smartest, most fun butt-kicking sessions in the city (and costs $22 for a single session—there are deals if you buy a package). You’re not a real fit New Yorker until you’ve lunged beneath the Bridge’s arches while battling obstacles of the tourist variety. brooklynbridgebootcamp.com
7. Prospect Park Yoga
Park Slope yoga favorite Bend + Bloom hosts this series for Brooklynites each summer. Free classes are Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. and, in addition to the studio’s own, expect teachers from other popular borough spots like Tangerine Hot Power Yoga and Brooklyn Yoga Project. bendandbloom.com
8. The Yoga Room at Astoria Park and Gantry Plaza Pier
And for those in Queens, The Yoga Room hosts free weekend classes on select dates in both Astoria and Long Island City, where the view from the pier is unparalleled (read: you’ll be in boat pose over the river while gazing at the span of the Manhattan skyline). the-yoga-room.com
9. Uplift Your Workout Outdoors
Grab your girlfriends: Super fun women-only workout studio Uplift is now hosting regular outdoor classes ($34 for a single session) along the West Side Highway. You’ll jog between strength and conditioning circuits that use the environment—like benches and grassy patches—as equipment. upliftstudios.com
10. Rooftop Meditation and Yoga with Serene at The James
Your eyes will be closed during meditation, but after make sure you take in the sweeping views of downtown Manhattan while moving through sun salutations…poolside. Expect an intimate, chic setting, with mats provided by Lululemon and post-practice WTRMLN WTR ($15-$35 for meditation, yoga, or both). serenesocial.com
Staying out east all summer? (Jealous!) Check out our guide to the Hamptons’ best fitness and yoga spots, instead.
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