While we applaud the New York City Parks Department for their efforts to bring us a little slice of the wild outdoors with kayaking on the Hudson, let’s be frank—it’s not exactly an adrenaline rush.
Lucky for us city folk, as well as those with a healthy fear of murky water, exciting aquatic escapades are not so far away. Take a break from the hiking and biking this summer and get rolling on some whitewater rapids. Here’s where you can go whitewater rafting near NYC.
Adirondack River Outfitters Adventures | aroadventures.com
Whether you’re looking to explore gentle cascades or wild rapids, Aro has something for every adventurer with their whitewater rafting tours on the Black River, Hudson River and Moose River. Upcoming specials include rafting Black River Gorge for $55 on Black River Fridays and the Labor Day excursion for $59, wetsuits included. All trips have standard equipment and gear, shuttle service, and a post-ride meal to help refuel and reward the body.
How to get there: Consult oM’s guide to renting hybrids in NYC.
Discover Outdoors | discoveroutdoors.com
Leave from 73rd and Broadway and land on the Lehigh River for a thrilling, chilling outing you won’t soon forget. Roundtrip transportation, lunch, and expert river guides are all part of the deal, so you don’t have to worry about anything but enjoying the ride (and staying in the raft) while paddling over 17 rapids. Check the calendar for upcoming trips.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram