Looking for a little incentive to get outdoors and exercise? Thanks to the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and local fitness enthusiasts, there are plenty of opportunities across the five boroughs for all fitness levels and ages to enjoy the greenery while getting in some relaxing, healthy movement. Here are some of our favorite free fitness classes in NYC.
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy invites you to bring a mat, towel, and water to Pier 6 for their summer of Waterfront Workouts. From Morning Yoga to Sunset Pilates get ready to sweat and merge mind, body, soul, and skyline.
Part contemporary art garden, part al fresco gym, the Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City is one of New York’s hidden gems, hosting free aerobics classes on Saturdays and Sundays into October. Whether you want to work on your breathing, strengthen your core, or learn self-defense, Socrates Sculpture Park offers everything from yoga to Capoeira to pilates to Tai Chi and even kayaking.
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation’s Shape Up NYC program offers free classes every week taught by qualified instructors. You may find an African Dance class at St. Mary’s Recreation Center in the Bronx. Yogis may gather on Saturday mornings at Rockaway Beach and the A.R.R.O.W. Field House in Queens. A more elderly crowd congregates for a Senior Fitness Class on Monday and Thursday mornings at Independence Towers Senior/Community Center in Brooklyn. Staten Islanders can choose between a Body Conditioning or more dynamic Zumba class at the Greenbelt Recreation Center.
Those who love burpees, sprints and high fives should join one of the free daily workouts offered by The Rise NYC or weekly workouts by the local chapter of the November Project.
If you’re ready to go to the beach but are missing one key element—swimming skills—NYC’s parks are offering free swimming lessons to all New Yorkers regardless of age. There is Open Lap Swimming for the more water-adept, Adapted Aquatics lessons for mentally and physically challenged persons, and Senior Splash sessions, which include light water exercises. Those under 18 can enjoy free access to city recreation centers.
With so many (free) options, there is no excuse to sit around. Best of all, you’ll likely find an activity close enough to home that you can even walk, run or bike to it.
Photo: Etienne Frossard
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