As this summer’s floating reporter, I’m excited to continue exploring the waterways in and around New York City. If you’ve already tried paddling in the Bronx or exploring Brooklyn by boat, now’s the time to hop in a canoe or kayak and embrace the fact that Manhattan is indeed an island. Take advantage of the rest of summer by visiting these boathouses in NYC:
Inwood Canoe Club, Inwood
Season: Sunday mornings Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend
Cost: Free
Getting there: Take the A or 1 trains to Dyckman Street. Then walk west on Dyckman toward the Hudson River. At the marina gate, turn left on the paved path. The club’s red boathouse is 200 yards down the path on the right.
Details: Arrive early for this first-come, first-serve paddling open house north of the George Washington Bridge. Participants must be able to swim in order to join the 25-minute guided kayak on the Hudson River.
Harlem River Community Rowing, Inwood
Season: Saturdays and Sundays in June, July, and August
Cost: Free
Getting there: The Columbia Boathouse Dock is a 10-minute walk from the 1 train stop at 215th Street
Details: Don’t miss your chance to learn to row or refresh your skills with the Harlem River Community Rowing’s hour-long classes for beginners and advanced beginners out of Inwood Hill Park. And if you’re up early enough, you can catch Columbia University rowers practicing or competing out on the river.
Central Park
Season: Anytime, weather permitting, at the Boathouse
Cost: $15 per hour at the Boathouse
Getting there: The Loeb Boathouse is a 12-minute walk from the 6 train stop at E 77th Street.
Details: If you’re not quite ready for the openness of the Hudson River, Central Park offers two easy options for paddling practice. Play tourist and row around the scenic boathouse area or take one step up — the Urban Park Rangers are hosting a twilight canoe adventure in the park on August 25.
Manhattan Community Boathouse, Midtown
Season: Weekends May 26 to October 7; Mondays and Wednesdays June 4 to August 29
Cost: Free
Getting there: Pier 96 is located on the Hudson River at W. 57th Street, a 15-minute walk from Columbus Circle.
Details: Walk-up kayaking and classes are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and open to paddlers of all skill levels. Classes are focused on paddling efficiency, steering techniques, and recovery after a capsize.
Manhattan Kayak Company, Midtown, and New York Kayak Company, Greenwich Village
Season: Classes and tours are underway at both locations
Cost: Classes start at $75; tours range from $40 to $400; rentals (MKC only) are $7 per 30 minutes
Getting there: Located beside the Intrepid, the Pier 84 Boathouse (MKC) is on the Hudson River at 44th Street. The closest subway is the A/C at 42nd Street. Pier 40 (NYKC) is located on the Hudson River at W. Houston. The closest subways are the 1 at Houston and the C/E at Spring Street.
Details: If you’ve enjoyed kayaking at one of the many free options around the city and want to learn more, take a trip with other paddlers, or rent a kayak on your own locally, these companies offer many options for broadening your skills and experience.
The Downtown Boathouse, Lower Manhattan
Season: May 19 to October 7
Cost: Free
Getting there: The Pier 26 Boathouse is located on the southern end of Hudson River Park on the Westside Highway just north of N. Moore St. The nearest subway stops are the 1 at Franklin Street and the A/C/E at Canal Street.
Details: This is the same group that operates on Governor’s Island, offering 20-minute paddles on the Hudson. Kayaking is available on weekends and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Circumnavigate Manhattan, Inwood
Season: August 4 (rain date: August 5)
Cost: $90 ($85 if you’re a member of the American Canoe Club)
Getting there: This kicks off at the Inwood Canoe Club.
Details: Confident and experienced paddlers can circumnavigate Manhattan — a 30-mile paddle — with the Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club. Launch your kayak in one of four waves at varying paces and, if you make it this far, meet other finishers for lunch at Gantry State Park in Queens.
Header photo by Stephen Elliott of MUD Productions
Meghan Berry, who has devoted much of her career to marketing and communications at nonprofits in New York City, is leaving behind office life for the classroom. This year, she begins a new journey as a middle school English teacher in Brooklyn and will otherwise be found traveling, kayaking, and riding her bike. Having grown up in rural New Jersey (yes, it exists), Meghan enjoys discovering pockets of nature and unexpected beauty in the city. Red Hook is home, and she celebrates it on Instagram @red_hookery.
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