Whether your apartment is freezing or your boss doesn’t seem to realize that you can see your breath in the office, it’s hard to stay warm during New York’s long winters. This past snow day, we laced up our boots, pulled our hoods down and checked out the Long Island City outpost of Brooklyn Boulders (originally from Gowanus). As it turns out, this indoor climbing gym is full of ways to keep you warm.
Climber or not, Brooklyn Boulders (BKB) is our new go-to spot to escape the winter weather.
Co-work before your workout
Tired of never being able to find a place to sit at the same old coffee shop? BKB has the answer to that. I showed up early and found the perfect area with wifi to sit down and work. With an assortment of tables, their work space is bright, the wifi is fast and there’s space to spread out.
Watch this video to get a glimpse:
Start from Scratch: Indoor Climbing Classes
As someone who has never climbed before, discovering Brooklyn Boulders was a bit scary for me. But after one class at BKB, I learned that a climbing gym can be both fun and inviting to newcomers. For those with more experience, the gym offers skills and strength classes. So harness your inner athlete and try a completely new type of workout.
Keep Moving
After sweating it out climbing, I decided to try one of BKB’s Yoga for Climbers class, which was challenging and relaxing at the same time. The gym has a variety of daily classes like capoeira and boot camp for the athlete that wants to mix it up.
Build a new Belayshionship
New York is teeming with so many people that sometimes it can feel challenging to meet someone new. Brooklyn Boulders hosts groups or “crews” that meet-up weekly along with monthly competitions and events that are all about bringing people together. Feel empowered by a group of all-female climbers or meet a belay partner at the Belaytionship Meetup. It’s a great place to find a diverse group of people who all have a passion for climbing — or simply learning something new!
Insider Tip
You can even sit and sweat it out at the gym thanks to the men’s and women’s saunas in the basement locker rooms.
Get there:
Brooklyn Boulders’ Queensbridge location is conveniently located in Long Island City close to the F, E, N, W, and 7 trains.
Casey studies Comparative Literature and Mathematics at NYU. In her free time, she is typically figure skating, hiking, trying new eclectic NYC foods, hanging out with her roommates or snuggling with her cat Aya.
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