offManhattan has been traveling in the green lane since 2007, but 2009 really rocked our sense of adventure-via-public transit. From homebase in Manhattan, we got to explore and see more than we could ever have imagined without a car. We rode Segways in the Hudson Valley and horses in the Bronx, pedaled through Long Island vineyards and did a five-borough bike race, crossed New Hope in a vintage train and took a veggie-fueled bus to Vermont.
We look forward to taking you on even greater excursions outside Manhattan in 2010. See our 2009 top 10 list after the break.
The 10 Most Popular Stories of 2009
1. Go Karting Near New York City
2. Hiking Breakneck Ridge
3. A Self-Guided Brooklyn Graffiti Tour
4. Hotel Bars with Manhattan Skyline Views
5. Mini Guide to Skiing and Snowboarding
6. My Big Fat Greek Tour of Astoria
7. Beaches Near NYC Without a Car
8. Brighton Beach a Voyage to Russia
9. North of Manhattan, a Cache of Old World Charm
10. Rock Climbing in the Gunks
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
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