The 10 Best Outdoor Yoga and Fitness Experiences in NYC This Summer

Photo: Bend+Bloom Yoga
Yes, your gym has AC. But if you're going to endure a sticky New York City summer anyway, you might as well do it while also getting in shape, soaking up the sun and fresh(ish?) air, and taking in amazing views.

Trust us, squatting and tree-posing while looking at soaring skyscrapers, rivers, and blue skies can be just as satisfying as sipping a perfectly mixed mojito at a chill rooftop bar.

Or better yet, do both.

We found the 10 best outdoor yoga and fitness experiences—with top workout studios and instructors in stellar locations—you should hit before Labor Day.

outdoor fitness NYC
Photo: Instagram/MeatpackingNY

1. The Sweat Sessions at Hudson River Park's 14th Street Park

The Meatpacking District and Wellthily are co-hosting three back-to-back 45-minute classes at 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights in a gorgeous grassy park adjacent to the Hudson River, right beneath the High Line. The (free!) weekly line-up is a who's who of the best of New York City fitness. Think Rebecca Kennedy, Taryn Toomey, Core Fusion, and more. thesweatsessions.splashthat.com

outdoor yoga NYC
Photo: Instagram/MrPurpleNYC

2. Pure Yoga at Mr. Purple

Pure Yoga is bringing some of its best instructors to teach classes on weekend mornings at 9:00 a.m. at this trendy Lower East Side rooftop bar at the Hotel Indigo. $25 gets you great downtown views and a post-class juice. pureyoga.com

outdoor fitness NYC
Photo: Jason Tran

3. GetFierce X ClubTran Bootcamp at Pier 46

Star fitness instructors Dyan Tsuimis and Jason Tran teamed up to create a monthly summer boot camp series at Hudson River Park's Pier 46, where you can expect speed work, strength training, and an overdose of infectious positive energy. The next dates are Sunday July 17 and August 14 at 9:30 a.m., and each session costs $30. eventbrite.com

outdoor fitness NYC
Photo: Facebook/SurfYogaBeer

4. Summer Run Buzz with Surf Yoga Beer

This weekly Monday night run club hosted by cool wellness-party retreat purveyor Surf Yoga Beer includes a sunset group run along the Hudson followed by happy hour at Merchants River House (think views of the Statue of Liberty). Commit to the whole summer of running and rosé for a flat fee of $75. surfyogabeer.com

outdoor yoga NYC
Photo: Facebook/LyonsDenPowerYoga

5. Bryant Park Yoga

Bryant Park's mega-series is always the free yoga event of the summer, with up to 1,000 people sometimes showing up to triangle and tree pose on the lawn. Classes take place on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m., with a rotating cast of the city's top teachers, like Colleen Saidman Yee and Rodney Yee, Lyons Den Power Yoga's Bethany Lyons, Elena Brower, and Yoga Vida's Kat Fowler, leading the crowd. bryantpark.org

outdoor fitness NYC
Photo: Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp

6. Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp

Similarly, this iconic boot camp is like the O.G. of NYC's outdoor fitness scene. It's been around for a long time but is still one of the smartest, most fun butt-kicking sessions in the city (and costs $22 for a single session—there are deals if you buy a package). You're not a real fit New Yorker until you've lunged beneath the Bridge's arches while battling obstacles of the tourist variety. brooklynbridgebootcamp.com

outdoor yoga NYC
Photo: Bend+Bloom Yoga

7. Prospect Park Yoga

Park Slope yoga favorite Bend + Bloom hosts this series for Brooklynites each summer. Free classes are Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. and, in addition to the studio's own, expect teachers from other popular borough spots like Tangerine Hot Power Yoga and Brooklyn Yoga Project. bendandbloom.com

outdoor yoga NYC
Photo: The Yoga Room

8. The Yoga Room at Astoria Park and Gantry Plaza Pier

And for those in Queens, The Yoga Room hosts free weekend classes on select dates in both Astoria and Long Island City, where the view from the pier is unparalleled (read: you'll be in boat pose over the river while gazing at the span of the Manhattan skyline). the-yoga-room.com

outdoor fitness NYC
Photo: Instagram/UpliftStudios

9. Uplift Your Workout Outdoors

Grab your girlfriends: Super fun women-only workout studio Uplift is now hosting regular outdoor classes ($34 for a single session) along the West Side Highway. You'll jog between strength and conditioning circuits that use the environment—like benches and grassy patches—as equipment. upliftstudios.com

outdoor meditation NYC
Photo: Instagram/SereneSocial

10. Rooftop Meditation and Yoga with Serene at The James

Your eyes will be closed during meditation, but after make sure you take in the sweeping views of downtown Manhattan while moving through sun salutations...poolside. Expect an intimate, chic setting, with mats provided by Lululemon and post-practice WTRMLN WTR ($15-$35 for meditation, yoga, or both).  serenesocial.com

Staying out east all summer? (Jealous!) Check out our guide to the Hamptons' best fitness and yoga spots, instead.

Tags: Yoga

Loading More Posts...