WHERE: Princeton, New Jersey

START/FINISH: Princeton station (New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor Line and Princeton Shuttle), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 3.6 miles (5.9 kilometers)

This next walk in my Revolutionary War series will take us to the Princeton Battle Monument, past and present official residences of the governors of New Jersey, Albert Einstein’s house from when he was with Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study (1938 - 1955), and part of the Princeton University campus. We’ll have lunch somewhere in town.

If you’re going from New York, take the New Jersey Transit train to Trenton leaving Pennsylvania Station at 10.16 AM. Get off the train at Princeton Junction and take the shuttle train to Princeton leaving at 11.40, a 5-minute ride. If you’re driving, you might park at Princeton Junction and take the shuttle train. Round-trip rail fare from New York to Princeton is $40.80 ($18.80 senior/disabled), but if two of you are traveling together at full fare you can get a buy-one-get-one-free discount by using the NJTransit app. Details are at https://www.njtransit.com/bogo.

We will gather at the Princeton station upon arrival of the shuttle, scheduled at 11.45. We will not wait for latecomers, so let me know that you’re coming and be on time.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice, so watch this page!

WHERE: White Plains, New York

START: White Plains station (Metro North Railroad Harlem Line), fully accessible

FINISH: North White Plains station (Metro North Railroad Harlem Line), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 4.2 miles (6.7 kilometers)

White Plains is the county seat of Westchester County, with many office buildings and apartments taking advantage of excellent train service. In 1776 it was a village. On October 28, 1776, George Washington’s Patriot army was attacked by British forces under the command of William Howe at the Battle of White Plains. In the resulting action, the Patriot force was defeated and forced to retreat from the field. Faced with the crippling defeats at White Plains followed by Forts Washington and Lee, Washington was forced to evacuate New York and New Jersey.

Starting at the White Plains station, we’ll walk to Battle of White Plains Park, then up the Bronx River Greenway to the Elijah Miller House, which was Washington’s headquarters before and during the battle, then to the North White Plains station for the return to New York. We’ll have lunch near the end of the walk.

At Grand Central Terminal, meet on the train to Southeast departing at 11.09, arriving White Plains at 11.46. Round-trip fare (off-peak) is $19.00, $13.50 senior/disabled. All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. If you’ll join the walk in White Plains or along the way, let me know.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours’ notice, so watch this page.

WHERE: Morristown, New Jersey

START/FINISH: Morristown station (New Jersey Transit Morris and Essex line), accessible

DISTANCE: 3.1 miles

George Washington had his headquarters in Morristown from December 1779 - June 1780. The winter of 1779 - 1780 was colder than the winter of 1776 - 1777, when Washington was at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

This accessible walk will take us to Washington’s headquarters in Morristown, and we’ll see a number of other historic sites in this town. We’ll have lunch in town before returning to New York.

Take the New Jersey Transit train departing New York Penn Station at 11.11 AM, destination Dover. The trip from New York to Morristown takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. The front-most open car will open at the accessible platform in Morristown. Round-trip rail fare is $32.20 ($14.30 senior/disabled). All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. If you’ll join along the way or in Morristown, please let me know.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be postponed with 24 hours’ notice, so watch this page.

WHERE: The Inwood section of Manhattan, the Henry Hudson Bridge, a bit of Riverdale, and the Manhattan College Steps.

START: 207 Street subway station (A train), fully accessible

FINISH: 238 Street subway station (1 train)

DISTANCE: 3.25 miles

This walk will be mostly a reprise of a walk I did a couple of years ago. The views of the Hudson River and the Palisades are worth the effort to get there.

We’ll gather at the 207 Street subway station, at street level by the subway elevator. We’ll have lunch in Riverdale or near the end point.

All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice.

WHERE: The Bronx River Greenway, traversing Concrete Plant Park, Starlight Park, and West Farms Rapids Park

START: Hunts Point Avenue subway station (6 train), fully accessible

FINISH: East 180 Street subway station (2 and 5 trains), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers)

Photographs by Michael Cairl. Map courtesy footpathmap.com.

This will be a repeat of a favorite walk of mine, seeing how the surrounds of the Bronx River have been cleaned up and made accessible. At the end, we’ll take a a short bus ride to a favorite restaurant of mine for lunch, or you can hop on the subway if you’re not hungry.

We’ll meet at the Hunts Point Avenue subway station at street level by the elevator. All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice.

WHERE: The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens

START/FINISH: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

DISTANCE: 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers)

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, includes over 12,600 acres of water, salt marshes, freshwater and brackish water ponds, upland fields and woods, and open bay and islands. It is one of the largest bird habitats in the northeastern United States and is a great place to observe the seasonal bird migration as well as resident species. It is amazing that this place is within the city limits.

The nearest subway station, Broad Channel, is not accessible but is less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) by foot from the visitor center. The Q52 SBS and Q53 SBS buses all stop on Cross Bay Boulevard at the entrance to the Wildlife Refuge. Transfer to these buses from the subway at these fully accessible stations: Woodside - 61 Street (7 train, Long Island Rail Road) to Q53 SBS, Jackson Heights - Roosevelt Avenue (7, E, F, R trains) to Q53 SBS, Beach 67 Street (A train - Far Rockaway branch) to Q52 SBS, and Rockaway Park - Beach 116 Street (Rockaway Park shuttle) to Q53 SBS. Also transfer from the A train at Rockaway Boulevard (not accessible) to Q52 SBS and Q53 SBS. There is parking at the visitor center.

Wear sunscreen and a hat, and bring a water bottle. If you have binoculars, bring them!

All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours’ notice.

WHERE: Pelham and New Rochelle, New York

START: Pelham station (Metro North Railroad New Haven Line), accessible on the eastbound platform only

FINISH: New Rochelle station (Metro North Railroad New Haven Line), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers)

In November 2023 I did a walk in New Rochelle and Pelham, New York, primarily to see a basketball court in New Rochelle whose surface was designed by artist Scott Albrecht. See the post on the “Other Walks Around Town” page entitled “A Basketball Court and a Ghost Railway.” This walk will do that route in reverse, starting in leafy Pelham and walking to the basketball court, then stopping for lunch at Colombian House restaurant in New Rochelle before returning to Manhattan.

We’ll take the train to Stamford leaving Grand Central Terminal at 11.37. Buy a round-trip ticket to New Rochelle; the off-peak round-trip fare is $17.50 ($11.50 senior/disabled). Take the train to Pelham; we can meet on the train but I’ll wait a few minutes on the platform at Pelham before departing.

This will not be a fully accessible walk. Wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle.

All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours’ notice.

WHERE: Union City and Weehawken, New Jersey

MEETING POINT: World Trade Center PATH station, at the turnstiles, 11.30 AM sharp

START: Bergenline Avenue station (Hudson-Bergen Light Rail), fully accessible

FINISH: Somewhere in Union City, then New Jersey Transit bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Manhattan

DISTANCE: 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers)

On this walk we'll take PATH from the World Trade Center to Exchange Place, where we’ll transfer to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. The walk will start at the Bergenline Avenue light rail station, the only underground station on Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. This uses an old railroad tunnel under Bergen Hill, which is the southern end of the New Jersey Palisades. From there we’ll walk to Weehawken and climb the three stair streets there that I missed previously (see my post on this page entitled “The Stairs of Weehawken, Part 1”): Jefferson Street, Gregory Avenue, and Shippen Street. At the end we’ll have lunch in what looks to be a good place in Union City, Fork Hill.

The fare on PATH is $2.90. A pay-per-ride MetroCard is good on PATH. The fare on Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is $2.25 ($1.10 senior/disabled). Buy a ticket at the station and validate it before boarding. Payment is on the honor system but there is occasional fare enforcement, and failure to have a valid ticket can result in a $100 fine. At the end we’ll take the bus to Manhattan. The bus fare is $3.50 ($1.55 senior/disabled). If you have the NJ Transit app on your smartphone you can buy and validate a light rail or bus ticket that way.

This will not be a fully accessible walk. Wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle.

All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours’ notice.

START: Beach 67 Street subway station (A train), fully accessible

FINISH: Beach 116 Street - Rockaway Park subway station (S train), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 3.1 miles (5 kilometers)

On this walk we’ll start at a newly accessible subway station, Beach 67 Street, at Arverne-by-the-Sea in the Rockaways. From there we’ll walk along the boardwalk, stopping (probably) at The Rockaway Hotel for a restorative, then to the subway terminal at Beach 116 Street.

We’ll gather by the station booth at Beach 67 Street for a start promptly at 12 Noon. Note that only alternate A trains go to Far Rockaway; do not take a train going to Lefferts Boulevard. An alternate route to the starting point is the Q52 SBS bus from Queens. Transfer from the subway at Woodhaven Boulevard (R train) or Woodhaven Boulevard (J train). Take the bus to Beach 67 Street. We’ll take a close look at the accessibility improvements at this station before moving on.

All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice.

WHERE: Manhattan’s Chinatown, old and new

START: Fulton Street subway station (2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J trains), fully accessible

FINISH: Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall subway station (4, 5, 6 trains), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 3.3 miles (5.3 kilometers)

Those of you who follow this blog and join me on my walks know that the walk usually ends with a good meal off the beaten path. On this walk, food is the idea - along with some history. This walk was inspired by a recent item on radio station WNYC. We’ll at least walk past, if not visit, the three dumpling houses described on the radio: Jin Mei on Henry Street, North Dumpling on Essex Street, and Vanessa’s on Rivington Street. There are others on the route, like Deluxe Green Bo on Bayard Street, and plenty of history in plain sight. Come hungry and bring cash.

We’ll meet at the corner of William and Fulton Streets, in front of 150 Market, leaving promptly at 11.00. All are welcome but let me know you’re coming by signing up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSez9f2vWlehy8JZeBiJ_l4g9Q77bM4XeCA81FjaWl1OVuo_2w/viewform?usp=pp_url, and be on time.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice.

START: Kingsbridge Road subway station (D train), fully accessible

FINISH: 238 Street subway station (1 train)

DISTANCE: 3.3 miles (5.3 kilometers)

We’ll take in the northern part of the Grand Concourse, starting at the Poe Cottage and seeing a lot of Art Deco apartment buildings, then crossing to Williamsbridge Oval and back to Mosholu Parkway. We’ll walk past the Amalgamated Houses. the oldest limited equity housing cooperative in the United States, sponsored by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union starting in the 1920s. We’ll descend the West 238 Street stairs and proceed into Kingsbridge for lunch (probably) at the Kingsbridge Social Club.

We’ll meet at the Kingsbridge Road subway station (D train), by the station booth at the south (Kingsbridge Road) end of the station, and depart promptly at 12 Noon. All are welcome but let me know you’re coming and be on time.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled with 24 hours notice.

RESCHEDULED - RAIN FORECAST

WHERE: The Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie, New York

START/FINISH: Poughkeepsie station, Metro North Railroad and Amtrak (fully accessible)

DISTANCE: 3.1 miles (5 kilometers)

All are welcome; just let me know you’re coming and be on time.

Traveling by train between New York and Albany is one of the most scenic train rides in the United States, hugging the east bank of the Hudson River nearly the whole way. Along the way, one can see Bear Mountain, Storm King Mountain, and the United States Military Academy at West Point on the opposite shore. Midway between New York City and Albany is the city of Poughkeepsie, home of Vassar College and Marist College, and just south of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home at Hyde Park.

From the Poughkeepsie station we’ll walk to the Mid-Hudson Bridge, then west over the bridge to Highland, then uphill to the Walkway Over the Hudson, a magnificent pedestrian and bicycle path on the former Poughkeepsie railroad bridge. We’ll then go down to the river, on to lunch, and back to the train. This walk will make for a nice one-day holiday.

We’ll meet in the waiting room at the Poughkeepsie station for a departure at 1.10 PM. Metro North trains run hourly between Grand Central Terminal and Poughkeepsie; take the train leaving Grand Central at 10.50 and Harlem - 125 Street at 11.01, or take Amtrak from the Moynihan Train Hall (Pennsylvania Station), train 233 departing at 11.20. I will be on the Metro North train in the front-most open car. There is parking at the Poughkeepsie station if you prefer to drive.

WHERE: Ward’s Island and Randall’s Island, New York City

START: 96 Street subway station (Q train), fully accessible

FINISH: Brook Avenue subway station (6 train)

DISTANCE: 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers)

Ward’s Island and Randall’s Island used to be separated by a body of water called Little Hell Gate. That was mostly filled in during the 1960s. Today the combined island is given over to athletic facilities, a constructed salt marsh, a Fire Department training facility, the Manhattan Psychiatric Hospital, the Triborough and Hell Gate Bridges, and much more. We’ll walk there from Manhattan on the Ward’s Island Pedestrian Bridge, then walk north to the Randall’s Island Connector and lunch in the Bronx.

Meet at the station booth at 96 Street. All are welcome; just let me know you’re coming and be on time.

In the event of inclement weather this walk will be rescheduled. Check this page one day before the walk.

WHERE: The Third Avenue Bridge, the Manhattan leg of the Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) Bridge, and the Randall’s Island Connector

START: 3 Avenue - 138 Street subway station (6 train)

FINISH: Cypress Avenue subway station (6 train)

DISTANCE: 3.25 miles (5.15 kilometers)

Meet at the station booth at 3 Avenue - 138 Street station at 12.00 Noon. All are welcome; just let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather, this walk will be rescheduled. Check this page the day before.

This walk will take in three of New York City’s walkable bridges, the second of which I have biked across but never walked across. We’ll have lunch at the Bronx Brewery and Empanology, a gem in an otherwise drab industrial area.

WHERE: The West 167 Street stairs (Joker Stairs), High Bridge, and Highbridge Park

START: Yankee Stadium, Gate 6, northwest corner West 161 Street and River Avenue, Bronx (161 Street subway station, 4 and D trains, fully accessible)

FINISH: 168 Street subway station (A and C trains, fully accessible; 1 train, not accessible)

DISTANCE: 2.9 miles (4.7 kilometers)

All are welcome. Just let me know you’re coming and be on time. In the event of inclement weather, this walk will be rescheduled.

Join me on a return visit to the Joker Stairs, 132 steps up, which I climbed in October 2020 and October 2021; to the High Bridge, which I’ve visited a few times, and to Highbridge Park in Manhattan. We’ll swing by the historic Morris-Jumel Mansion before having lunch in Washington Heights. Several previous posts on this site describe these walks, and the post about the October 2021 walk has a short video.

NOTE: Due to planned structural work there will be no D train service north of 161 Street - Yankee Stadium. Plan your trip accordingly.

WHERE: The neighborhoods of Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside, in Queens.

START: Junction Boulevard subway station (7 train), fully accessible

FINISH: 61 Street - Woodside station (7 train and Long Island Rail Road), fully accessible

DISTANCE: 2.9 miles (4.3 kilometers)

All are welcome; just let me know you’re coming and be on time. We’ll meet at the station elevator at the corner of Junction Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue.

In the event of inclement weather, this walk will be rescheduled.

This walk is inspired by the excellent book The Intimate City: Walking New York by the architecture critic of The New York Times, Michael Kimmelman. We’ll walk through a fascinatingly diverse and changing area. We’ll also walk along a pioneering “open street” in New York City, 34 Avenue, meeting a lot of pedestrians and cyclists and dodging no cars.

This weekend, the 7 train will not run between Queensboro Plaza and Manhattan. To get to the 7 train from Manhattan, thence to the starting point, take the N or W train to Queensboro Plaza and cross the platform to the 7 train. Or take the E, F, or R train to Roosevelt Avenue and transfer upstairs to a Flushing-bound 7 train. Or take the Long Island Rail Road to Woodside and transfer upstairs to a Flushing-bound 7 train (the cost of a City ticket on the LIRR is $5.00).

START: Woodlawn subway station (4 train)

This will be a walk along the section of the Old Croton Aqueduct in Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, then on to the Manhattan College Steps (120 steps) and lunch at the An Beal Bocht cafe. The Aqueduct trail is dirt, not paved.

We’ll gather by the station booth at the Woodlawn subway station, then get the #4 Bee-Line bus leaving at 12.16 to near the trailhead. Bus fare is $2.75, payable with cash (exact change) or MetroCard (not OMNY). After lunch, we’ll go back down the Manhattan College Steps to the 238 Street subway station (1 train).

All are welcome; just let me know you’re coming and be on time. This will be rescheduled in the event of rain that day or up to 2 days before.