NYC’s Healthiest Neighborhoods
A healthy lifestyle usually means more than just going to the gym and eating well. You might not think so, but the environment you live in plays a huge role when trying to stay healthy. It’s no secret that New York City can be overwhelming and far from relaxing at times. The concrete jungle surely has its ways of keeping your mind and body active. The variety of parks, outside activities, and healthy food options are everywhere. So how can you keep a more vigorous routine amid the chaos? Take the time to explore what each neighborhood has to offer. You might be surprised to learn that life in the Big Apple is healthier than you think.
Healthy Food Options
Dollar pizza is one of the best things in the city but it’s certainly not the way to healthy living. Fortunately, NYC is one of the most diverse places when it comes to food options. Ideal for healthy eaters, Midtown and Lower Manhattan are both filled with fresh and quick options like the unique veggie sushi chain Beyond Sushi and Dig Inn, a local favorite serving seasonal American food. Still, downtown, neighborhoods like Chelsea, Soho, and both the East and West Village are go-to areas for a healthy bite – favorites like By Chloe, Westbourne, Sweetgreen, and ABCv are incredibly popular spots for people of all ages in the area. And the best thing about NYC? You don’t need to live close to these neighborhoods to have a healthy meal – services like Safe Way, a chef-designed meal kit delivery, are here to make your life easier and healthier.
Parks
There is no healthier feeling than going for a run outside. Sometimes it is good to simply just take time to be around nature. Despite its reputation as a chaotic big city, New York is home to a variety of parks and squares. Within these spaces, you can quickly forget that you live in one of the largest cities in the world. Blessed with two of the most amazing parks in town, the Upper West Side is surrounded by both Central Park and Riverside Park while all the way Downtown, the Financial District is gifted with Battery Park, Pumphouse Park, Rockefeller Park, and City Hall Park. Outside of the island, other neighborhoods also have great access to nature like Astoria and its glorious Astoria Park. In addition, Astoria is directly connected to one of the locals’ favorite weekend getaways, Randall’s Island. In Brooklyn, areas like Park Slope are at an advantage with massive Prospect Park as their neighbor while Brooklyn Heights is surrounded by the Promenade, the Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Cadman Plaza Park.
Fitness
According to StreetEasy, New York is one of the most walkable cities in the world and most neighborhoods encourage a healthy lifestyle with bike rentals all over town. Still, the outer boroughs are always a better option when it comes to biking and ample outside space. Topping StreetEasy’s list, Red Hook stunts as the neighborhood with the most bike lanes and public park space per capita. Another big factor when it comes to healthy living is the convenience of gyms and other health facilities around you. Places like Crunch Fitness are ideal in this case: with multiple locations spanning from Upper Manhattan to Brooklyn, the gym offers the advantage of using any of the facilities with a membership. For Yoga lovers, Murray Hill and the East Village are home to a special local secret: with many Yoga Studios, this hidden NYC gem offers free yoga classes and meditation sessions every day of the week.