25 outdoor things to do before summer ends

	1 through 5: The best bike trail in the city—and out. Plus, climb the New York Times building, sans arrest, and hang with skate rats.
	6 through 12: Try parkour and kiteboarding, board a sea excursion for sailors of any stripe, and hike through history.
	13 through 17: Go camping for under a hundo, mount a horse, or roll around in the sand at three quiet beaches.
	18 through 20: Fire up a hot-air balloon right in Central Park, brave the Beast and tube down the Delaware.
	21 through 25: Find the most efficient way to burn off the hot dogs and ice cream, and savor the summer nights with a “drinking club with a running problem.”

Photograph: Dave Sanders

1. Bike here now

The best biking trails outside the city that you can get to via public transportation.

Route 9W to Nyack
Cross the breathtaking George Washington Bridge, then pedal 44 miles up Route 9W through the leafy, peaceful Hudson River Valley. For trail map, visit nysdot.gov

Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Cruise through lush Dutchess County on a rail bed converted to a butter-smooth paved path. Metro-North Harlem line to Wassaic; for trail map, call 518-789-9591 or visit hvrt.org

North County Trailway
This 22-mile path follows the bygone New York and Putnam Railroad, paralleling the placid Saw Mill and Pocantico Rivers. Metro-North Hudson line to Tarrytown; for trail map, call 914-864-7275 or visit westchestergov.com/parks

Bronx River Pathway
Few rides are as relaxed and lovely as this trail, nestled against the Bronx River. Metro-North to Hartsdale; for trail map, call 914-864-7275 or visit westchestergov.com/parks

Bethpage Bikeway
This path passes through the Massapequa Preserve’s pine barrens and freshwater wetlands. LIRR to Massapequa; for info, call 516-249-0701; for trail map, visit nysdot.gov