• The River Road

  Bergen County, New Jersey

  The River Road offers bikers what most of us drive hours to observe: Hudson views, dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, wildflowers, lush greenery, and minimal traffic. To get there, bike north up the West Side greenway, cross the George Washington Bridge, exit at Hudson Terrace, and follow the sidewalk to the new pedestrian and bike path that turns into Henry Hudson Drive (a.k.a. the River Road) just south of the bridge. Meander north along the river for about eight miles, bearing left at every junction until you hit Alpine, where you can use the bathroom and refill your water bottle at the Palisades Interstate Parkway police station. (Note: A rockslide on the road won’t be cleared until spring.) As you make your way back along Route 9, take a breather a few blocks before the bridge at Strictly Bicycles (strictlybicycles.com), which opened last month. Pick up free maps for your next sojourn and sip an espresso on the outdoor patio, which opens in April, then make your way home via the bridge.

From the 2009 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine