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Guided River Escapes


Catskills vibes.
No crowds or cars.

While we’ve had some experience with water craft in the past, kayaking on the lower Hudson and around NYC has turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences ever. We are so grateful to MKC for providing multi-level trips (suitable for various experience levels), quality equipment and the best guides, who shepherd us safely in a complex and variable environment.

Peace of mind on open water.
No loudspeakers or megaphones.

 

#1 Kayak Tour in America – USA Today
Expert guides keep you safe.

 

Just off the Greenway in Midtown.
Gear & facilities included.

 

🟢  Beginner

Scenic Casual Escapes
1 to 2 Miles Round Trip

Glide past Midtown’s 360° 3D views.
Starts with a lesson and outfitting.
🟢  No experience needed.

🟦  Intermediate

Build Your Instinct
2–10 Miles Round Trip

Water workouts on the Hudson.
Lunch at beaches and eateries.
🟦  Req: 3 classes or screening.

⬥  Advanced

Hone Your Endurance
10–18 Miles Round Trip

Half-day trips from GWB to Liberty.
High intensity. Serious core power.
◆  Req: 4+ Intermed. trips in 2026.

⬥⬥ Expert

Own The Harbor
18–33 Miles Round Trip

Elite expeditions where few go.
Push your limits over long distance.
◆◆  Req: 3+ Advanced trips in 2026.

2026 Trip Schedule

Trips for all levels from May 1–Oct 31. Intermediate and expert off-season paddling Nov 1–April 30 in wetsuits and drysuits.

Beginner Trips:
Scenic Casual Escape

Fully guided from start to finish. We outfit you, teach you, and stay by your side on the water. Paddle solo or tandem in our most stable, wobble-free kayaks.
No paddling or swimming skills needed.

Intermediate Trips:
Build Your Instinct

We ride sea kayaks and paddleboards along the Manhattan skyline and under infinite skies. Our season runs 12 months a year, using specialized wetsuits and drysuits to stay safe in every temperature.
Ready to join? Complete 3 classes or pass our screening.

Advanced Trips:
Hone Your Endurance

Sea kayaks and paddleboards–expect the water wilderness to test you.
Ready? Complete 4+ intermediate trips in 2026 or pass our screening.

Expert Trips: Own the Harbor

Sea kayaks and paddleboards–the path to storing your own boat here and paddling on your own schedule.
Think you’re ready? Complete 3+ advanced trips in 2026 or pass our screening.

The beginning of a movement. David Lee Roth in a red Klepper sea kayak in the Upper New York Bay, looking back at the camera with his trademark grin. A hazy Downtown Manhattan skyline is on the horizon. David wears a backwards blue cap, sunglasses, and a bulky orange PFD. This rock star was Eric Stiller’s first paying client. David asked Eric take him on many unconventional explorations, e.g. from Gansevoort to Coney Island in the darkness of night. Also, David would urge Eric to pull up along shore so they could eat and drink even when there was no place to land. Many of Manhattan Kayak Co’s trip routes today were discovered through these two men’s adventures NYC together.

Kayaking… all the way across that booming channel, underneath the Verrazzano Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty in the snow… It’s reaching through all the waves of time, you know. And it makes me feel timeless. Everything goes away. I’m part of history somehow.
 
Circling Manhattan by the full moon in the summertime. That’s where you can touch the history.
 
— David Lee Roth, Crazy From the Heat