Layover at Kennedy Airport? Exercise Outdoors!
JFK Holiday Travel Workout- Golf, Beach, HorseRiding, Nature Hike
Sep 22, 2009
Airport layovers happens all the time, at Thanksgiving and Christmas, on Memorial Day and the 4th of July. And, when taking a multi-leg trip, say from the west coast to Europe, it might make sense to spend a night near Kennedy Airport to break up the trip. But being delayed for a few hours or a day doesn't necessarily mean being stuck at JFK airport! Within a short cab ride of Kennedy Airport, one can golf, swim, ride horses, walk through a nature preserve or go to an Atlantic Ocean beach. And, it's easy to find great ethnic restaurants in Jackson Heights, Woodside, and Flushing, as well as museums nearby.
And for those excited by President Obama's recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize, it's possible to walk by (but not go inside) where the first-ever African American Nobel Peace Laureate lived; see, home of Ralph Bunche.
Destinations For Outdoors Exercise Near Kennedy Airport
It may seem like a world unto itself, but actually, JFK airport is in New York City. To be precise, it is located in the borough of Queens, one of the least understood, most overlooked, and most interesting non-Manhattan outposts of the Big Apple.
And while every airport seems the same, Kennedy Airport happens to be just a half-hour away from some very interesting tourist destinations. Not far from JFK, there are places to eat, museums to visit, places to take the kids for a romp. So don't sulk in the airport or check into a dreary airport hotel that could be Anywhere, USA. Explore New York!
Travelers with four hours, a half day or a full day between flights can get some fresh air and exercise very close to Kennedy Airport.
Play Golf Near JFK Airport
At the public Forest Park Golf Course, (718) 224-6566, in the neighborhood called Forest Hills (famous for tennis), visitors can rent clubs and play nine holes. It's about twenty minutes by cab from JFK.
Go Horseback Riding Near JFK Airport
Rent a horse for a ride through beautiful Forest Park in Forest Hills, just nine miles from JFK. Horses are rented by the half hour.
For information, call D&D Stables, (718) 263-3500, or see Forest Park Equine Center.
Go to an Atlantic Ocean Beach Near JFK Airport
Take a swim, a stroll or a run along an Atlantic Ocean boardwalk at Rockaway Beach, or Riis Park, about a half-hour cab ride away.
But a safety note: swim only when lifeguards on duty, 9am-5 pm in the summer months, as there are occasionally deadly rip tides.
Explore a National Park Near JFK Airport
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Center in the Rockaways, a wildlife preserve, is about a twenty-minute cab ride from JFK. One can take a nature trail hike through this oddly isolated and beautiful section of Gateway National Park, a National Park Service facility.
Practical Information
- Getting Cabs-It’s easy to hail a cab at the airport to get to a local destination. But, of course, one has to get back on time. So, it's a good idea to get a business card from the cab driver when leaving JFK, in order to arrange for a return with ample time to go through airport security again.
- Luggage-Because of changing security requirements, check the airline for information about checking bags through, or checking them at a specific JFK terminal.
- Showers-Those lucky enough to have access to a JFK airport lounge can even schedule time for a shower between exercising and the next flight. There are public showers at Riis Park in the summer.
There are dozens of destinations near JFK in Queens without ever bothering with the hassle of getting into and out of Manhattan. If you have a long layover at Kennedy Airport, you can get some exercise: stretch your legs, play golf, ride a horse, walk through a park or beach comb at one of NYC's most famous public beaches, Riis Park on the Atlantic Ocean.
Select Airlines at Kennedy Airport
- Aer Lingus
- Aeroflot
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aero Mexico
- Air Europa
- Air China
- Air France
- Air India
- Air Jamaica
- Alitalia
- American
- ANA (All Nippon)
- Austrian Airlines
- British Airways
- Caribbean
- Cathay Pacific
- Cayman Airways
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- Czech Airlines
- Delta
- Egyptair
- El Al
- Emirates
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Icelandair
- Japan Airlines
- Jet Airways
- JetBlue
- Jet Blue
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Kuwait Airways
- Lan Chile
- Lan Ecuador
- Lan Peru
- L'Avion
- Lufthansa
- Mexicana
- North American
- Northwest
- Olympic
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- Sun Country
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TACA International
- TAM
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- US Helicopter
- Uzbekistan
- Virgin America
- Virgin Atlantic
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