Cliffside Park, NJ Outdoor Activities

Since 1973, archers have lined up to hone their shots at the front of Victory Archers' 12 regulation-size lanes. The arrow-slingers who line up there aren’t just a random collection of archers––though the indoor range does hold open shooting on Wednesday nights––but a community of archers drawn from leagues, lessons, and a group of members who team up not only to shoot, but also to maintain the facility. The real-world results from the community-based lessons and sans-leotard practice sessions have been impressive, as evidenced by the 17-point buck and other wild trophies that have been felled by club members.

EscapeMaker.com facilitates transit-friendly and sustainable excursions within 500 miles of New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, or DC with their online guide to the northeast United States. The staff reviews towns and plunges deep into popular regions to unearth the most compelling and budget-balancing activities around as well as intriguing sights. An EscapeMaker feature aids trip planning by custom aggregating each step of the trip into one handy document, ensuring that sojourners always have helpful info on hand, such as phone numbers, directions, and translations of campfire songs in local languages. In addition to their stalwart guidance, EscapeMaker.com also hosts weekly specials from bed and breakfasts, hotels, and other travel enterprises.

As the snow-white prow of the ship slices through the slate-gray waters of Sheepshead Bay, waves lap up and kiss the green lettering on the side reading Sea Queen VII. Helmed by seasoned skipper Captain Steve, the 85-foot vessel is on one of its family-oriented fishing expeditions. Captain Steve and his knowledgeable crew ensure the ship's safe passage as passengers focus on casting their lines from the wide beam or basking in the fresh air breezing across the sun deck. The mouthwatering aromas of pizza and grilled burgers flood the ship's galley, beckoning guests to take a break from fishing for a casual bite to eat. Accommodating all schedules and fishing preferences, Captain Steve takes passengers out on morning and afternoon trips as well as late night excursions to reel in nocturnal fish and insomniac merpeople.

Great New York Tours' guides with oodles of gossip, fact, and lore lead convoys past the mammoth skyscrapers of New York, sauntering by sites and venues important to culinary history and pop-cultural moments trapped in time. With eclectic tours to choose from—such as the New York Ghost Walk and Hipsters Food Tour of Williamsburg—visitors and locals indulge in both the mysterious and fantastical sides of one of the world's most storied cities. Great New York Tours also offers private tours, as well as chauffeured tours for an intimate way to encounter the city while avoiding running into King Kong on the street.

From the water, the fireworks seem close, as though you could open your mouth and catch the glittering cascades of light on your tongue. The humid night of July 4 envelops the Pink Lady as she bobs gracefully in the Hudson River, her passengers oohing and ahhing at the display unfolding in the starless sky above. Freedom Cruises’s seasoned captains and crews pilot yachts along fluvial highways during scenic cruises on holidays and sightseeing journeys throughout the week. The company’s roster of aquatic sojourns—including the comprehensive three-hour New York Harbor Sightseeing Cruise—enables guests to take in the city’s most iconic buildings from a unique perspective without holding a helicopter pilot’s collection of sunglasses the whole time. Yachts hosting the weekend Brunch on the Bay cruises leave the sounds of live DJs and popping champagne corks in their wake as they float past Coney Island, and groups of revelers can rent out the Pink Lady for private parties celebrating all manner of milestone.

As they lead groups through the heart of Times Square, Manhattan Walking Tours' licensed guides tailor their narration to the interests of each of their up to eight participants. They follow an organic, ever-changing tour route as they answer questions one-on-one and strike up conversation with each urban adventurer, eschewing common tour-guide tactics such as screaming the names of U.S. presidents. As they navigate city history from 42nd Street to 47th Street, the guides use their experience as actors and city museum historians to entertain and educate their small groups. They're also undeterred by parades and seasonal events, taking alternate routes when necessary to cast a light on the history of often-unseen landmarks. At times, they venture right into the special-event happenings to grant visitors a glimpse into city culture.

Over the course of each tour, guides expound on some of the city's oldest architecture, pointing out buildings in the Paramount and Beaux-Arts styles among other stone and glass structures dating back to the late 1800s. Underneath vibrant billboards and twinkling theater marquees, they reveal secrets of the famed theater industry, such as why Sardi's Restaurant became the place for theater artists to wait for their reviews. They also let guests in on ancient questions such as why the city decided to drop a ball on New Year's Eve, how Times Square got its name, and which pizza chef the Tony Awards were named after.