Trips & Special Events

The Kayak Foundation offers individual tailored small group kayak trips in
New York Harbor—check out some of our offerings. Our trips usually launch from our dock at Brooklyn Bridge Park, with participants paddling sit on top kayaks. Kayak trips always take into account prevailing tides and current, which change daily. Interested in a small group trip? Contact us at info@thekayakfoundation.org for information and availability.

Beginner Kayak Trips

(no experience needed and tons of fun for all!)

Red Hook Kayak Trip

Our most popular kayak trip—easy enough for beginners but exciting for everyone. We launch south through Buttermilk Channel, passing historic waterfront warehouses & the entrance to Atlantic Basin, ending at Valentino Pier beach in Red Hook. There is an approx. 1-hour break to explore Red Hook before returning to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Some trips may make an additional stop at Governors Island.
Duration: Round trip is approx 3 miles, 3-5 hours.
Price: $125

Red Hook “Shoes & Shirt Required” Paddle

Join us for dinner! We take a late day paddle down to the hip ‘hood and choose from the many delicious dining options. After eating well, and perhaps taking an after dinner stroll, we paddle home to Brooklyn Bridge Park as the sun begins to set. (Return may be after dark.)
Duration: Round trip is approximately 3 miles, 5 hours
Price: $125

Governor’s Island Kayak Trip

Just across Buttermilk Channel from Brooklyn Bridge Park lies historic and beautiful Governors Island. Why travel by ferry when you could paddle? Bonus: for newly adventurous SUP paddlers we can arrange a round-trip kayak escort and guide.
Duration: Round trip is approximately 1 mile, hours dependent on Island stay.
Price: $125

Intermediate & Advanced Trips

North Brooklyn Kayak Trips

This kayak trip takes paddlers up Brooklyn’s East River shoreline, passing under the Brooklyn, Manhattan & Williamsburg bridges. We paddle past the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard & the gleaming new shoreline of Williamsburg, landing at the public access foot of Manhattan Ave for a break & bite to eat. We’ll wait for the tide to reverse before returning. This trip is recommended for those in good physical condition, and you must be comfortable paddling your kayak for up to 2 hours.
Duration: Round trip is approx 8 miles, 5-7 hours.
Price: $125

Statue Of Liberty Kayak Trip

Visiting the Statue of Liberty is always special, but never more so than when you arrive in your own kayak. It is a thrilling experience to see Lady Liberty from the water. On this kayak trip we make a wide loop around the upper harbor, usually circling in back of the statue before returning. Though not a long trip, the mid-harbor waves and wakes, and prevailing westerly breezes, will give every paddler a challenge as well as amazing views of the Statue, Ellis Island, Governors Island, and lower Manhattan.
Duration (no break): 3-4 hours.
Price: $125

New York Harbor Circumnavigation Kayak Trip (Advanced)

We explore the active and bustling working harbor of New York and New Jersey, beginning the kayak trip on an ebb tide with a transit of the upper harbor. We will paddle past the island of the Tall Lady and perhaps take a short break at Liberty State Park. From there we will paddle south past the busy piers, gantry cranes, and cruise ship slips along the New Jersey side of the harbor. From there we cross the northern shore of Staten Island with a stop at the Alice Austen House in the shadow of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge for a rest. When the current is with us we cross to Brooklyn and take in that borough’s working waterfront until we arrive back at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Duration: 8 hours
Price: $175

Manhattan Circumnagivation Kayak Trip (Advanced)

Pretty self-explanatory—we paddle around the island of Manhattan! Timed so that we are aided by favorable currents, we see NYC from a very unique perspective crossing under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro Bridge before taking a break at Hallets Cove and Socrates Sculpture Park. After we head up the Harlem River through the dramatic landscape at the Northern Tip of Manhattan. From there we take a left at Spuyten Duyvil (Spouting Devil). Don’t worry. We’ll make sure it isn’t spuytening. We proceed down the Hudson, under the George Washington Bridge all the way to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan. From there it’s a brief crossing to where it all began.
Duration: 12 hours
Price: $175

Address & Directions

We are located at One15 Brooklyn Marina, 159 Bridge Park Dr, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Whether you enter from Pier 6 located near Atlantic Avenue or Old Fulton Street, follow the path to the One15 Brooklyn Marina between piers 3 and 5. You’ll know it when you arrive: you’ll see the moored sailboats.

Classes and programs typically meet at our home base at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. Your guide or instructor will provide information upon registration.

Nearby Transportation

There is indoor public parking at the One Brooklyn Bridge Park residential tower. Free parking in the neighborhood near the park is extremely limited and cannot be counted on, but you could try. We highly recommend taking public transportation, biking or walking to the park. BBP is accessible by subway (A/C to High Street, F to York Street or 2/3 to Clark Street train station) bus (nearest buses are the B25, B61, B63, B67) or arrive by East River Ferry or NY Water Taxi.

Biking

If biking is your preferred means of transportation then the Brooklyn Bridge Park is the perfect place for you. Whether you enter from the North or South Entrance of the park, there’s a bike path that will lead you to Pier 4.

Make your Kayak or SUP program reservation today. Interested in a private
trip or program? Contact us at info@kayakfoundation.org