Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that you can’t get in on the fun of summer camp-style activities. We’ve found the best ways to replicate the experience in the city, from arts and crafts to team sports — no bunk beds or sewing name tags in your underwear required!
Flag football
Sign up for one of the seven-week sessions organized by the NYC Social Sports Club (www.nycsocialsportsclub.com) for your chance at no-contact — they promise! — gridiron glory. Plus, unlike when you were a kid, postgame drinks are encouraged.
Archery
Out in Ozone Park, Pro Line Archery (www.archeryny.com, 718-845-9280) has leagues for serious shooters, but novices can get a taste of the Hunger Games by giving the bow and arrow a whirl for just $13, plus $7 for equipment rental.
Kayaking
The Downtown Boathouse (www.downtownboathouse.org) offers New Yorkers the opportunity to try kayaking in the Hudson River for free at one of three designated areas in the city. All they ask is that you know how to swim and that you strap on a life vest. If there are people waiting, you’ll have to return the kayak after 20 minutes — but if you’re not an experienced rower, that’s probably enough of a workout.
Jewelry making
Just off of Union Square, Beads of Paradise (www.beadsofparadisenyc.com, 212-620-0642) offers a two-hour Sunday afternoon course in “findings,” those little metal bits that pull together a piece of jewelry. For $75, you’ll have the chance to make your own necklace, bracelet or earrings. You get to take home your creation, plus a set of tools and a bead organizer box.
Biking
Fifteen dollars buys two hours on a powder-blue, three-speed rental bike on Governors Island (www.govisland.com). We suggest making a couple of loops around the perimeter, then taking a break at Little Eva’s on the Southwest tip of the island for grilled corn and fresh oysters — with a view of Lady Liberty.
Horseback riding
While there are plenty of places to ride horses in the five boroughs, Kensington Stables (www.kensingtonstables.com, 718-972-4588), housed in a barn built in 1930, offers a new way to enjoy Prospect Park, with trail rides for just $37 an hour.
