The Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26

The Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 is the home of the largest free public kayaking program in the world. Founded by volunteers in 1994, this nonprofit organization set out with the goal of reconnecting New Yorkers with the Hudson River at a time when the waterfront was largely inaccessible to the public. Since its inception, the boathouse has helped well over half a million people get out on the water. Operated entirely by volunteers, the program provides all the necessary equipment, from life jackets to lockers, at no cost to visitors.