Accessibility InfoNYC Parks Resources for Seniors
NYC Parks offers a variety of programs for older adults to keep active, healthy, social and engaged in their community. From sports to nature walks, from dancing under the stars to laps in the pool, older adults can continue to lead physically active lives through sports, fitness, and outdoor adventure.
Recreation Centers
NYC Parks offers older adults the most affordable and extensive network of recreation facilities throughout the city. A senior membership is $25 a year for anyone age 62 and older and allows access to all 33 of our recreation centers across the city. Our centers have extensive programs for seniors, including fitness rooms, indoor pools, computer resource centers, indoor tracks, basketball courts, game rooms, and a variety of fitness classes.
Recreation Center membership information
Fitness
Walk NYC spring-fall, various locations
Walk NYC is a seasonal, age-friendly, program that encourages New Yorkers of all ages to get fit while enjoying the outdoors. Reach your goal of walking 10,000 steps a day and meet other people who are also looking for the same fitness benefits.
Walk NYC locations and schedules
Shape Up NYC year-round, various locations
Shape Up NYC offers free fitness classes every week at dozens of locations across the five boroughs. Class offerings are varied and include Yoga and Feldenkrais, an age-friendly class that emphasizes body and alignment awareness through movement. Volunteer nutritionists lead seminars on healthy eating on a budget, weight loss, and healthy eating during the holidays – advice that is useful at any age.
Shape Up NYC locations and schedules
City Parks Foundation Senior Fitness
Join City Parks Foundation's Senior Fitness program, and participate in free tennis lessons, yoga instruction, and fitness walking at locations throughout the city. Register now for this popular program, offered in the spring and fall.
City Parks Foundation Senior Fitness programs
BeFitNYC
Look for free and low-cost fitness activities in New York City with BeFitNYC, New York's fitness search engine. With BeFitNYC, you can find programs, facilities, and leagues geared towards seniors, and find the fitness activity that's right for you.
Swimming
Swimming helps alleviate pain, improve circulation, and promote healing and muscle development for those suffering from physical ailments resulting from injury, disease, or aging. Find an age-friendly swimming program that's right for you.
Senior Swim summer, select outdoor pools
The Senior Splash program offers water exercise classes and swim instruction for senior citizens. Additional activities include lap swimming and water ballet. In addition, Senior Swim Hours are available at select locations to offer adults a stress-free, quieter time to socialize swim, stretch, and enjoy the benefits of water in NYC Parks’ outdoor pools. The programs are open to everyone over the age of 62.
Senior swimming program locations and schedules
Adult Lap Swim summer, select outdoor pools
During the summer pool season, NYC Parks offers early bird and night owl swimming at outdoor pools. Pools are open during before-work and after-work hours to allow adults (18+) to swim laps for fitness. These hours offer a great opportunity for older adults to swim for fitness outside of the Senior Swim or Senior Splash programs.
Adult Lap Swim locations and schedules, and registration
Adapted Aquatics select pools, year-round
Adapted Aquatics offers swim instruction and water aerobics for people of varying abilities. Though this is not a program specifically designed for older adults, those with physical limitations can benefit from the type of instruction offered through this program.
Events
Outdoor Movies
NYC Parks’ Recreation Division offers approximately 25 outdoor movies at parks across the city. Parks will be providing a minimum of 25 chairs at each of its movies for seniors, pregnant women, and disabled individuals.
Upcoming Movies in the Park events
Senior Events
Thousands of events are held in NYC Parks each year for people of all ages. Browse through a list of events that welcome seniors, and make your next outing in a park near you!
Nature Centers
Nature centers make the urban environment accessible to New Yorkers of all ages. In particular, the Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn and the Inwood Hill Nature Center have exhibits that older adults can enjoy. Urban Park Ranger Programs also offer low impact active recreation activities such as bird watching and nature walks. In addition to posting events on the NYC Parks website, the Urban Park Rangers publish a quarterly newsletter advertising their programs to the public.
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