New York adventures for daredevils and thrill-lovers

New York ain’t short of a skyscraping observation deck or six. There’s OG Art Deco icon the Empire State Building, for starters – an absolute must-visit if it’s your first time in town. And the mighty One World Observatory is where it’s at if you measure your thrills by how many feet high you can get (it’s the tippermost toppermost viewing deck in town, at over 1,250 feet tall).

But for the kind of gut-flipping kicks thrill-seeking dreams are made of, you’ll want to hit up Edge. Jutting out of the side of 30 Hudson Yards some 1,131 feet up, Edge is a nerve-jangling cantilevered platform with a couple of neat tricks that really give it (excuse the pun) an edge. Firstly, the nine-foot glass wall that surrounds the deck is actually angled outwards, meaning daredevils can lean out over the city streets below. There’s also a large triangular section of transparent glass flooring that gives the sensation of walking on air.

And if you really want to ramp it up, you can add on Edge’s City Climb experience, which sees willing victims participants scale the top of the building in what is the world’s highest open-air building ascent—a thrilling, near-vertical walk that ends with a heart-racing lean out over Manhattan. Yes, it’s as wild as it sounds. 

Similarly, the iconic Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Plaza has a couple of bonus adds. Standard views of Central Park and the Empire State Building not thrilling enough for ya? Ride the Skylift or brave The Beam (pictured) – if you dare…

Adrenaline needn’t always come from height or speed; sometimes it’s simply the thrill of an an iconic cityscape coupled with movement, music and, well, just trying to keep your balance on a slippery surface. During the winter season, the Rink at Rockefeller Center is one of the most atmospheric and energetic places to lace up your skates and let loose. Skating here puts you at the heart of Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by Art Deco towers and twinkling lights. Whether you’re mastering confident loops punctuated by the occasional pirouette or clinging to the railings for dear life, there’s something about the mix of public spectacle, chill air and classic New York scenery that feels electrifying. It’s the kind of experience that gets your heart pumping, especially if you’re skating at night with the city lights glittering all around you.

There are plenty of thrills to be had at RiseNY, Times Square’s quite excellent museum about the city’s cultural impact, from the advent of the New York subway through fashions sported by Madonna, Biggie and Beyoncé via a replica of the sofa from Friends and an actual check signed by Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. But it’s the simulated ride over Manhattan’s rooftops you’ll still be talking about long after all memories of Cardi B’s bodysuit have faded. Putting the ‘rise’ in RiseNY, the museum’s grand finale invites you to strap in for a 4D journey that sees you lifted 40 feet into the air, before swooping and soaring over wraparound 8k aerial footage of New York through the seasons. Eyes peeled for technicolor fall foliage, snowy winter scenes, spring cherry blossoms and more. You’ll see the Empire State Building, Lady Liberty, the Times Square New Year Ball Drop, fireworks over the East River, and tons more cool stuff besides. Awesome. 

If you’ve ever looked at the Hudson River and thought, ‘I want to ride that’, you’re in luck. An ultra high-energy twin-engined speedboat, The Beast is one of the most high-adrenaline ways to explore the New York skyline: from the water, at full throttle. It’s fast, it’s splashy, and it gives you a whole new appreciation for the city’s waterfront. 

The Beast is a lean, mean, green machine with bite (it literally has teeth painted on the side). It’s New York’s only jet-powered speedboat attraction, and whizzes you rapidly downriver from Pier 83, hitting speeds of up to 40 knots as you zoom past Manhattan’s southern tip, and giving you incredible (if occasionally rather blurred) views of the famous Manhattan skyline. Fear not though, Insta fans: the boat slows down to allow snaps of icons including the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. The best of boat worlds, in other words (sorry).

Prefer to get your kicks on terra firma? You could always opt to cut about Central Park on an electric scooter instead.

If you think strolling the streets of New York is exciting, just wait until you see the city from the sky. A helicopter tour over Manhattan offers one of the most exhilarating and unforgettable ways to take in that iconic skyline. The sensation of lifting off from a Manhattan helipad and soaring over the city’s most recognizable landmarks is pure adrenaline.

You’ll fly right over the Statue of Liberty, sweep past the tip of Lower Manhattan, cruise up the Hudson River, and circle landmarks like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Central Park, and One World Trade Center. Some tours even loop around Yankee Stadium or extend into the Bronx and Brooklyn. And because many tours use helicopters with floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll get crystal-clear views (and incredible photos) from every angle. 

Adrenaline rushes… but make them old-school. Coney Island’s smorgasbord of entertainments has been captivating kids of all ages since way back in the late 19th Century. Scream if you want to go faster on Luna Park’s century-old Cyclone roller coaster, take a spin on the 150-foot Wonder Wheel at Deno’s, and unleash your inner kid at shooting galleries and playing nostalgic arcade classics. There are also log flumes, a rib tickler, a pirate ship and, well, pretty much every other fairground ride a thrillseeker can dream of, and gut-flipping names like Sling Shot and Thunderbolt should give you some idea of what to expect.

Still hungry for more? Fortify yourself with trad hot dogs and funnel cakes then make for the Electric Eden Raceway. New York City’s first electric-powered go-kart track is packed with twists, hairpin turns, and fast straightaways designed to give you just enough room to floor it, slam the brakes, and drift your way into bragging rights.

So we’ve covered thrills and spills; now it’s time to tick off chills. The Ghosts of Greenwich Village tour is a spooky night stroll around favorite local haunts of restless spirits and the undead. Costumed guides lead you down silent alleys and crooked lanes where lamplight flickers atmospherically overhead, regaling you with macabre tales of Greenwich Village lore. How did the House of Death earn its gruesome nickname? Who is the gray man of Greenwich Village? And has Edgar Allen Poe really become the star of his very own ghost story at New York University’s Furman Hall? You’ll discover all this and more on your creepy evening constitutional, which also calls at Washington Square Park, formerly a plague burial ground, and the infamous Hanging Tree, an English elm that presided over hundreds of hangings during the 18th Century.

For those willing to venture further beyond the city limits in search of a rush, whitewater rafting in the Hudson River Gorge delivers a full-body, full-scream adventure. Located about 4–5 hours north of Manhattan in the Adirondacks, this remote stretch of the Hudson River offers rapids that twist, crash and surge between towering cliffs and through pristine wilderness. It’s nature at its wildest, and you’ll be right in the thick of it. 

The Hudson River Gorge is one of the best spring rafting destinations in the Northeast, especially from April through mid-June, when snowmelt swells the river and transforms even tame stretches into frothy, churning chaos. Later in the summer, the water calms slightly, but still packs enough punch for a thrilling day out. Either way, brace yourself for cold spray, and paddle like your life depends on it (it doesn’t, but it sure can feel that way in the moment). 

Trips are run by seasoned local companies like Beaver Brook Outfitters and Adirondack River Outfitters, who provide all the gear you’ll need, as well as that all-important guide who’ll help you keep your raft upright. Most full-day trips include a riverside lunch and time for soaking in the scenery before diving back in for another drenching.