8 Classes You Can Take Outdoors in NYC

Taking care of your passions and hobbies is just as important as taking care of the other things that keep you occupied on a daily basis, but with the warm weather out, we thought it would be nice to see what classes you can take outdoors in NYC.

New York City has pretty great weather, although we do have to note there’s no messing around with those winter months. The rest of the year, however, is full of good opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, even if that’s only to walk in Central Park.

Making sure you make time to enjoy your passions, however, is also important, whether we’re talking about art, exercising, photography, and so on. While there are plenty of locations across New York City holding such classes inside stuffy rooms, we thought it would be nice to also take into consideration some outdoor classes where you can mix your passions with your desire to breathe some fresh air.

Since we’re talking about spending time outdoors, we thought you might also take into consideration these 15 best indoor and outdoor water parks in and around New York City, because swimming is always fun.

In order to create our list today we took a look at Class Curious, a site that gives you the opportunity to find all types
of classes for whatever interests you. We also reverted to good old Google to find even more cool stuff to do around the city. That being said, here are 8 classes you can take outdoors in NYC.

8. B2 Events

The first on our list is B2 Events, a place that organizes fun classes, excursions and more to help parents and kids bond while spending time together.

There are cake decorating classes, yoga classes, kitchen time classes where you get to prepare a meal together and enjoy it with friends, and so on.

The place also organizes outdoorsy city hikes, taking you and your buddies for a cook hike in Inwood Park, for instance. The guide can show you where the Indian Caves are and teach you more about the native New Yorkers. You’ll even learn how to make a fire.

Prices are only available via request, so you may want to call them up if they bring something to the table you
think you’d enjoy.

7. In Focus Visions

Up next on our list of classes you can take outdoors in NYC is In Focus Visions, a business that’s been around for three years. The location organizes and teaches workshops to encourage photographers to learn more about the trade, and organizes tours to exciting locations to put the theory to work.

For instance, there’s a workshop that lasts two hours and costs $100 which will have you take pictures of the sunset in Central Park. Rain or shine, the workshop takes place, with the two instructors offering some waterproofing suggestions if the weather isn’t in your favor that day.

They even have a class called “Iphoneography” since so many people use their smartphones to take pictures. Given the high quality of the lenses on these devices, it’s no wonder, really. The 2-hour workshop will have you go over multiple apps and learn how to edit your iPhone photos to make them brighter, clearer and so on.

For those who are hoping to turn photography into a business, they’re also putting together a class for this, where they’ll cover accounting, insurance, creating an LLC, writing and signing contracts, specific case studies, how to acquire new clients, and so on, while also answering any questions you may have.

6. Art of Intuitive Photography

Over at Art of Intuitive Photography, at one of the classes you can take outdoors in NYC, they offer classes for both adults and children. For instance, they have a class on digital photography for beginners which goes for $100 and lasts 3 hours. They’ll teach you everything you need to know about your camera.

However, they also offer outdoor classes, because there’s nothing better than to take pictures of the nature around us or the city. The $75 Intuitive photography walkabout is dedicated to all skill levels and lasts for two hours during which you’ll get to explore fun locations around the city, take pictures of people, landscapes, and so on.

They also organize photo tours which last two hours, half a day or a full day, during which you’ll tour the area of New York City which interests you the most. You’ll have to contact them directly to schedule such a trip, which can be dedicated to you alone or a small group you’ve put together.

5. Remedies Herb Shop

There are so many things you can do in New York City, but did beekeeping pop up on your list of possibilities? Well, it seems this is absolutely possible and you can even take a class about how you can organize it all right in your own backyard.

The class organized by Remedies Herb Shop takes place in the backyard of a local beekeeper on Wyckoff Street. You’ll get to learn about small batch honey harvesting and the products of the hive that you can use on an everyday basis. The class is supposed to be about two hours long and costs $35.

They also organize a “Herbal weekend” in the Catskills mountains which costs $180 plus accommodations. The trip includes learning about using food as medicine, learning about medicinal mushrooms and other plants by walking the trails.

4. New York Botanical Garden

Everyone has heard of the Botanical Gardens and (hopefully) visited at least once. What not everyone knows is that they organize a lot of courses, from soap making to drawing and learning about vegetables and harvests.

For instance, you can capture CHIHULY artwork at night with the help of fashion photographer Douglas Dubler, with classes costs $139 for non-members and $125 for members. In another class you can learn about forest ecology by using the Garden’s grounds as a site for observation and field study. Other classes focus on the many types of plants you can find at the Gardens as specialists explain how to identify characteristics, learn the classifications, their scientific and common names, and so on.

There are also painting and drawing classes, landscape design courses, and so on. You can even learn how to properly arrange flowers with store-bought bouquets if you’re such inclined. Let’s see which are the top three classes you can take outdoors in NYC.

3. The Sweat Session

We’re finally at the area of our list of classes you can take outdoors in NYC where you get to move, and by moving, we mean exercising. From May through August, the Sweat Session organize three 45-minute classes at 6, 7, and 8 PM nearly every Tuesday. There’s no participation fee, which is great.

You can work out by doing yoga, dance cardio, boxing, pilates, and more. All sessions take place at Hudson River Park’s 14th Street Park. If you check out their site, you’ll be able to see in advance what type of workout is scheduled for a certain day.

Depending on how early you get there, you’ll be able to secure a mat, and you need to wear proper athletic wear so you can do all the movements you’re supposed to do. After your workout is done you can enjoy complimentary healthy bites and a drink of water.

2. Shape Up NY

Up next is Shape Up NY, which is a free, drop-in fitness program that can be attended throughout all the city’s boroughs. You don’t have to register for classes, just show up and take the class that’s being offered – yoga, aerobics, Pilates, Zumba and so on.

There are dozens of locations all over the city, from the Faber Park Field House, to the Hansborough Recreation Center and so on.

Of course, the great part about it is that they’re free to attend, so you don’t have to worry about not having enough money for exercising.

1. Bryant Park Yoga

Finally, at the top of our list, we have the yoga classes offered for free in Bryant Park. On Tuesday morning or Thursday evenings, you can enjoy the class in the open, taking advantage of the fresh air.

If you arrive at least 30 minutes before class begins you can even use one of the Manduka mats being offered for free. Or, of course, you can bring your own if you’d prefer or if you don’t think you can make it with that much spare time.

The free program begins in May and ends in mid September, so there are still a few weeks for you to join in.

That being said, these have been 8 classes you can take outdoors in NYC.