10. For a Decade, A Group Has Hosted a Drinking Marathon That Follows the Route

Photo by MTA/Patrick Cashin from Wikimedia

The NYC Marathon is one of the best ways to see New York City (after our own tours of course). Over the course of several hours, you get to traverse all five boroughs, take in the skyline of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn from the city’s bridges, experience the diversity of city’s neighborhoods and people, and experience the spirit that makes New York City one of the greatest cities in the world.

In fact, the Marathon route is so epic that for more than 10 years in a row now, Untapped Cities contributor Janos Marton has organized “Marathon Day,” which involves 26.2 drinks in bars all along the marathon route – all in one day in June. We’ve happily contributed bar suggestions for this event over the years. Participants usually attend for just a portion of the route (binge drinking not encouraged) and participants take mass transit, including the Staten Island Ferry. In recent years, Marton, who is currently running for Manhattan District Attorney, has passed the organizing torch of Marathon Day to younger cohorts and is more known as an expert in criminal justice reform, was one of the leaders of the Close Rikers campaign, and has worked at Just Leadership and the ACLU.

Read more about the history of the previous 10 incarnations of the NYC Marathon and check out the 10 Best Spots to Watch the NYC Marathon.