The best places to watch the marathon and how to navigate the NYC subway to meet your runners!
Navigating the 5 boroughs of NYC can be daunting for marathon spectators, who will likely have to travel to see their runners at multiple locations. Thankfully, the NYC subway system is vast and extensive, but also confusing and intimidating for those not used to traveling on the labyrinthine system. It is still the best way to get around NYC, and you can download NYC subway apps to help you navigate the system.
The NYC Marathon App has a great Spectator Guide feature. You click onto any runner you are tracking on Sunday (enter their name or bib number), and the feature helps predict when the runner you are following will hit a certain spot/mile marker on the course. It will also show you the closest subway lines/stops near that location. Please note the Spectator Guide is not live tracking. You may want to use Spectator Guide to plan ahead and Live Tracking on the day of the marathon for more accurate tracking.
BROOKLYN
Fourth Ave (Miles 4 to 7)
We recommend catching your runner after Mile 3, as during the first few miles they are crossing the Verrazano Bridge (no spectators allowed on bridge) and the waves are converging. There is a long stretch up Fourth Avenue between miles 4 to 7 that is great for spectating. To get to Fourth Ave, take the R train into Brooklyn.
Barclays/Atlantic Ave (Mile 8)
Barclays Center/Atlantic Avenue along Mile 8 is a big hub where many subway lines converge. This is easily accessible no matter if you are coming from the east or west side of Manhattan:
· West side lines: A/C, 2/3
· East side line: 4
· Central/midtown lines: N/R/Q/D
· Williamsburg line: G
Williamsburg (Miles 10 to 12)
For a fun viewing party - and plenty of bars to hop around – while waiting for your runner, head to Williamsburg. The heart of Williamsburg and Greenpoint are mostly easily accessible via the L or the G lines. If you are coming from Manhattan, your best bet is to take the L train all along 14th St stops - 8th Ave, 6th Ave, Union Sq (another major hub), 3rd Ave, 1st Ave, and get off at Bedford (Miles 11 to 12). If you are coming from Brooklyn or Queens, take the G and get off at Nassau Ave (Mile 12) or Greenpoint Ave (Miles 12 to 13.) Access the full map here.
QUEENS (Miles 13 to 14)
Queens tends to be a quieter stretch after the party that is Williamsburg, so this may be a good place to meet your runner. Take the 7 line into the Queens side and cheer for your runners after they cross the Pulaski Bridge that connects Brooklyn to Queens. This is around the halfway point of the marathon and just before they head onto the mentally daunting Queensboro Bridge, so your encouragement will be much needed at this point! You can take the 7, G, or E trains to get here.
MANHATTAN
There are many viewing points in Manhattan and most will be crowded. However, there are some spots further north that are less crowded than others and could be good areas to meet your runner.
1st Avenue/Wall of Sound (Miles 16 to 18)
The Wall of Sound is located along 1st Avenue as runners come off the Queensboro Bridge. After the quiet of the bridge, there cheers are almost deafening as marathoners run through miles 16 to 18. Here, expect crowds to be 8 to 10 people deep, especially in the stretch from the 60s to the 80s.
East Harlem (Miles 18 to 20)
The further north you go, the quieter it gets. North of 96th Street is where crowds will start to thin out. This is your best bet if you want to meet your runner to hand off something (gels, drink mixes, etc) since there are fewer barriers and it is more likely that you can get a spot right up against the course here.
North of 116th Street is the official charity cheer zone, so expect more crowds here along with representation from the 500+ charities raising funds with NYC marathon. This may also be a good point to meet if your runner is a charity fundraiser, as charity tents are easy to spot.
The best way to access the 1st Avenue stretch is via the 6 train that runs all along Upper East Side. Express trains 4/5 can also be found at 86th St and 125th St stations. You can access the full map here.
THE BRONX (Miles 20 to 21)
The Bronx is also a great place to spectate, as it is full of music, fun, and festivities. The quieter side is closer to mile 20 right when runners cross the bridge into the Bronx, and it tends to get louder and more crowded the closer you get to Manhattan and West Harlem. You can take the 6 train into the Bronx.
FIFTH AVENUE & CENTRAL PARK
As runners cross over into Manhattan again, they run up a long stretch of Fifth Ave through East Harlem and then the Upper East Side before entering Central Park. The long stretch along Fifth Ave next to the park is primary spectating location. You can either take the 2/3 trains if you are viewing north of 110th Street, or the 6 train is you are viewing south of 110th St. Alternatively, if you had been cheering from 1st Ave (miles 16 to 18), you can simply walk a few blocks over to 5th Ave to see your runner again (miles 22 to 24) without getting on a subway.
Once they reach mile 24, runners turn into Central Park. Spectators can line up along the paths in Central Park, although the paths tend to be narrow and full of rolling hills. Be careful not to crowd the marathon course or step on the blue line! The blue line represents the shortest 26.2 miles and many runners will try to stay on the blue line.
You can get to Central Park on the 1/2/3 trains from the west side and 4/5/6 trains on the east side.
CENTRAL PARK SOUTH & THE FINISH LINE
Central Park South
Central Park South (mile 25) is the last major spectator gathering point before runners turn back into Central Park near mile 26. Because it spans east to west side, you can access Central Park South via multiple trains: A/C/E/D/N/Q/R/1/2/3/4/5/6. The closest train station would be 59th Street/Columbus Circle stop, which drops you off on the west side of Central Park South, and is accessible via A/C/D/1 trains.
The Finish Line
The Marathon finishes at 67th Street and West Drive inside Central Park. Due to heightened security measures around the finish line, spectators wishing to view the finish area can do so in 2 ways:
Get tickets to the Grandstand seating via Eventbrite. Enter at W62nd and Broadway. Expect security screening checkpoints to get into the area.
Head to a small standing area near the south end of the Grandstand seats, about 500 yards from the finish. This area is subject to security screening and possible limited access by NYPD, NYRR and NYC Parks Department.
AFTER THE RACE
After the finish, runners are walking for a long time as they wind their way north through the Park to 77th St before heading back south and are allowed out of the Park at various checkpoints (at 76th St, 74th St, and 69th St.) We suggest meeting your runners outside the park at either a landmark, a hotel, or a designated street corner. Some good locations might be Museum of Natural History (77th St & Columbus), Magnolia Bakery (69th & Columbus), or the fountain by Lincoln Center (66th St and Broadway.) Note that there will be police presence and barricades at some of these places so be prepared to walk a couple blocks west if a certain street is blocked off.
If you need to get to the Upper East Side after the marathon, it is relatively easy to do so through the park - just go north of the exit on Central Park West, enter the park at 81st St, go around Turtle pond and through the Greywacke Arch, which goes underneath East Drive. That way you are dodging the crowds and don't have to cross the marathon course.
Both blue and black routes will get you through the park at approximately the same time, the black route highlights the bathroom (in case you need it on the way).
Good luck to you and your runners and have a wonderful time cheering them on! See you out there!
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