Walkers, runners and cyclists can take revenge against the exhaust-pipe set and claim the center line of Cliff Drive after 2 p.m. on Fridays, when park workers close the road to traffic. The leafy route begins at the Paseo, winds past limestone bluffs and a lake, and skirts the entrance to Corinthian Hall before reaching the Carl J. DiCapo Fountain (a recirculating waterfall and former Best Of winner in its own right). A little more than 4 kilometers later, the path ends at Gladstone Boulevard. Nearby train tracks provide a soothing soundtrack until 8 a.m. on Monday mornings, when the cars and trucks return and Cliff Drive resumes its more prosaic existence. Vehicle-free weekends end October 27, so hurry to the Northeast.
Starts: Jan. 1. Daily, 2009
