We love breaking a good, clean sweat, but what happens when you’re stuck at the office all day? Going to the gym after work is all well and good, but sometimes you want to do something a little bit more fun. We’ve got your back with this roundup of the hottest spots around the country where you can burn that competitive fire into the night in unique ways.
It’s inspired by Armani Code Sport’s Dive into the Night Foursquare competition, which rewards the person with the best late-night itinerary each day with a free bottle of Code Sport. Plus, the grand-prize winner will score a trip for two to NYC, including airfare, luxury hotel accommodations, and a $2,000 shopping spree at the Armani store. So be sure to check in and take part in the challenge while you’re gearing up, and let the games begin!
Although it’s a decent trek from Manhattan down to Gowanus in Brooklyn, climbing haven Brooklyn Boulders makes up for it in style, with graffiti everywhere and great music. The largest rock climbing gym in the city, it offers belaying, bouldering, slacklining and more. It’s open until 11pm on weekdays and midnight on the weekends, so you can take your time working up an appetite on one of the 40 belaying ropes, and then head down the road to Oaxaca Taqueria for killer tacos.
Click through below for all our favorite nighttime sporting spots.
Located in Universal City Walk, iFly offers the thrills of skydiving without most of the perils associated with jumping out of a moving plane. You’ll get a little training and all the fancy gear, then you’re on your way. You “fly” for about a minute — roughly the same time you’d freefall during skydiving — and then get to touch your feet back down on Earth.
Sure, there are plenty of bowling alleys around the country, but not many find the secret to becoming a true late-night destination. Retro and swanky, Miami Beach’s Lucky Strike has 14 lanes and a full bar, positioning itself as a true “bowling lounge.” There’s even a dress code, but as long as you don’t show up in sweatpants and work boots, you should be fine. (Meanwhile, back in NYC, we’re also quite partial to Brooklyn Bowl.)
Novelty Golf & Game Room, Chicago
It’s may not be the classiest establishment, but Novelty Golf has been around over 60 years, and has the perfect mix of authenticity and creepiness that money simply can’t buy. Giant Frankenstein obstacle? But of course. Huge chicken? That, too. Check out the decidedly “vintage” video games and then grab a milkshake from the Bunny Hutch, the on-site retro malt shop.
It’s a bit of a drive out of LA, but Skatelab in Simi Valley brings together something old and something new. A relatively young sport, skateboarding isn’t always known for paying homage to its roots, so this is a welcome change of pace. After you hit the rails, ramps, half-pipe, and bowl, check out the Skateboarding Hall of Fame, featuring more than 5,000 vintage skateboards and loads of memorabilia.
Located near Madison Square Park, SPiN NYC has a full bar, food, and loads of ping-pong tables. An interesting mix of business folk, ping-pong pros (in full sports garb), and everyone in between makes SPiN a nice break from the usual bar scene, and far less sedentary. And the best part: no hustling around for balls; the club’s “ball boys” constantly stock your bottomless ping-pong basket. And every Tuesday night is glow-in-the-dark ping-pong, with custom paddles and balls. For real.
When you want to take a break from gambling, boozing, and everything else that “stays in Vegas,” check out Sky Zone, a wall-to-wall trampoline park. Just a short drive from the strip, you can bounce off the walls, literally, or practice flips into a giant foam pit. This place can get overrun with kids, so wait till after their bedtimes and check it out on Saturdays from 10pm to midnight, when you can score some free pizza afterwards. Then just take a quick shower, and you can return to any unspeakable business.
Not far from Downtown LA, Fryman Canyon offers a relatively easy hike that features a great vantage point from which to see the city and catch a beautiful sunset. Its well-populated trail includes views of Universal City, Cahuenga Peak, and Griffith Park, and if you’re lucky, you might even be able to catch snowcaps on the San Gabriel Mountains. Leave an hour before the sun goes down, pack a picnic, and enjoy the brief escape from the cacophony and gridlock of the city.
Among other things, Chelsea Piers offers a world-class driving range, with four tiers to choose from and an automated ball tee-up system. Even if you’re terrible at golf, it’s hilarious to watch everyone take aim for the caged cart when it drives out to retrieve balls. And if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, check out the Pier’s adult gymnastic classes. In the sprawling gymnasium, you can tumble into the giant foam pit or try your hand at the trampoline. After you’ve worked up an appetite, either on the links or the balance beam, grab a pint and some late-night grub at the Half King, a surprisingly low-key spot in Chelsea.
When you drive across Rickenbacker Causeway to Key Biscayne, you may start feeling a little déjà vu. That’s because movies and TV shows, including Wild Things, True Lies, CSI: Miami, and Flipper, have been using Jimbo’s as a backdrop for years. Established in 1954, the spot is not a restaurant, not exactly a bar, but more of a state of mind — quirky, eclectic, and full of character. You can rub elbows with models, fishermen, and hippies, depending on when you arrive. Grab a beer and hit one of the two regulation-sized bocce courts for a friendly game; nothing gets too competitive around here, except for the fish tales.
So, which evening-sport activities did we leave out? Late-night beach volleyball? Night skiing? Paintball? Let us know where you go to burn off some steam and why you love it in the comments. But remember — flip cup and beer pong do not count as athletic endeavors.