Jaunted

New York Sports Club annual membership to access the facility's rowing machine facing a muted flat screen playing Fox News: $1,200. An afternoon kayaking the Hudson River: free.

The New York City Downtown Boathouse provides training and equipment, and asks nothing in return. The organization has three locations, where Houston Street, 56th Street, and 72nd Street each meet the Hudson.

Every Wednesday at the 56th Street dock, the group's all-volunteer team teaches an informational session on kayak-related topics.

The Boathouse's activities include walk-up public kayaking, kayak trips on the harbor, evening classes, and a winter swimming pool program.

Most of the kayaks are self bailing sit-on-top kayaks, so paddlers sit on top of the boat and ride it like a giant surfboard, the website says. It adds:

The boats are unsinkable, and self-bailing. Any water that splashes up on the boat drains out the holes in the bottom. If you capsize you can just climb back on top and continue to paddle. Because the boats are self bailing the seat of your pants will get wet while you paddle, but that's part of the fun.

As long as you're not afraid of coming in direct contact with water that gives the fish living in it cancer, dive in! Know of a cool, free, fun, New York City activity folks should check out this summer? Help us out, this city is expensive.