Five great ways to explore five great American cities — for your next visit or simply an afternoon off.

—-

Chicago | Kayaking

The architectural splendors straddling the city’s river have long attracted tourists to Chicago’s boat tours, but the view from a sea kayak is even better, providing a stark contrast between steel, concrete, and gentle river currents. Paddle past the greatest-hits lineup, including works from Mies van der Rohe and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s Sears Tower (now Willis Tower). The river-paddling season ends with October’s Flatwater Classic, a seven-mile race through the city (from ——————————————————$15; kayakchicago.com).

– SARAH ROSE

—-

New York | Fly-Fishing

Some of the best saltwater fly-fishing on the Eastern seaboard is just a subway ride from Manhattan in Jamaica Bay. Every morning from April to December, purists gather to toss Deceiver and Clouser patterns at striper, bluefish, and false albacore. If you lack sturdy sea legs, shore casting is feasible from nearby Rockaway Beach or the Breezy Point jetty — but the best way to get at city fish is to hire Captain Brendan McCarthy, who will put you onto 30-pound stripers just 50 feet from JFK ($450 for a half day; urbanflyguides.com).

– JOHN O’CONNOR

—-

Houston | Cycling

Launch a fat-tire romp through the root-laden tangle of singletrack in 1,500-acre Memorial Park. Start with the tight turns of the West Ridge Trail, a rutted eight miles that demand your attention. Then hit the speedy Green Trail, a 3.5-mile out-and-back roller coaster, and cap your ride with a mile of zigzagging corridors in the park’s northwest corner, known as the Triangle. For rentals, try West End Bicycles (from $35; westendbikes.com).

– DAN OKO

—-

Seattle | Hiking and Kayaking

On Seattle’s western edge is Discovery Park, 534 acres of undeveloped land with 12 miles of hiking trails, a tidal beach, and views of the Olympics across the Puget Sound. And though open space abounds in the Emerald City (it has more than 6,200 acres of parkland), it’s also explorable by water. Blake Island makes a perfect day trip — rent from Alki Kayak Tours (from $15; kayakalki.com).

– JOSH FULMER

—-

Charlotte, NC | Kayaking

Nearly 400 of Charlotte’s 17,000 acres of green space are home to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The highlight is the world’s largest recirculating river — a 3/4-mile-long run with a 21-foot drop that, once you finish, deposits you back at the top via giant conveyor belt. A max flow of 1,250 cubic feet per second over more than 20 Class II–IV rapids will excite even the Olympic kayakers and canoers who train here (from $25; usnwc.org).

– J.F.

—-

This article originally appeared in the May 2010 issue of Men’s Jourrnal.