7th Avenue

New York City is known for its rich literary history, and this week we'll visit the neighborhoods and locations that harbored the greats. Starting in in Williamsburg to visit Betty Smith's 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,' we'll hop the bridge for the remainder of our walk, visiting the birthplace of downtown birthplace of Herman Melville, the poetry scene of the East Village, the home of Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance, and the infamous Chelsea Hotel among many others.

Few major thoroughfares define its surroundings as strongly as the section of I-278 known as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This week we'll follow the entirety of its path, starting at the foot of the RFK bridge in Astoria and concluding at the base of the Verrazzano. Neighborhoods along the way include Woodside, Sunnyside, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and more.

Our Downtown walk takes us on a wild path through lower Manhattan in a quest to reach our allotted 26.2 miles daily. Going no higher than 26th Street, we rub up against every neighborhood and site to see imaginable, including the skyscrapers and antiquity of the Financial District; the food and culture of Little Italy/Chinatown; passing views of the three lower bridges; walks through both Villages and so much more.

Our first look at Midtown pays homage to the grid that defines it. From 23rd to 59th Street, we walk up and down 1st to 11th Avenue until we reach our marathon limit. This includes too many sites to mention, from the Chrysler and Empire State buildings; the Theatre District and Times Square; Grand Central Station; Rockefeller Center and so much more.