OUTDOORS Tours & Hikes ADVENTURE ON A SHOESTRING "Fabulous 57th St.," Fri. at ...

ADVENTURE ON A SHOESTRING

"Fabulous 57th St.," Fri. at 4; "Hell's Kitchen Hike," Sat. at 11; "Transformed Times Sq.," Sat. at 12:30; "Splendid Grand Central Terminal," Sat. at 3:30; "Haunted Greenwich Village," Sun. at 11:30; "Exhilarating East Village," Sun. at 1:15; "Cosmopolitan Yorkville," Sun. at 3:15; 212-265-2663 for res. & meeting place; all tours $5.

 

BEHIND THE FENCES

Take an opportunity to explore Brooklyn's jewel?Prospect Park; 718-965-6988 for meeting place; Sat. & Sun. at 1 & 3, free.

 

BERNIE'S NEW YORK

Weekly tours offered by Bernie Cohen. This week, "Wall Street to Battery Park?Where It All Began"; meet at Trinity Church, B'way (Wall St.), 718-655-1883; Sun. at 2, $10.

 

BIG ONION WALKING TOURS

Tours conducted by graduate students in the American History dept. at Columbia Univ. This week, "Soho & Nolita at Twilight," Thurs. at 6:30; "Greenwich Village," Fri. at 1; "Upper East Side," Sat. at 1; "Brooklyn Bridge & Brooklyn Heights at Twilight," Sat. at 5; "Jewish Lower East Side," Sun. at 1; 212-439-1090 for meeting place; all tours $10-$12.

 

BROOKLYN CENTER FOR THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT WALKING TOURS

"Stones of Greenwood Cemetery," Weds. at 5; "Gardens & Magnolias of Bed-Stuy," Sat. at 1; "Cruising Newton Creek," Sun. at 9:30; 718-789-6778 for meeting places, $5-$8.

 

BROWNSTONE BROOKLYN

From Park Slope to Brooklyn Heights this intimate "New York Like A Native Tour" is limited to 8 people; RSVP 718-393-7537 for meeting place, Sat. at 10, $20 incl. lunch [through 9/2].

 

BUTTERFLIES & DRAGONFLIES IN PROSPECT PARK

Paul Keim of the Brooklyn Bird Club leads tour?bring binoculars!; meet at Tennis House, Prospect Park (9th St.), Bklyn., 718-788-8500; Sun. at 1, $8-$5.

 

BUTTERFLY & HUMMING BIRD TRAIL

Trail open all summer long with nature sightings, gardens & special kids' activities; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave. (Carroll Pl.), Bklyn., 718-622-4433; Weds.-Sun. & Tues., free w/grounds adm.

 

THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE

Tour chapel & learn history; Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave., (112th St.), 212-932-7347; Weds.-Sat. & Tues. at 11, Sun. at 1.

 

CENTRAL PARK WALKING TOURS

Hour-long tour of park's "Conservatory Garden," every Sat. at 12; "Amble Through the Ramble," Sat. at 1; "Views From the Past," Sat. at 1; 212-360-2727 for meeting places & sign language tours; free.

 

DOWN SOUTH TO NORTH MANHATTAN

Walking tour of Harlem focuses on architecture & history of African-American migration from the South; City Museum of NY, 1220 5th Ave. (103rd St.), 212-534-1672; Sat. at 1, free.

 

DR. PHIL'S TALKS & WALKS

Licensed guide Philip Schoenberg's tours of Brooklyn & Manhattan. This week, "Fashionable Soho," Sat. at 2; "Literary Garrets of Greenwich Village," Sun. at 2; 888-377-4455 for meeting place; $10.

 

FOODS OF NEW YORK

"A Food Adventure of Greenwich Village" explores restaurants & specialty shops both new & old; 732-636-4650 or foodtours@aol.com for res. & meeting place; Weds.-Sun. & Tues. 11:30-1:30, $25 incl. lunch.

 

JOYCE GOLD WALKING TOURS

All tours at least two & a half hours long, cond. by Joyce Gold, a prof. of Manhattan history. This week: "Harlem?Keystone of African America," Sat. at 1; RSVP 212-242-5762 for location.

 

GREENWICH VILLAGE CLUB CRAWL & Blues Lovers Club crawl for singles

Guided tours of NY music clubs. "3 Bands at 3 Clubs for Singles," Thurs.; "Blues, Stand-Up & Jazz," Fri.; "Rock & Blues," Sat.;. 212-875-7019 for res., times & meeting place, $20 incl. live music.

 

GREENWICH village literary pub crawl

Actors from The New Ensemble Theater Co. lead tour of four pubs giving literary histories & performances. Stops incl. Chumley's, the Cornelia St. Cafe, McBell's, the Cedar Tavern & the White Horse Tavern; meet at the White Horse Tavern, 567 Hudson St. (11th St.), 212-613-5796; Sat. at 2, $12, $9 st./s.c.

i'll take manhattan

Walking Tours with Anthony Grita. This Week: "Silk Purse?Millionaires' Mile," Sat. at 11 & "Soho Yesterday & Today," Sun. at 11; 731-270-5277 for meeting place; $10.

 

les Shopping Tour

Shopping tour of Orchard St. district; meets at Katz's Deli, 205 E. Houston St. (Ludlow St.); 212-226-9010; Sun. at 11, free.

 

lower east side tenement museum tours

"Streets Where We Lived," tour of LES plus history of immigrants who settled there; 212-431-0233 for meeting place, Sat. & Sun. at 1:00 & 2:30, $7-$9.

 

NYC Cultural Walking Tours

"Historic (Old) NYC Walking Tour" incl. Battery Park, Financial District & more; meet at NE corner Fulton St. (B'way), 212-979-2388; Sun. at 2, $10.

 

NYC DISCOVERY TOURS

Walking tours this week incl. "Little Italy History & Tasting Tour" & "Sutton Place & Treadwell Farm District"; RSVP 212-465-3331 for times & meeting place; Sat. & Sun., all tours $12.

 

STEVE'S MANHATTAN TOURS

"Landmarks of Lower Manhattan," Weds. & Fri.; "Lower East Side," Sun.; RSVP 212-982-1697 for meeting places & times, $5.

 

STREET SMARTS NY

"From Pages To Pavement," Sat. at 2; "Greenwich Village Past & Present," Sat. at 2; "Stanford White?Splendor & Scandal," Sat. at 6; "Elegance & Ale," Sat. at 6; "Ghosts On Broadway," Sun. at 2; 212-969-8262 for meeting place; all tours $10.

 

Steve "wildman" brill

Nature & ecology walk with "Wildman" Steve Brill, Sat. in Central Park; Sun. in East Cunningham Park; 718-291-6825 for info; $10, $5 kids.

 

VILLAGE ALLIANCE WALKING TOUR

Join Arthur Marks for Ed Hopper, Gertrude Stein & Andy Warhol tidbits; meet at Gap, 2nd Ave. (St. Mark's Pl.), 212-506-0639; Sat. at 11:30, free.

 

Parades, Fairs & Outdoor Sporting Events

BLADE NIGHT MANHATTAN

Join 100+ skaters on 2-hour tour of the city; meet at SW corner of Union Sq. Pk. (14th St.), 212-673-2933, Weds. at 8, free [through 10/25].

 

CELEBRITY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Fundraiser for Greenwich Village Youth Council feat. Tats Cru, Rock Steady Crew, NYC Breakbeaters, TC5 & guests, part of Rock Steady Crew Anniversary; the Cage, W. 4th St. (6th Ave.), 212-387-2003 or www.rocksteadycrew.com for info; 10:30 a.m.-3, free.

 

coney island fireworks

Tradition going back to 1880s continues w/outdoor seating & firework reenactments of Vladivostock & more; Boardwalk (betw. W. 10th & W. 12th Sts.), 718-372-5159; Fri. at 9:30 [through 8/31].

 

Fast & Fabulous Cycling CLub

Lesbian & gay group with regular rides. This week: "State Line"; 212-567-7160 for more info.

 

NY Botanical garden

Visit "Exotic Courtyard Garden" with more than 100 pots of exotic tropical plants; NY Botanical Garden; 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700 for days & times; free w/garden adm.

 

NY unfolds street fair

Arts, crafts, food, entertainment & AIDS benefit; W. 3rd St. (betw. B'way & LaGuardia Pl.), 212-809-4900; Sat. 11-6, free.

 

3rd Ave. Summerfest

Arts, crafts, food & entertainment; 3rd Ave. (betw. 42nd & 57th Sts.), 212-809-4900; Sat. 11-6, free.

time's up

Environmentalist/bicycle-advocacy group sponsors monthly skates & rides throughout New York City. This week: "Ride along Riverside" & "Critical Mass"; 212-802-8222 for meeting place; Fri. at 7, free.