Over the last three years, nearly 8 million people have chosen to #OptOutside instead of joining the shopping frenzy that is Black Friday. Started by REI, one of Friends of the High Line’s longest standing partners, the #OptOutside campaign encourages everyone to “take a breath” in our busy world by grounding themselves in the outdoors.

REI believes that as individuals, families, and communities, we are happier and healthier when we choose to spend time in nature together. That is why REI’s co-op gives their 12,000 employees Black Friday off to spend time outside with loved ones.

And that’s why, for the third year in a row, we’re using Black Friday as a moment to join REI, take a breath, and participate in the #OptOutside movement. We hope today and this weekend you will join us on the High Line and choose to #OptOutside with your friends and family.

Open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM until December 1, the High Line has 20 blocks of public green space for you to explore:

• Experience and be inspired by the Autumn moor grass, or Seslertia autumnbais, known for its resiliency through each season, from Gansevoort to 14^th Street, 19^th Street, and in the Wildflower field at 30^th Street. Check our November Bloom list to discover other plants in peak form.
• Explore the High Line’s robust public art program, including Darren Bader’s “chess: relatives.” Bader’s interactive art piece invites visitors to take the place as chess pieces on an extra-large concrete chess-like board. Located beneath the Standard Hotel at 14^th Street, this work offers a fun, life-size alternative to a traditional game of chess that encourages teamwork and strategy.
• Unable to make it this Friday? Take a Winter Tour of the High Line tomorrow and every Saturday from 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM. During this free tour, visitors learn the story behind New York City’s park in the sky from High Line Docents, knowledgeable volunteer guides who offer participants an insider’s perspective on the park’s history, design, and landscape.

Looking for a different way to #OptOutside? Visit REI’s experiential search engine to get inspired and discover your next adventure.