2025 Recreation Welcome Week
Welcome Week 2025 at Rutgers Recreation
Welcome to Rutgers Recreation, where EVERYBODY is welcome. Discover wellness opportunities, from fitness classes and sports to outdoor adventures. We aim to keep you engaged throughout your Rutgers journey!
Please download RUREC2GO app for access to facility hours per location, the Fitness & Wellness class schedule, program registration, and more!
Please check the daily schedule of the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center, College Ave Gymnasium, Rutgers Fitness Center, Cook/Douglass Recreation Center, and the Livingston Recreation Center. The schedule can be found here.
Tuesday 8/26
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 1:00 - 9:00 PM
Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP): 12:00-3:00PM This trip is a fun and easy way to engage with nature in a relaxing setting! Join us at the Cook Recreation Center, where we will gather as a group before heading over to the lake. After you have had a chance to familiarize yourself with paddleboarding under the guidance of our staff, we will spend our morning on a relaxing paddle around the lake. This activity is appropriate for all experience levels! Join us with some friends or sign up yourself to make new connections.Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
International Student Orientation REC Time: 5:00-7:00 PM. In addition to open facility access, we will also offer opportunities such as fitness & wellness classes, chair massage and metabolic and body composition assessments. These additional services, available for all users, are scheduled during a time when international students are on a break from orientation.
Fitness & Wellness Introductory Classes including Spinning®, Pilates, BODYPUMP®, and more. All classes are free and drop-in. The full schedule is listed here.
INBODY ™ Assessment: Drop in for a complimentary, quick and non-invasive body composition and metabolic assessment at the Werblin Recreation Center and Livingston Recreation Center.
Chair Massage: at the Cook/Douglass Recreation Center and the College Ave Gym. Enjoy a c omplimentary 10-minute chair massage with REC’s licensed massage therapists. Discover how massage therapy can reduce stress and support your overall well-being.
Wednesday 8/27
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
Thursday, 8/28
Recreation Center Hours: Cook/Douglass Recreation Center will be open 4:00-9:00 PM. The other centers are closed due to the home football game.
SCARLET RUMBLE: 1:00-3:00PM Don’t Miss This Exciting Event! All new students are invited to the Recreation Centers to engage, compete, and connect with others on your campus. Enjoy large group activities, fun challenges, prizes, and plenty of laughs along the way!
Grab your RA and head over to Rec. Transfer and commuter students are welcome to join at any center.
Sunset Kayaking Trip for New Students, 5:00 - 8:30 PM. Join us on the Raritan River for a casual evening paddle and head upstream to watch the sun set over the Hub City skyline. This is one of our signature trips that you won't want to miss! No experience is needed. Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
Friday, 8/29
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 1:00PM - 7:00PM
RU SPLASH POOL PARTY: 3:00-6:00PM.
It is a Party! Come celebrate at the Werblin Recreation Center and enjoy all three of our pools and spacious patio! There will be music, water slides, volleyball, Ice cream and opportunities to relax and connect with others. Participants will receive a waterproof phone holder (while supplies last). Don’t miss out on the fun, we will see you at the pool!
Chair Massage: 3:00-6:00PM at Werblin Recreation Center and the College Ave Gym. Enjoy a complimentary 10-minute chair massage with REC’s licensed massage therapists. Discover how massage therapy can reduce stress and support your overall well-being.
INBODY ™ Assessment: 3:30-5:30PM Drop in for a complimentary, quick and non-invasive body composition and metabolic assessment at the Werblin Recreation Center and Livingston Recreation Center.
Fitness & Wellness Introductory Classes
Try our fitness classes such as Spinning®, Pilates, BODYPUMP®, and more. All classes are free and drop-in. The full schedule is listed here.
Saturday, 8/30
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Intro to Strength 101: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Our personal trainers are here to guide you through the fundamentals of strength training and ensure that you get a great workout while learning how to lift weights correctly and effectively. Our workouts are carefully designed to promote a full-body workout, including strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercises. You will learn how to use various machines in the fitness center and will leave the session with your own workout. Free registration here.
Sunfish Pond Hike: 8:00AM-4:30 PM
Join us for a scenic hike to an idyllic glacial lake, carved into the northern New Jersey landscape during the last ice age. This calming day trip offers a perfect opportunity to connect with others while exploring one of the state’s most stunning natural features—a destination only accessible by foot. Don’t miss this must-see experience! Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
Sunday, 8/31
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 1:00PM-7:00PM
YOGA IN THE PARK: 10:30 AM-1:00 PM
Join Us for Outdoor Yoga and Wellness opportunities. Start your day with a gentle, all-levels yoga class in the beautiful Deiner Park, located on the College Avenue campus near the river. Check-in begins at 10:00 AM. The Yoga class will be held from 10:30 – 11:30 AM and complimentary wellness activities, including chair massage and INBODY ™ Body Composition testing will be 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM. The first 100 yoga class participants will receive a Rutgers yoga mat! Take some time for yourself, enjoy the fresh air, and meet the Rutgers Recreation Fitness & Wellness team. (Rain Date: 9/1)
Recreation at the Involvement Fair: 3:00 AM—6:00 PM
Come meet the REC SPORT clubs and learn more about what recreation has to offer. Drop by the recreation tables to pick up a recreation giveaway. In front of the College Ave Gym. (Rain date 9/1)
Monday, 9/1
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): 1:00 PM-7:00 PM
Tuesday, 9/2
Recreation Center Hours (All Facilities): Fall Semester Hours
College Avenue Gym*: M-Th 7AM-11PM, F 7AM-9PM, SA 11AM-7PM, SU 11AM-9PM
Cook/Douglass Recreation Center: M-Th 8AM-11PM, F 8AM-7PM, SA 11AM-7PM, SU 11AM-9PM
Livingston Recreation Center*: M-Th 8AM-11PM, F 8AM-7PM, SA 11AM-7PM, SU 11AM-9PM
Rutgers Fitness Center @ Easton Ave: M-Th 12PM-9PM, F 12PM-7PM, SA Closed, SU 3PM-9PM
Sonny Werblin Recreation Center*: M-Th 7AM-11PM, F 7AM-9PM, SA 11AM-7PM, SU 11AM-9PM
*All facilities except the Cook/Douglass Recreation Center will be closed during all RU Home Football Game Days.
ROCKWALL Opening: 6:00PM-11:00PM
Experience the vertical world of rock climbing on our 2200 sq. Ft. of sculpted terrain at the College Avenue Gym. Our staff will set you up with equipment and help you learn the basics of climbing indoors. No previous experience is necessary.
Fitness & Wellness Introductory Classes
Try our fitness classes such as Spinning®, Pilates, BODYPUMP®, and more. All classes are free and drop-in. The full schedule is listed here.
Small Group Training Sample Classes:
Sample this program and meet our personal trainers. Registration for 6-week sessions is available at rec.rutgers.edu. Sample classes are being held until 9/5 at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center. Each class is led by a certified personal trainer and includes a body composition assessment during the first session. View Sample class schedule here
Wednesday, 9/3
Fitness & Wellness Introductory Classes
Try our fitness classes such as Spinning®, Pilates, BODYPUMP®, and more. All classes are free and drop-in. The full schedule is listed here.
Thursday, 9/4
Fitness & Wellness Introductory Classes
Try our fitness classes such as Spinning®, Pilates, BODYPUMP®, and more. All classes are free and drop-in. The full schedule is listed here.
Sunset Kayaking Trip: 5:00-8:30PM. Join us on the Raritan River for a casual evening paddle and head upstream to watch the sun set over the Hub City skyline. This is one of our signature trips that you won't want to miss! No experience is needed. Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
Friday, 9/5
FITNESS & WELLNESS FRIDAY: 12:00-5:00PM at Werblin Recreation Center. Explore Fitness & Wellness at Recreation! Experience everything Recreation has to offer. All opportunities are drop-in — no registration needed! Whether you stop by for a quick visit or stay for the whole afternoon, we look forward to seeing you there. Gym towel giveway to all participants.
An exciting lineup of 30-minute sample group fitness and wellness classes, including Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, BODYPUMP and more.
Meet our personal trainers and get a complimentary INBODY ™ Assessment, a non-invasive body composition and metabolic assessment
Enjoy a complimentary 10-minute chair massage with REC’s licensed massage therapists. Discover how massage therapy can reduce stress and support your overall well-being.
Saturday, 9/6
Revised Recreation Center hours: All facilities are closed except for the Cook/Douglass Recreation Center.
Buttermilk Fall Hike: Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
Join the Go Outdoors crew on a gorgeous fall hike to New Jersey's highest waterfall! This hike is in the northern part of the Delaware Water Gap National recreation area with an abundance of beautiful lakes, forests, and rocky ridges. You won't want to miss this! Transportation and trail guiding is provided.
Sunday, 9/7
Bikes N’ Brews Trip: 8:30-4:30PM
Join us for a leisurely rails-to-trails bicycle tour along the Delaware River, where we will stop for some excellent locally roasted and brewed coffee (and maybe a snack). We will gather at the Cook Recreation Center, before heading over to the Path. This is a nice way to spend the afternoon outside without going too far off the beaten path. Bicycle rental and transportation from/to campus are included with the trip fee. Register for this Adventure Recreation program here.
Intro to Strength 101: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Sonny Werblin Recreation Center
Our personal trainers are here to guide you through the fundamentals of strength training and ensure that you get a great workout while learning how to lift weights correctly and effectively. Our workouts are carefully designed to promote a full-body workout, including strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercises. You will learn how to use various machines in the fitness center and will leave the session with your own workout. Free registration here.
Monday, 9/8
Fall Fitness & Wellness Class Schedule begins. Discover classes you can attend each week to support your physical and mental well-being. All classes are free, drop-in (no registration required) and are available on a first come, first served basis. Offerings include Pilates, Yoga, Spinning, BODYPUMP, SHAPES, and so much more! Come move, connect, and feel your best with us. The full schedule is listed at here or on the RUREC2GO app.
Tuesday, 9/9
Adventure Recreation Open house at the Rockwall: 6:00PM-9:00PM
Join us at the College Avenue Gym Rockwall to learn more about our on-campus climbing gym, trip program, and climbing team! Come try over 30 new routes, chat with representatives from the climbing team, meet our outdoor trip leaders. Sign up for an outdoor adventure or register for a belay class (belay classes will be discounted for the day). Music, Ice cream and raffle prizes and giveaways. We will have some competitions, an indoor slackline, great music, ice cream giveaways and raffle prizes and more
INTRAMURALS Outdoor Sports registration begins.
Register as a team or a free agent for flag football, tennis, pickleball, sand volleyball. Registration will close on 9/16, register here.
Wednesday, 9/10
RU SWIM SCHOOL: 6:00-8:00PM RU Swim School is a complimentary 2-hour swim lesson at the Werblin Patio Pool, which is 3½ feet deep and maintained at 86 degrees. Participants will learn basic water safety skills in small groups led by our certified American Red Cross Water Safety instructors. The first 50 participants will receive a giveaway, and all participants will receive a discount code for the Fall Adult Swim Lessons. Register here:
