NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- Summer excursions seem out of reach to many struggling young professionals , and the faltering economy is n't helping . But one New York City company , offering trips aimed at the young and thrifty , is capitalizing on the urbanite 's desire to get away -- and finding success despite the downturn . A group of Urban Escapes NYC hikers stops for a snack during an expedition in New York 's Harriman State Park . As a slightly broke young professional myself , with a taste for adventure but living in a very expensive city , the idea behind Urban Escapes NYC was intriguing . The company offers an array of activities -- from short hiking , sky diving or canoeing trips to international journeys that combine various activities . On the company 's user-friendly Web site , I scrolled through the offerings . There were trips ranging from one-day hiking or fruit-picking excursions priced at around $ 60 to $ 800 weeklong international expeditions . The average trip includes ground transportation , the cost of the activity , guide fees , equipment rental and meals . Jumping out of planes put the company 's founder and CEO , Maia Josebachvili , 25 , on the path to becoming a business owner . While attending Dartmouth College , Josebachvili developed a passion for sky diving . To pay for the pricey dives , she began to lead trips for her friends and her friends ' friends . Soon she realized that the people she was guiding were outside of her original social network , and an idea began to emerge . After graduating from Dartmouth and working as a trader on the New York Stock Exchange , Josebachvili decided working in the concrete jungle was not for her . At 24 , Josebachvili started a business out of something she had been doing for years during college -- leading outdoor adventure trips . The company launched in early 2008 , just months before the economy tanked . `` I started to wonder if this is really going to work , '' Josebachvili said . But with trips designed with budget and value in mind , the suffering economy did not stunt the business . Josebachvili said the company was able to break even within six months . The business relies on social networking avenues for promotion , and word spread rapidly . It also quickly developed a reputation as a great way to meet people and make new friends . `` I was the market , '' Josebachvili explains , `` My friends were the market . Anyone just out of college working on Wall Street did n't have the time to plan and research the trips . There is no shortage of those kinds of people in New York . '' After perusing the site , I rather nervously picked a $ 59 six-mile hike . This may not sound so cheap , but after factoring in the planning of the trip , transportation , gas , experienced guides and a post-hike discount at a local restaurant , the value becomes apparent . I had n't been hiking in years and still am sadly out of shape . My imagination ran wild with images of young , sporty folks racing up high peaks as I huffed and puffed behind . Terrifying . After a rainy start to the morning , our upbeat guides for the day , director Bram Levy and guide Roget Lerner , drove a group of 12 north of the city to Harriman State Park . They encouraged us to get to know each other and joked that we would be quizzed on it later . Waiting to get into the van , I asked a man standing next to me why he was on the trip . `` I moved from San Francisco a year ago , '' public relations professional Michael Lindenberger said . `` I need some trees . '' After an hourlong drive , we arrived at our hiking destination . Levy and Lerner checked our sneakers , water supply and told us a bit about how the day was going to unfold . And then we began the hike . Throughout the day , there was lots of laughing , squealing and helping each other over rocks and through slick patches of mud . I was surprised how quickly a team mentally developed among the group . We were all strangers , but after a day of hiking , I knew everyone 's name , profession and a good deal more . And this was no accident -- the guides were deliberately networking and bonding us together . Jen Badali , a city transit planner , was on her third trip with Urban Escapes . `` I went by myself my first hike , '' she said . `` It was fun to get away and do something different . '' She said she still keeps in touch with people she met on the other excursions . `` I made some good friends out of it , '' she said . At the end of the day , sweaty , sore and smiling , I realized why Urban Escapes NYC was defying the recession . With a plethora of affordable outdoor excursions , cheerful guides and a youthful mindset , the company was the ideal destination for an urban professional with a slim wallet .
Urban Escapes NYC offers trips aimed at the young and thrifty . Day trips out of New York start at about $ 60 ; company also offers trips abroad . Comment: The company was able to break even within six months , founder says .