THE OUTER BOROUGHS
Manhattan is just one of New York’s five boroughs, each of which has its own unique attractions. Brooklyn alone, with its fine brownstone neighborhoods and numerous top-class sights, would be one of the largest cities in the US. The Bronx, to the north, boasts one of New York’s finest zoos, plus the New York Botanical Garden and Yankee Stadium, while Queens, a veritable melting pot of nationalities, is famous for its museums, ethnic dining, and numerous sports events. The ferry to Staten Island leads to New York’s only restored historic village.
1.Bronx Zoo
Bronx River Parkway & Boston Rd, Bronx • Subway (2, 5) West Farms Sq/East Tremont Ave • Open Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri, 10am–5:30pm Sat, Sun, & hols; Nov–Mar: 10am–4:30pm daily • Admission charge • www.bronxzoo.com 
Established in 1895, this sprawling zoo on 265 acres (107 ha) gets better all the time. Exhibits include Madagascar!, while Tiger Mountain and the 6.5-acre (2.6-ha) Congo Gorilla Forest, an African rainforest habitat, bring visitors nose to nose with the inhabitants. The Bug Carousel is particularly appealing to young children.
The Zoo Center building at Bronx Zoo
2.New York Botanical Garden
Bronx River Parkway & Kazimiroff Blvd, Bronx • Subway (B, D, 4) Bedford Park Blvd • Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (to 5pm in Jan–Feb) • Admission charge • www.nybg.org One of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in the world, this National Historic Landmark covers 250 acres (101 ha), which includes 50 gardens and plant collections, and 50 acres (20 ha) of forest, the only remains of woods that once covered New York. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a restored Victorian glass house, is home to tropical rain forest and arid desert plants. A tram makes it easy to see the highlights; guided tours are offered. The Leon Levy Visitor Center has a shop, a visitor orientation area, and a café.
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx
3.Brooklyn Botanic Garden
900 Washington Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (2, 3) Eastern Pkwy • Open Mar–Oct: 8am–6pm Tue–Fri, 10am–6pm Sat, Sun, & hols; Nov–Feb: 8am–4:30pm Tue–Fri, 10am–4:30pm Sat, Sun, & hols • Admission charge (free Tue & Sat am) • www.bbg.org This 52-acre (21-ha) garden designed by the Olmsted brothers in 1910 is home to more than 12,000 plantings. It is best known for the Cranford Rose Gardens, where thousands of roses cascade down arches and climb lattices, and the authentic Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, planted in 1915. It is also known for its Cherry Esplanade and Cherry Walk, one of the foremost cherry-blossom sites outside Japan. The Steinhardt Conservatory houses tropical and desert plants, and a large bonsai collection.
4.Brooklyn Heights Historic District
Court St to Furman St, between Fulton & State Sts • Subway (2, 3) Clark St Overlooking the East River and lower Manhattan skyline, this district is an enclave of old-world charm. Along its quaint streets are preserved Federal, wooden and brick townhouses of the 1820s and even grander Greek Revival homes of the following decades.
5.Prospect Park
Between Eastern Pkwy & Parkside Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (2, 3) Grand Army Plaza Frederic Olmsted and Calvert Vaux considered this park, opened in 1867, their masterpiece. The 90-acre (36-ha) Long Meadow is the longest unbroken green space in the city. The pools and weeping willows of the Vale of Cashmere are particu-larly fine, along with Vaux’s Oriental Pavilion and Concert Grove.
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch at the main entrance to Prospect Park, Brooklyn
6.Park Slope Historic District
Prospect Park West to 8th Ave, between 14th St & St. John’s Pl, Brooklyn • Subway (F) 7th Ave These blocks on the western edge of Prospect Park became desirable places to live after the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883. The Victorian brownstones from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are outstanding US Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne residences.
7.Flushing Meadows- Corona Park
Queens • Subway (7) 111th St, Willets Pt–Shea Stadium The site of two World Fairs, this is now a spacious park with picnic areas, fields for cricket and soccer, paths for bikers and skaters, boating lakes, and many other attractions. The New York Mets’ Citi Field, the US. Tennis Center, the New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Museum of Art are also here. The Unisphere, the symbol of the 1964 World Fair, still stands.
World Fair Unisphere, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
8.Yankee Stadium
East 161st St & River Ave, Bronx • Subway (B, D, 4) 161st St Yankee Stadium • Opening times vary • Admission charge This sports shrine, completed in 1923 and known as “The House that Ruth Built” for the legions of fans who came to see superhero Babe Ruth, was retired in 2008. Other legendary heroes of America’s most successful baseball team include Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. The new Yankee stadium across the street incorporates Monument Park and exhibits retired number plaques and statues of the greatest players.
9.Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Ave, Staten Island • Bus S74 from ferry • Open 1–5pm Wed–Sun; tours at 2:30pm weekdays, at 2 and 3:30pm weekends • Adm • www.historicrichmondtown.org This restored village has 29 buildings from the town of Richmond, Staten Island’s seat of government from 1729. Other historic buildings were moved here from other sites. The Dutch-style Voorlezer’s House (1695) is the island’s oldest home on its original site.
Historic Richmond Town
10.Williamsburg
Bedford Ave, Brooklyn • Subway L to Bedford Ave; Bus B39 or B61 This was mostly a community of Hasidic Jews, Puerto Ricans, and Italians until the 1990s when artists from Manhattan began to move here. The heart of Williamsburg is Bedford Avenue, which is only one stop from Manhattan on the L subway line. Here you’ll find stores promoting local designers, as well as bars and restaurants, where prices are often lower than in Manhattan.
THE NO. 7 TRAIN TO QUEENS
This subway route, dubbed the International Express, serves New York’s most varied ethnic communities. Exit at 61st Street for Irish pubs, 46th Street for the Middle East, 69th Street for the Philippines. A guide is available from Queens Council on the Arts, 37–11 35th Ave, Astoria, NY 11101 (www.queenscouncilarts.org).
A DAY OUT IN BROOKLYN
Morning
Take the No. 2 or 3 subway train to Eastern Parkway – Brooklyn Museum, for the world-class Brooklyn Museum. The museum is part of a civic complex that includes the stately Grand Army Plaza, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with its well-known Japanese garden, and neighboring Prospect Park.
Along the western edge of Prospect Park is the beautiful Park Slope Historic District. Stop for coffee at Gorilla Coffee, 97 5th Avenue, before taking in the area’s historic residences. Browse the hip lineup of small shops along 7th Avenue, and stop for lunch at one of the area’s many cafés.
Afternoon
Return by train to Borough Hall and head for the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Walk along Pierrepont, Willow, and Cranberry streets to see some 19th-century houses; Truman Capote wrote Breakfast at Tiffany’s in the basement of No. 70 Willow, and Arthur Miller once owned the property at No. 155.
A short walk east brings you to Atlantic Avenue. Look in on the spice shops here, and stop for refreshments at the Waterfront Ale House, 155 Atlantic Avenue. Head back to Brooklyn Bridge, stopping at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade for dramatic vistas of Lower Manhattan’s towers. End the day with dinner at the romantic River Café.
Museums
1.Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn • Subway (2, 3) Eastern Pkwy • Open 11am–6pm Wed–Sun (to 10pm Thu); 11am–11pm first Sat of month (except Sep) • Admission charge The permanent collection has it all, from ancient Egyptian objects to contemporary art (for further details see Brooklyn Museum).
2.Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
9-01 33rd Rd at Vernon Blvd, Queens • Bus 103 to Vernon Blvd • Open 10am–5pm Wed–Fri, 11am–6pm Sat & Sun • Admission charge Thirteen galleries and a serene Japanese sculpture garden.
3.Museum of the Moving Image
35th Ave at 36th St, Queens • Subway (M, R) Steinway St • Open 10:30am–5pm Tue–Thu (to 8pm Fri), 10:30am–7pm Sat & Sun • Admission charge (free 4–8pm Fri) Artifacts and screenings show the history and techniques of film and TV.
4.New York Hall of Science
4701 111th St, Queens • Subway (7) 111th St • Open Apr–Jun: 9:30am–2pm Mon; Sep–Mar: 9:30am–2pm Tue–Thu, 9:30am–5pm Fri, 10am–6pm Sat & Sun • Admission charge A science and technology museum with hands-on exhibits on color, light, and physics, and outdoor play area.
Hall of Science
5.Queens Museum of Art
New York City Building, Queens • Subway 111th St • Open Jul–Aug: noon–6pm Wed–Sun (to 8pm Fri); Sep–Jun: noon–6pm Wed–Sun; • Admission charge The New York Panorama scale model has over 800,000 buildings.
6.MoMA PS1
22–25 Jackson Ave at 46th Ave, Queens • Subway (E, V) 23rd St-Ely Ave • Open noon–6pm Thu–Mon • Admission charge This center displays contemporary art and provides studio space for artists.
7.Van Cortlandt House Museum
Van Cortlandt Park, Broadway and West 246th St, Bronx • Subway (1) 242nd St • Open 10am–4pm Tue –Fri, 11am–4pm Sat & Sun; last tickets 30 mins before closing • Admission charge • www.vancortlandthouse.org This restored 1748 Georgian house is the Bronx’s oldest building.
8.Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
338 Lighthouse Ave, Staten Island • Bus S74 from ferry • Open 1–5pm Wed–Sun • (closed Thu in winter) • Admission charge A collection of Tibetan art in a Himalayan-style building.
9.Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke St, Staten Island • Bus S74 from ferry • Opening times vary • Admission charge The museum housed in the County Clerk’s office, built in 1848, is just one of 27 buildings in the museum village.
10.Snug Harbor Cultural Center
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island • Bus S40 from ferry • Opening times vary • Admission charge Chinese garden, performance spaces, art center, children’s museum, and a maritime collection.
Family Adventures
1.New York Aquarium
Surf Ave & West 8th St, Brooklyn • Subway (F, Q) W 8th St • Open Apr–May, Sep–Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri (to 5:30pm Sat, Sun, & hols); Jun–Aug: 10am–6pm Mon–Fri (to 7pm Sat, Sun, & hols); Nov–Mar: 10am– 4:30pm daily • Admission charge Walk through a swamp, stay dry beneath a waterfall, and admire the more than 350 species.
2.Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Ave at St. Marks Pl, Brooklyn • Subway (3) Kingston • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; free 3–5pm every Thu • Admission charge Founded in 1899, this is said to be the first children’s museum in the United States. The interactive, hands-on exhibits have informed and entertained countless children.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
3.Prospect Park Zoo
450 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (B, Q) Prospect Park • Open Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm daily (to 5:30pm Sat & Sun); Nov–Mar: 10am–4:30pm daily • Admission charge Tunnel through a prairie-dog town, master baboon language, and leapfrog across lily pads.
4.Prospect Park Carousel
Prospect Park, Brooklyn • Subway (B, Q) Prospect Park • Open Apr–Oct: noon–5pm Sat, Sun, & hols (to 6pm Jul–Aug) • Rides $2 This 1912 carousel came here from Coney Island in 1950.
5.Lefferts Homestead Children’s House Museum
Prospect Park, Brooklyn • Subway (B, Q) Prospect Park • Open Feb–Mar: noon–4pm Sat & Sun; Apr–Jun: noon–5pm Thu–Sun A rare 18th-century Dutch Colonial farmhouse shows early farm life.
6.Puppetworks
338 6th Ave at 4th St, Brooklyn • Subway (F) 7th Ave (Brooklyn) • Performance times vary • Admission charge, reservations required Hand-carved marionettes are used to present children’s classics.
7.Sheepshead Bay Fishing Boats
Emmons Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (B, Q) to Sheepshead Bay • Boats leave 6:30–9am, 1, & 7pm, or can be chartered • Admission charge A fishing fleet takes passengers for day and evening trips.
8.Staten Island Children’s Museum
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island • Bus S40 from ferry • Open summer: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; winter: noon–5pm Tue–Sun • Admission charge A 6-ft (2-m) kinetic porpoise welcomes you to this interactive playground exploring water, insects, and visual and performing arts.
9.Staten Island Zoo
614 Broadway, Staten Island • Bus S48 from ferry • Open 10am– 4:45pm daily • Admission charge The African Savannah at Twilight and Tropical Forest are highlights.
10.Staten Island Ferry
Bus to St. George Terminal, Staten Island • Boats every 15 mins– 1 hr, 24 hours daily from Whitehall and South Sts A free ride with fabulous views (for further details see Staten Island Ferry). St. George Terminal buses go to Staten Island’s sights.
Ethnic Shopping
1.Broadway, Astoria
Broadway, Astoria, Queens • Subway (N, Q) Broadway Astoria has the largest Greek community outside Greece, with restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries on Broadway.
2.Main Street, Flushing
Main St, Flushing, Queens • Subway (7) Main St Flushing’s Chinatown offers bakeries, gifts, restaurants, herbal remedies, and acupuncture. Queensborough Library has material in 40 languages.
3.74th Street, Jackson Heights
74th St, Jackson Heights, Queens • Subway (E, F, R) Roosevelt Ave The shop windows of New York’s Indian community are filled with ornate gold jewelry and rich saris. The food stores are redolent with delicious spices.
4.Arthur Avenue, Bronx
Arthur Ave, Bronx • Subway (4) Fordham Rd In this Italian neighborhood, dozens of small, family-run stores sell everything from Italian wines, handmade pastas, and sausages to rosaries and votive candles.
Italian food stall, Arthur Avenue
5.Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights, Queens • Subway (E, F, R) Roosevelt Ave Around the corner from Indian 74th Street, loudspeakers play Latin American rhythms, street vendors sell hot churros (fried dough), and shops offer music, hats, and piñatas.
6.Nassau Avenue, Greenpoint
Nassau Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn • Subway (G) Nassau Shops in America’s largest Polish community are full of home-made kielbasas (sausages), babkas (cakes), statues of saints, books, and music.
7.Brighton Beach Avenue, Brooklyn
Brighton Beach Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (B, Q) Brighton Beach Everything from fish to matryoshka dolls are sold in “Little Odessa”, where Russian is the first language.
8.13th Avenue, Borough Park
13th Ave, Borough Park, Brooklyn • Subway (D) 55th St The main street of America’s largest Orthodox Jewish community bustles with shops filled with religious articles, baked goods, and linens.
9.18th Avenue, Bensonhurst
18th Ave, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn • Subway (D) 18th Ave Though the old-world Italian community is slowly giving way to other nationalities, the street still offers generous samplings of traditional Italian foods.
10.Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn • Subway (R) Court St This Middle-Eastern shopping center offers baklava and many varieties of olives, dried fruits, and spices.
Restaurants
1.River Café
1 Water St, Brooklyn • Subway (A, C) High St • 212 285 0222 • Men require jackets after 5pm • $$$ Lobster, duck, and seafood are among the many specialties served here. Dessert choices include a mini chocolate Brooklyn Bridge.
River Café, with the Brooklyn Bridge
2.Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare
200 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn • Subway (A, C) Hoyt St–Schermerhorn • 212 285 0222 • $$ This 18-seat counter, adjacent to a grocery, has two Michelin stars due to Cesar Ramirez’s stunning small-plate dishes (20 courses in all). Book at least six weeks in advance.
3.Peter Luger Steak House
178 Broadway, Brooklyn • Subway (J, M, Z) Marcy Ave • 212 285 0222 • $$ Beef lovers flock to Peter Luger’s gritty, beer hall-style location for what have long been considered New York’s best steaks. It is necessary to reserve in advance.
4.al di la Trattoria
248 5th Ave, Brooklyn • Sub- way (R) Union St • 212 285 0222 • $$ This cozy, northern Italian trattoria serves regional dishes like hanger steak, clams in a white wine sauce, and wonderful pastas.
5.Dominick’s Restaurant
2335 Arthur Ave, Bronx • Subway (D) Fordham Road • 212 285 0222 • No credit cards • $$ Stand in line, join a table, and feast on home-made southern Italian food. There’s no menu; order your favorite or trust the waiter’s choice.
6.Agnanti
19-06 Ditmars Blvd, Queens • Subway (N, Q) Ditmars Blvd–Astoria • 212 285 0222 • $$ Greek favorites, perfectly cooked, in a charming location with a shady terrace in the summer.
7.Marlow & Sons
81 Broadway, Brooklyn • Subway (7) Main St • 718 384 1441 • $$ This whimsical restaurant with sturdy communal tables serves a Mediterranean-accented menu.
8.Joe’s Shanghai
136–21 37th Ave, Queens • Subway (7) Main St • 212 285 0222 • No credit cards • $$ The original of this Chinese café chain is popular for its pork or crab soup dumplings, or “steamed buns.”
9.Jackson Diner
37–47 74th St, Queens • Subway (E, F, G, R, V) Roosevelt Ave • 212 285 0222 • No credit cards • $$ No ambience, but one of New York’s best Indian restaurants, with an all-you-can eat buffet lunch.
10.Enoteca Maria
27 Hyatt St, Staten Island • 5-min walk from ferry • 212 285 0222 • No credit cards • $$-$$$ Authentic Italian enoteca; everything on the daily menu is freshly made.