Queens in New York is one of the most diverse places in the whole world and it’s also the biggest borough in the city. There are so many people with different backgrounds who live in this beautiful and unique borough. With so much culture, people will be exposed to different types of traditions and ways of life that open the mind.
In turn, because of the diversity in this New York City borough, there are many things to do in Queens NYC. From food and museums to events, we’ll give you the rundown and our recommendations. If you’re looking for the best things to do in New York City, or are curious about the best NYC neighborhoods you need to have Queens on your list.
There are numerous ways to get to this huge borough. The lines take you to Astoria while the train can take you all the way to Flushing. Additionally, the and trains run through the borough as well.
Certain trains will take to you different parts of NYC neighborhoods. The latter takes you to JFK airport.
Like we mentioned earlier, Queens is the biggest and most diverse borough in NYC. You can find museums and parks, just like in Manhattan. Also, we believe the food scene is often overlooked in Queens, but we think it’s the best out of all the boroughs in NYC.
For example, the oldest beer garden in New York City is in this borough. Here are our top 5 favorite things to do in Queens.
Take New York City’s fourth largest park, a globe and a good pinch of Queens and you get probably the most beautiful park outside of Central Park. That park is Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Corona, Queens. With about 504 hectares, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is as huge as Central Park and is also the largest park in the borough. The park is known for the huge globe sculpture and is home to the New York Hall of Science.
One of the most beautiful spots in Astoria, Queens is Astoria Park. This popular park on the East River is a popular retreat for New Yorkers, especially in the summer. On hot summer days, they jump into New York’s oldest public pool to cool off. This is a rare sight, by the way, because you hardly find any outdoor pools in New York. Astoria Park just recently went under renovation as well and has revamped its track and field.
Not only do you have a beautiful view of Manhattan, but you’re also right under the RFK Bridge and have a direct view of Hells Gate Bridge.
The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. It’s the perfect place for families with kids to visit! There are many interactive multimedia displays and the museum offers many ways to teach kids about biology, chemistry and physics.
The Museum was founded during the 1964-1965 World’s Fair and now serves more than half a million teachers, students and families each year. NYSCI provides the community with a hands-on learning experience through products and services.
The museum was built for the World’s Fair in 1939 and exhibits “The Panaroma” which is a large scale model of New York City and its five neighborhoods. Many of the exhibits are documents related to the World’s Fair. Over the years, Queens Museum has housed some of the most supreme exhibitions in all of New York.
The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden has existed since 1910 and is located in Astoria, Queens. Especially in the summer, the spacious beer garden has a wonderful atmosphere. Live bands come out to play and rock the whole neighborhood. The food is cheap and the beer is super good. It’s always a good time especially in the summer.
Queens is located to the east of Manhattan and to the north of Brooklyn. It’s also the biggest borough in all of NYC and connects directly to Long Island. The two major airports are also located in this borough.
LaGuardia Airport is closer to Manhattan and JFK borders Brooklyn and Queens. Below is a general map of Queens, New York just to give you an idea of where it is located.
The borough is home to some prominent museums in New York City. The museums in Queens are often overlooked because they aren’t located in Manhattan. However, these museums are still very beneficial and provide great experiences for kids with families. Here are some examples:
Queens Museum is located in the beautiful Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. It was formerly called the Queens Museum of Art. The museum presents high-quality visual arts and educational programming for the people of New York and visitors.
New York Hall of Science is located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, just like the museum above mentioned. NYSCI serves the community in the NYC area. The museum does a great job of educating the community in science, technology, engineer and math (STEM).
MoMa PS1 is an extension to the popular MoMa in Manhattan. Located in Long Island City in Queens, MoMa PS1 offers it’s visitors collections of contemporary art. As a matter of fact, it’s the largest institution in the U.S. that houses contemporary art.
In Astoria you should definitely check out the Kaufman Astoria Film Studios, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in the late 1970s due to their importance to New York City. This complex also includes the Museum of the Moving Image and the Astor Room restaurant.
The Museum of the Moving Image opened in 1988 and is the only museum in the United States that is dedicated to exploring media art, history and technology. It’s recognized as a major internationally known institution as well.
With so many things to do in New York City, it’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed. NYC is really big so there is always something for everyone. The hard part is, choosing what would best suit your visit to the Big Apple. When it comes to Queens, these are our favorite tours that will let you explore the area and culture.
"City of Contrasts" 5-Hour Cultural Tour | Flavors of Flushing: Exploring New York's Biggest Chinatown | New York City: Half-Day Pizza Tasting Bus Tour | New York Explorer Pass |
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Explore NYC and visit the different boroughs including Queens. | Join this foodie tour through the vibrant Chinatown street food and snacks in Flushing, Queens. | The tour starts off in Manhattan and then it takes you out to the different boroughs including Queens, New York. Whereever you happen to go, you will be tasting four different pizzas and the many different pizzerias in the city. | Save 50% on all attraction tickets with this discount pass for NYC! |
FROM $65 | From $79 | FROM $85 | FROM $80 |
Queens restaurants have some of the most diverse food in the world. Queens itself is a melting pot filled with different cultures which makes the area a hotspot for go-to eats.
If you want to be super close to the city, but don’t want to pay Manhattan prices, then your best bet is to try and book a hotel in Queens New York. Long Island City and Astoria are literally about a 20-minute train ride to the city. Here are our top five hotels in Queens:
3 stars | LIC Hotel is located in Long Island City, Queens and has a spectacular terrace with unforgettable views of Manhattan. The hotel is well connected to downtown New York and most attractions with the nearby subway station and Central Park is only 20 minutes away. The MOMA PS1 Museum and the famous PepsiCola sign are just a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
3 Stars | This Aloft hotel is right next to the Hyatt Place Long Island City. The name doesn’t lie: From here, you’ll have a wonderful and stunning panorama of all of Manhattan. For that, you either need to pick one of the rooms up on the higher floors, or you just enjoy the view from the hotel’s own rooftop bar. The Aloft is well-connected by the Subway and very affordable.
4 Stars | This modern hotel has spacious rooms with large windows, wooden floors and chic bathrooms. From some rooms you can enjoy a spectacular view over Long Island City or the Manhattan skyline. The 39 Avenue underground station is close by. Manhattan is roughly 7 kilometers away.
3 Stars | The accommodation impresses with the very good price-performance ratio and relatively large and very clean rooms. There are many shopping opportunities and restaurants in the immediate vicinity and Manhattan is easy to reach by subway.
Located in Long Island City, this hotel offers free WiFi and rooms with a flat-screen TV. It’s conveniently close to the 39th Avenue subway station for easy access to NYC. Each room at Nesva Hotel Long Island City includes a work desk, with some offering skyline views. Enjoy complimentary breakfast and amenities like a business center and 24-hour reception. Times Square is 4.2 miles away, and Central Park is 2.6 miles from the hotel.
It’s arguably the most popular park in Queens. You’ll find great views of the Manhattan skyline and the 59th Street Bridge. There’s a dog park, a green space, cafes that run along the park and different courts for sports.
For people who want to do something active, The Cliffs are the place to be. If you’re looking for a place to rock climb in the city, make sure to check this place out. Go and sweat out that jet lag (if applicable).
A lot of things to do in Long Island City do require money, just like anywhere else in NYC. If you don’t feel like spending any then we suggest taking a walk or bike on the Queensboro Bridge.
It’s that beautiful bridge you can see from Gantry Plaza State Park and it’s the one that connects Manhattan to Queens. There’s no better way to burn calories and it’s free!
Located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens Zoo opened in 1968. There are about 75 species of animals from America, such as mountain lions, coyotes, owls, sea lions, alligators and white-tailed eagles.
The Queens Zoo is perfect for families with kids and is a nice change of pace from the hectic lifestyle that you experience in Manhattan.
As a whole, Flushing is the perfect place to find amazing food. People consider Flushing to be a better Chinatown than the one in Manhattan. In addition to authentic Chinese cuisine, you’ll also find great Korean BBQ spots in Flushing. Also, the prices are friendly to the wallet.
You can join a guided food tour through Flushing’s Chinatown to explore the food scene in this area.
Book Flushing Food Tour
Queens, in general, is a safe place. Of course, please use common sense and always be aware of your surroundings and belongings. Just like any other metropolis, there are certain areas where you should be cautious.
Der Beitrag The Best Things To Do in Queens New York erschien zuerst auf Loving New York.
