Most visitors see Staten Island only from the deck of the ferry and turn around without getting off. That’s a shame. The borough has the city’s biggest stretches of woodland, a 19th-century village, a Chinese scholar’s garden and some of New York’s best pizza. It’s also the easiest trip in the city to start: the ferry is free.
The Staten Island Ferry
The ferry runs between the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George, 24 hours a day, and costs nothing. The ride takes about 25 minutes and passes the Statue of Liberty. Sit on the right-hand side on the way out for the best view of the statue, and on the other side on the way back for the skyline. Our free things to do list has more on the ride.
St. George
St. George is the neighborhood around the ferry terminal. It has a waterfront esplanade, the 9/11 memorial called Postcards, and a minor-league ballpark with a view back to Manhattan. Most of the island’s buses start here.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
A short bus ride west of the ferry, Snug Harbor was once a home for retired sailors. Its 19th-century buildings now hold galleries and studios, and the grounds include the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, a walled garden of courtyards, pavilions and koi ponds.
Historic Richmond Town
In the center of the island, Historic Richmond Town is a restored village with buildings from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Costumed guides show old trades on some days. It gives you a sense of what much of New York looked like before it filled up.
The Greenbelt
The Staten Island Greenbelt is a network of parks and woods covering nearly 3,000 acres in the middle of the island, with miles of hiking trails. High Rock Park and the trails around Moses Mountain feel a very long way from Manhattan.
Fort Wadsworth
At the island’s eastern tip, Fort Wadsworth is one of the oldest military sites in the country and sits right under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The view of the bridge and the harbor is one of the best in the city.
Where to eat
Staten Island takes its pizza seriously. Joe & Pat’s makes a very thin, crisp pie, and the vodka pie is the one to order. Denino’s in Port Richmond is a long-running pizzeria and bar known for its thin-crust pies. Joe & Pat’s is also in our NYC pizza guide.
Getting around
Outside St. George, the island is spread out and most people drive. Visitors can use buses from the ferry terminal or the Staten Island Railway, which runs from St. George to Tottenville at the southern tip.
