Queens is the largest borough by area and one of the most diverse places on earth, with communities from nearly every country represented. For visitors, that mostly means one thing: some of the best and cheapest food in New York. It also has a huge park from the World’s Fair years, two major sports venues and a real beach.
Flushing
Take the 7 train to the last stop, Flushing–Main Street, and you’ll come up in one of the largest Chinatowns in the country. The streets around Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue are packed with dumpling shops, noodle houses and basement food courts. Portions are big and prices are low. Bring cash just in case.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
This huge park was the site of two World’s Fairs, and the stainless steel Unisphere from the 1964 fair is still its centerpiece. The Queens Museum, right next to it, has the Panorama of the City of New York, a scale model of all five boroughs that takes up a whole room. Citi Field, home of the Mets, and the tennis center that hosts the US Open are at the edge of the park.
Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights, a few stops closer to Manhattan on the 7, is famous for its South Asian shops and restaurants around 74th Street, Himalayan momo stands and Latin American bakeries along Roosevelt Avenue. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in the city for an afternoon of eating.
Astoria
Astoria has long been the center of Greek New York, and there are still excellent tavernas along Ditmars Boulevard and 31st Street. It also has the Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria Park with its view of the Hell Gate Bridge, and a lot of beer gardens. The N and W trains get you to Midtown quickly.
Long Island City
LIC is right across the river from Midtown. Gantry Plaza State Park has one of the best skyline views in the city, and MoMA PS1 shows contemporary art in an old public school building. It’s also a good-value place to stay, as our hotel guide explains.
Rockaway Beach
The Rockaways are a long strip of beach on the Atlantic, reachable by the A train or by NYC Ferry from Wall Street. In summer, the boardwalk has food stands and surf schools. It’s the most beach-town place in the city.
Getting around
The 7 train is the backbone for visitors, running from Times Square through LIC, Jackson Heights and Corona to Flushing. The E, F, M, N, W and R cover other parts of the borough, and the LIRR is faster for longer trips.
